Qui8lting Hoop
 

I still haven't found the best tool for quilting. Has anyone used a 14" quilting hoop and with what success? A lady told me the other day that she learned to use one and loves it.

when I hand quilted I used that size hoop and it worked well. What I use to do is sit at a card table in a straight back chair and rest the quilt on the table. if that makes sense to you. It worked well for me and I could move the hoop easily to a new area on the quilt .

I have used the 14" hoop successfully. Sometimes the project will dictate the hoop size, but I tend to prefer a 12".

Is there a difference in quilting hoops? What kind do you use and why do you prefer it to others you could have bought?

Is there a particular make or model that works best for your? What would you recommend

I use a large oval wood hoop for hand quilting, and sit back in a comfy chair or sofa with the quilt on my lap. I have a smaller oval one for smaller quilts. I think my larger one is about 24" long.

No brand name, but I see them a lot in thrift stores and yard sales.

I also prefer a 12" hoop, as I have short arms. I once read a formula for determining one's ideal hoop size related to arm length. I found a very sturdy wooden hoop at my LQS; it is labeled Quilter's Resource. It was much more substantial than the ones at JoAnn's. I replaced the screw with a longer one from one of the larger JoAnn's hoops I'd tried, which made it possible to keep the hoop looser.

There are different types of quilting hoops. In general, smaller hoops such as 12" and 14" tend to be easier to use than large hoops (such as 16" or 18") just because it's hard to reach and sew. My preferred hoop is no longer available, but it is a lap hoop. If I had to replace it, I would probably get this one:
https://www.graceframe.com/en/hand-q...race-lap-hoops
What I like about mine is that it sits at an appropriate height in my lap so I don't have to worry about juggling it while I quilt, or prop it up against something. The swivel allows me to adjust the angle of the quilt for the direction that is easiest for me to quilt. And, there is very little underneath to interfere with my underneath hand.

Before getting the one I have, I tried a stationary lap hoop. This is a lap hoop that does not include the swivel feature. I found that the support struts interfered more with my underneath hand. Also, it was not possible to adjust the tilt of the quilt. Being able to adjust both the tilt and angle of the quilt is very helpful to me.

I started out with just a hoop. Although I could quilt with it, it was hard to try to juggle its position while using both hands to quilt. I never thought to prop it up, as some others describe, and see how that could work. However, that is pretty much a fixed position, so you still do not have the ability to easily change the tilt and angle of the hoop as you work.

i have a 22 inch round hoop that i got at an antique store. I do have to hang it on the back of a chair so that i can get my hand underneath it when i hand quilt. Then I decided to put out the money for a Harry Barnett 16 inch square hoop w/ a bean bag base. Harry's hoops are all individually hand made and they take about 8 weeks to get, but well worth it.

LOVE it!!! It does have a swivel base, and I really like that, too. No more hanging my hoop on the back of a chair.

http://www.laptophoops.com/

I went on the graceframe web site. Is the first one shown the one you would recommend? Does it sit easily in the lap and not become bulky or hard to keep on the lap? I'm serious about finding a good hoop and this one seems to be very adaptable to using in the lap.

There's only one lap hoop on the graceframe.com site. It is wood and it's on sale for $97, if that helps. The other hoop further down on that page, on the right, is a floor hoop.

I don't have this specific hoop, but it's very similar to the one I have, which does sit comfortably in my lap -- not too big, not too small, not too heavy. My hoop is round, but I actually think the Grace square hoop would be easier to use than mine (which has only one screw). My hoop swivels on a wooden ball, but the Grace hoop is very similar in that you can change the tilt and angle quickly and easily by loosening, adjusting, and then tightening the knob.

I notice that the photo has the quilt hooped too tightly. You really want a "fist" size of give in the middle of the hoop so you can manipulate the quilt as well as the needle.

Grace has tweaked this design a number of times. This is their latest and appears to me to be the best so far. If you Google, there are reviews of this Grace lap hoop online. I found only one negative review, and the complaint in that review didn't make sense to me.

I'm also looking at the one further down on the page that is a floor hoop. It's on sale for $207. Wonder how this one would be. If I get this one, there's no trying to keep it on my lap, etc. It's on sale until the 9th, so I've got time to decide which one would work best for me.

You might want to ask about experiences with floor hoops. Some people like them, but some don't.

I have used a 14"round hoop for a lot of years. I sit on the couch and prop my work against a card table that has all my supplies on it. For the present project a 16" would be handy so looked for one at JoAnn's but was disappointed to see that they no longer have the hoop that I like. They have the wooden ones that I consider to not be strong enough to hold the quilt as securely as I like it. Looking online, it appears the wooden ones are what they are promoting now. Mine is more like the Dritz one they offer in only a 12", not the 14" that I like so well and bought at JAs. (Had to shake my head as they need writers who understand the crafts--one hoop says it will hold my knitting well!!) Hobby Lobby website also has the wooden ones and not the self-locking that I like. Does anyone here have comments about the wooden ones?

I use a round, lap hoop - probably 14". I, too, sit in my comfy chair with my supplies on the chair by my side along with my light. I have no issues with the quilt being on my lap or moving it around. For myself, I would not like a floor frame/hoop of any type as I think I would have to be in one position for too long. I tend to 'scritch' around alot whenever I'm sitting and quilting is no different! I just use a cheapie one from JAF. I think I'm on #2 after about 15 yrs of quilting. Works well for my budget.

Thanks for your input. I'm seriously considering the $97 Grace frame. I like that it's not wood and seems to be really well made. I've got until June 9 when the sale goes off to order. So far, after looking at lots of other frames and websites, this seems to be the best fit for me. All the quilts I make are either lap size, full size or queen so it seems this will do very nicely for any of those sizes.

What I like about the lap hoop is that it is easy to move and easy to store. At the moment it is sitting on the top of a bookshelf, out of the way and not taking up any floor space. I was never tempted by a floor hoop because it takes up more space. Also, I tend to be clumsy and I really did not want to be tripping over it, or having to stretch at awkward angles to move it out of the way.

Reasons I can think of to buy a floor hoop instead of a lap hoop: (1) you get too hot with a quilt in your lap and over your legs, (2) the weight of a quilt in your lap makes you uncomfortable, (3) you have back or neck problems which might possibly require you to work at a higher distance from your lap. I have worked on a PVC floor frame and found that to be really, really hard on my back. However, the lap hoop does not strain my back at all and is very comfortable to use.

So, for me anyway, a lap hoop is probably preferable to a floor hoop.

I have had one for years. It's by Dritz with a bolt and wing nut. I also have a rectangle with plastic pieces that snap on, but I rarely use it. I did not realize the corners would bother me.

Thanks. I just looked up Dritz hoops and know they have been around for a long time. Think I'll check them out the next time I go to Mary Jo's here in Gastonia NC. Not sure I want to spend a lot of money just for bells and whistles. A lady I know is going to show me how to hand quilt on a 12 or 14" (not sure which) hoop when I see her later his month. Am sure she just has a plain round hoop--she's been hand quilting since the 1990's. Don't see her as a person who would spend lots of money on a round lap hoop.