I used to use a hoop all the time....I mostly did cross stitching however and that fabric tends to be stiffer although I have done some on linen. Over the years, I started doing most of it without a hoop as it was easier to handle for me....but you really have to be more careful then to maintain equal amounts of tension on your thread as you stitch so you do not get puckering of the fabric or looping of the stiches.