Kay4

Hi all--have any of you done machine emroidery using the magnetic Snap Hoop or Magna Hoop? Please give me your opinions as I am thinking of purchasing one but would like to hear pros and cons first. I have the other hoops for my Bernina but find that the hooping process is difficult and throws off my centered placements, etc. Plus this seems like it would be perfect for toweling, etc. Help!

PamelaOry

I do have the snap hoop monster. I would not get the regular one. It is great for toweling but doesn’t hold my thinner embroidery as well as the hoops that came with my brother. I used it all the time for a while when I first got it until I started having problems with slight shifting as I do lots of appliqué and was taking the hoop in and out a lot. For straight embroidery, especially on thick items I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Cari-in-Oly

I have one for my Janome 350e but I've never used it. I have good luck with thicker items by hooping the stabilizer and pinning or basting the item to the stabilizer and using a rubber shelf liner frame in my hoop for thinner items.

Cari

Dolphyngyrl

Monster yes but do not get the regular snap hoop it shifts like crazy. Magna hoop is very different, it sits on top of hoop also lowers the size of design you can use but never had issues with either

patricej

i use the embroidery function on my machine almost exclusively for quilting.
as expensive as it is, i think i have already gotten more than my money's worth out of the magna monster.
the way i use the machine i don't think the magna shifts any more than a regular hoop does.
it's all a matter of learning how to keep the weight of the quilt sandwich from dragging it out of kilter.
(a skill i am still working on. lol)

there are lots of things i like about it.
my favorite thing is that i can gently tug the sandwich taut without stretching it out of shape.
it's soooooo much easier to align things the way i need them than it is with a regular hoop.

Kay4

Thanks for all of your helpful replies. I want to do quilting in the hoop plus embroidery as well and am open to anything that makes it easier to hoop and stitch. It sounds like the magna is the one to look at. Any other helps?

linda8450

I agree with the Monster, it works very well. I first purchased the original Snap Hoop and was very disappointed. I tried doing organza table runners and it sipped and slid all over the place! I called the company and was told it wasn't for thin fabrics, it also wouldn't hold towels or quilt sandwiches, the magnets weren't strong enough. So pretty much useless. I put it away. Went to a demo and the new Monster was demoed there. I asked if I could get the new TOP part of the frame, as it seemed to be the same base. YES!!!! I ordered it and was thrilled. The old snap hoop had several small magnets embedded into the top hoop. Not very strong and lots of "space" inbetween with no holding power. The new Monster is one continuous very strong band of magnets. And they aren't kidding, it will pinch you! Keep the foam board spacer in there while storing or you will fight to get the top and bottom hoops apart! I is great for quilt sandwiches, towels, organza and even just plain cotton fabric with stabilizer I float most things in regular hoops, this allows me to hoop it without trouble, no movement and quick and easy to adjust to next area. No more broken hoops trying to fit a towel! I have Viking Diamond Royale. Many people don't agree with using aftermarket items on their machines. I am not one of them! It is out of warranty anyway, and it works!

Rhonda K

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.

Kay4

Rhonda, I usually do what you are doing to hoop the fabrics, but find that when I actually hoop the fabric, many times it pulls out of proportion a little bit and the centers become unmatched. Was thinking that the Magna hoop would just hold all those layers much better. I do kitchen towels and bath towels mostly for now but would like to expand my experiences.

Rhonda K

Kay,

What machine hoop and stabilizers do you use for the towels? In the hoop, try holding the center point on each side when you snap into the hoop. I haven't ventured into towel projects yet but hopefully soon.

Hooping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjSnEFXCKLE

You can use a little spray baste on the stabilizer too to help hold down the towels. Another way is to fold from center point so you have the four quadrants on the item. Match the center points on stabilizer and towel.

Using sticky:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjSnEFXCKLE

Sometimes I have to move the design on the machine to get it centered due to hooping. It's a dance for sure to get everything lined up.