I use the "donut hole" method for large hoops too. Cut away only what you have to, leave the remaining part hooped and just sew in the middle piece(good for when doing multiple large projects.

someone showed me how to hoop my material, set it up in your machine and place a piece of stabilizer underneath. no need to hoop a whole piece. Can stick it on the back with spray if you want to. use's up those small pieces

Depends on the type of stabilizer. If it's iron on - no need to sew, just iron pieces in where you have a hole.
For Water soluable fiberous I take and cut my WS extra large because that way I can compensate for the amount you have excess all the way around and get much more on the water soluable - thus wasting less of it. If I am floating - often times you can use excess pieces. For cut away - zig zag works. Good Luck and for sure - save that stabilizer, especially at the cost of it today!

I cut it down as close to the embroidery and save the excess for a smaller project, but I've never considered piecing it together. It is an awesome idea. Thanks for all your ideas.

I do much the same - in fact I have even taken like a 4 1/2 sq of stabilizer, marked the center, match it to the center of the fabric that will be hooped and embroidered, and lightly taped down the corners of the stabilizer where I know the pattern will not be stitching. Now that is cheap!! - but it has worked! :lol:

thanks for all the wonderful ideas!

I do the same. I also save the pieces from sticky back & try to but them up & use them. Stabilier is tooo expensive not to get the most out of the leftover pieces.

Thks nice tip!

I cut my piece alittle longer so that when the embroidery is finished the stabilizer is still long enough for to more hoopings without wasting the side pieces.

Very good ideas...I love this board.