Originally Posted by
feline fanatic
You can probably use an embroidery hoop with a low loft batting but it will be a battle getting the outer ring on going over 2 layers of fabric and batting. The spring loaded ones aren't meant to go over that much thickness and it will be difficult for you to get the tension correct for quilting.
The first "quilt" I made, I tried to hand quilt with a 6 inch spring loaded embroidery hoop. I didn't think the heavy poly batting would be thick enough, so I doubled it. I could just barely get the quilt in the hoop, but it was a struggle. As I sat there stab stitching away, my mom told me that the quilting stitch was worked from the top. I thought she was nuts, but it's little wonder that the project became my first UFO.
That aside, on my next quilt, 15 years later, I bought a $4 quilting hoop. It worked much better and helped me become addicted to hand quilting. I still have it, it's still useable, but if I used a hoop more often (I use a floor frame now), I would buy a quality hoop.
Janet