I am considering one of the hoops too. Thanks for sharing information and the feed-back on the different ones. I use the method similar to Cari without the added shelf liner. Hoop the stabilizer and carefully pin around the field. Be sure the design won't hit any pins though!
Check your machine, many have built in basting blocks. Easy to make one if not in your machine. Save it in a pocket on the machine memory. I have different sizes in the memory pockets.
Kay, How are you hooping the item? What size is the hoop? What items are you having problems hooping?
I lay the top hoop on my item and stabilizer with center marks lined up. Lift up and move to bottom piece of hoop. Press down at top and start pressing down the top hoop into the bottom piece.
Then tighten the hoop with the small screw-driver tool.You can also draw the cross points for reference on the stabilizer. It helps to line up with the center points on hoop.
Just an FYI: Some of the ladies can't use those special hoops due to pacemakers.