this is really interesting...has anyone ever tried this...no foot when quilting?
 

I wish I could afford these hoops. I am starting my Christmas list now. I have always wanted to do some of the embroidery but would not do enough to warrant a machine. Thanks for the link

Interesting. I can't afford an embrodery machine!

Without a foot it is easy to get you finger, Be careful

She keeps saying "embroidering", not quilting. There is no way I could quilt in an area that small and keep needing to re-hoop...there would be no continuity to the quilting. Using a hopping foot totally eliminates the drag created by the regular feet, but protects your fingers more, so what is the difference??

she used a regular machine but what is the name of her website where you can get the hoops?

Does anyone know where these hoops can be purchased at. i really like them got to have.:)

looks interesting. One of my machines is a super high shank and I can't find a darning foot that will fit. I have some fabric grip hoops that are similar to these and I'm going to try this.

Very interesting, but $90 for the set -- wow!!

Hate to say it -- I was a bit distracted by the machine -- has anyone else put a skin on their sewing machine?? I thought that could be fun.

The site is www.creativefeet.com

Marysewfun

thank you - it is interesting and she has some really interesting presser feet also - the hoops sound reall good too - seems she has desigined some of her stuff for handicapped people to use on a regular sewing machine.

I found the website for the hoops and "package" mentioned in the you tube video. $109.00 Hmmmm.

http://www.creativefeet.com/products/frames/octi-hoop

I hope some of you give these hoops a try and let us know how they work. Since I have an embroidery machine I can't really justify buying these. However, perhaps I could be convinced. They look like fun.

I've met her at the shows. Her machine is painted. She paints them. The hoops are great for thread painting too.

Thank you, Thank you, thank you. The minute I heard her (in another one of her videos) say, "Do not drop your feed dogs" I wanted to learn more. Free motion has been very hard for me. After watching a couple of her demos I'm ready to try again with a lot more confidence. Best Free motion instructions I've seen. I'm loving her information.

That stunning machine makes me want to take a painting class more than it makes me want to use hoops, but really those hoops are kind of special. They don't actually clamp the fabric at all. They just control it a little so that it can easily move in every direction, and then they simply scoot over to the next area where you need them to be. I'd have to try it to be convinced, and I'm not ready to spend any more money (or learning curve!) on a new technique right now. I believe it would surely be easier on a machine with a large table like the one she's using.

The odd thing about her use of those hoops on that machine is that they do seem to have a tendency to scrape the machine bed a bit. Since she painted the machine herself, that might not bother her too much, but it would cause me a bit of consternation. I wonder if she gave it several coats of polyurethane or what.

In 1966 my parents bought me my first sewing machine as a gift, and I'll never forget the machine embroidery demonstration that was done for me by the owner of the shop. This was a basic zig-zag machine, and he used a hoop while manipulating the stitch-width knob to make a satin stitch rose. He made it look wonderfully easy, but when I tried it, it seemed like the little trick where you're supposed to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time. It has to be easier the way it's being done in this demo, with both the length and the width of each stitch managed by moving the hoop. It's going on my "someday maybe" list.

I used to embroider on my kids clothes back a "hundred" years ago before there was such a thing as an embroidery machine. I used a regular wooden hoop with the fabric laying flat against the machine. I used coloring books and traced onto my fabric and then did "free-motion" embroidery with no foot. There wasn't even such a thing as stabilizer then, so I used soft interfacing.

As far as the painted machine, I find that too distracting. I like my white machine better.

That is awesome, now I need to find out where to purchase the hoops and a name would be helpful. If anybody know will they please post. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for sharing that. Learn something new everyday.

For $109.00 I think I will try using a hoop instead. I can't see paying that much for these. oh well my opinion.If anyone else trys these please post how you like them and your work.

this is exactly why people get confused...wrong terminology! She is NOT doing free motion quilting.,.she is doing embroidery..or Thread play!

you learn to do this with NO hoops either...just google "thread play" and read up on it, or watch a video...Debbie Hartman, Libby Lehman, they all do thread play like this, on a regular machine and NO hoops!

I have a machine that looks like that one- a Brother NX 2000. I love the table. I have just tried fmq with some practice sandwiches and see where the learning curve is high. It was fun though. I'm interested in trying a hoop but hesitant to spend the money. I think I'm going to keep practicing and taking some Craftsy classes I've purchased.

I think I would be distracted by that machine. It looks good though.

I've watched her at a quilt show and am mesmerized by her method but haven't invested yet! Let me know if anyone purchases and uses it!

I did try quilting without a foot - on my machine, the layers kept being dragged up and I had to keep my fingers too close to the needle to make sure it stayed down. The result was worse than my normal quilting and I sewed my finger. I use a hopping foot with my feed dogs down and I start on the outside and go in and I don't get any puckers either, so I think I will stick to the method that works for me. The hoops look good for thread painting.

It was interesting but I presume the learning curve is steep just like free motion quilting - when I fmq on my sewing machine - I have to move the fabric at a certain pace so that my stitches are too long or too short - This video technique would have to be the same - Its interesting but I don't think I am interested in trying this for now.

This is called the Octi-Hoop and they aren't cheap at $109. I think a regular embroidery hoop could be used with little problem.

Over 35 years ago I took a course and we learned to machine embroider using a hand embroidery hoop upside down, removing the machine foor and feed dogs down. The key was getting the machine going FAST. THen it was easy to control and make some interesting designs. I once did 50 patches in 4 colors using this method. This wasbefore embroidery machines. Still have some around.
Lynne iin Houston

http://www.robappell.com/taxonomy/term/19
Rob Appell has a video on this site that shows him painting his sewing machine! I gave my grand-daughter some stickers to decorate her sewing machine, found them at JoAnn's.

Fascinating! I hope someone tries it and gives us feedback on how it works!

The information was great but the highly decorated machine was too distracting!!

Thanks for the explanation Jacquie. I was a little perplexed when she mentioned stabilizer during the video. You saved me some $$. I'm such a new tool junkie. :o

I Googled as you indicated (never thought of the term "thread play") and came up with Amazon books (one of my favorite stomping grounds) - and one book was "Dancing with Threads" - you can review part of it online. It covers thread art and free-motion quilting and is an eye-opener. Along the same lines as discussed here but more intricate - and in that case she uses a glove(s) and suggests a coated sheet to make the fabric slide well.

Anyway, this is an interesting thread (pardon the pun). :-) The hoops sound like one good idea but at $109, I am tempted to keep thinking and looking some more.

Marysewfun

This is really interesting. Really like these hoops. Thanks sew much for sharing.

I was practicing free motion quilting on a pot holder and finished thinking boy it sure has gotten easier. Must be practice. Then I looked and realized that I had not put the foot on for quilting. It was so so much easier. Now I wonder why we have to use a foot. I see that her video is for embroidery but the same applies quilting. If you can not use a foot when using the hoop why not when not using a hoop! I can tell you I have done it time and time again. Just for small things so far but if it works on small it will work on large. The largest I have done is a place mat. I am just practicing before I do a quilt. I think you all should try it. You are going to like it so much more. The reason is nothing is in your way as far as seeing what you are doing. I am so much more relaxed. I put the foot back on and did not like it at all. I am now footless confirmed. And I don't use any hoop or anything.

I have used a regular thin embroidery hoop to do this on my machine. Machines use to not have a darning foot so all free sewing (darning) was done without a foot. The hoop will keep your fingers safe. Use a stabilizer to eliminate the gathering effect.

Clair Rowley is the inventer of "Creative Feet". You can go to www.creativefeet.com to find her website. I purchased some of her products years ago...long before I had an embroidery machine and long before I had a machine with all the fancy stitches. I purchased the "Pearls and Piping",Sequins and Ribbon", and "Satin Edge" feet along with the manual. They work great!!! I have been looking at these "Octagon" hoops as well and trying to make a decision as to whether or not I would use them enough to be worth it for me. Having used her other products, I would imagine these octagon hoops would work well also. Let us know what you decide .

I haven't yet watched the video, but Clare does free motion quilt with her Octi-Hoops as well as free motion embroidery. I just saw her demo them today at Road to CA Quilt Show.

You can use a darning spring also. It attaches to your needle bar. I have used one but not for a long time.

http://www.thesewbox.com/2009/06/att...ur-sewing.html