Beginner’s Guide to Embroidery Hoops
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How to Choose the Right Embroidery Hoop for Your Project
As a beginning embroiderer, it can be overwhelming to make choices about the supplies you buy. With so many brands and styles to choose from, it’s difficult to understand what you really need for your project. I learned through trial and error, but you shouldn’t have to!
Embroidery is a wonderful hobby that you can start with very little investment in supplies and materials. However, I’ve found that splurging on just the right embroidery hoop can make a huge difference in not only the outcome of your project, but also the amount of fun you have while making it! No one likes wonky fabric ripples in their final project after spending what may have been many hours stitching.
I’ve made choosing an embroidery hoop easier than ever for you. I personally own at least one hoop in each style and brand reviewed below. And to save you some time and effort searching, I’ve included a link where you can purchase each hoop that I reviewed.
The reviews are broken down into 2 categories - Wooden and Non-Wooden. Most of the reviews focus on a specific brand and hoop style, but for a few categories (e.g., Imitation Wood and Bamboo Hoops) I considered brands irrelevant and labeled them as “Generic.”
Each hoop reviewed is rated on a 5-star scale based on:
Quality;
Value;
Ease of Use; and
Who/What the Hoop is Best Suited For.
Additionally, each hoop is given an overall rating, based on the average score of the sub-category ratings. Keep reading to find out which hoop ranked best overall!
Wooden Hoops
Bamboo Hoops (Generic)
Overall Rating: 3.7/5
Most come with stainless steel screws with an anti-skid, embossed texture. Polished bamboo embroidered hoops are lightweight and environmentally friendly because they are made from a renewable resource. Although many claim to have a smooth finish, some lower quality hoops have rough edges or splinters that can snag your thread or fabric.
Additionally, you may find that some of these hoops are misshapen and not of very high quality. Some may be cut imprecisely and leave jagged or rough edges. However, for a cheap everyday hoop, these are great to have in your stash.
Quality: 2/5 (Varies widely)
Price: 5/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use
Pros
Available online
Comes in lots of sizes and can purchase in bulk
Great for small, quick embroidery projects
Extremely cheap
Cons
Quality can be hit or miss - Misshapen or splintered wood can snag fabric and thread
Not a very polished look for framing your final piece - Can look “cheap”
Frank A. Edmunds Beech Wood Hoop
Overall Rating: 4/5
Quality embroidery hoops with brass closure and smooth round edges. Each hoop has a twistable metallic bolt at the top that makes the tension more or less on your fabric. The edges have been sanded to a smooth finish bringing out the natural color of the wood. These embroidery hoops keep your stitching project taut and help to avoid puckering while stitching. Once the project is finished, the hoop can be used as a display frame.
Quality: 5/5
Value for Money: 3/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use; Travel; Framing
Pros
Lightweight - Ideal for use without a hoop stand
Sturdy, good quality
Beautiful wood color
Cons
The single screw design can be difficult to tighten, especially for those with dexterity or mobility issues
Nurge Beech Wood Hoop
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
Nurge has superior quality embroidery hoops, which are made from hard beech wood - Fine sanded and hand polished for a super smooth natural wood finish. The brass screw adjuster makes your fabric more or less taught. The adjustment screw and threaded angle bracket fittings are made from pure brass and polished for a rich, striking gold color look. This improves the presentation of your work.
This hoop slightly edges out the Frank A. Edmunds beech wood hoop due to the more attractive brass screw and fitting, as well as the lower price. If I had a choice between the two, I would choose the Nurge hoop.
Quality: 5/5
Value for Money: 4/5 ($6.34 fpr 6”)
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use, Travel, Framing
Pros
Lightweight - Ideal for use without a hoop stand
Sturdy, good quality
Beautiful wood color
Cons
The single screw design can be difficult to tighten, especially for those with dexterity or mobility issues
Non-Wooden Hoops
Susan Bates Hoop-La Plastic Hoop
Overall Rating 3.7/5
Available in 6 bright colors. Comes with the Susan Bates exclusive “Super Grip Lip,” which is designed to maintain consistent tension without distorting or snagging your fabric or threads. These hoops are durable and flexible.
Out of the plastic hoop category, I use the Susan Bates hoop quite a bit. It is perfect for everyday use and is lighter weight than the Clover hoop. However, it does not hold the fabric quite as well as the Clover hoop. Additionally, if snagging thread gets you as frustrated as it does me, I would recommend Clover over the Susan Bates due to its unique screw housing. Susan Bates is still a solid choice, however, if you’re more concerned with the hoop’s weight in your hand.
Quality: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use; Travel; Mixed media
Pros
Available online and in major chain stores
Great value
Will likely hold up longer than wooden hoops
Cons
Does not hold circular shape well when making fabric very taught
Does not hold fabric tight over longer periods of time
More expensive than bamboo hoops, but functions much the same
Anchor Plastic Hoop
Overall Rating: 3/5
Anchor embroidery hoops feature a “Super Grip Lip” that is designed to hold fabric securely in place without distorting or snagging your fabric. Flexible plastic. Completely safe for fine embroidery fabrics with trouble-free screw fastener.
This hoop is essentially the same as the Susan Bates Hoop-La, save for a few important details. The plastic is weaker and cheaper feeling than the Susan Bates hoop, and much more likely to distort its shape while tightening your fabric. Additionally, the “Super Grip Lip” on the inner hoop is a millimeter or two thinner than the Susan Bates hoop. This makes it less suited for more delicate fabric, as there is more of a chance to permanently crease or even tear the fabric.
Quality: 2/5
Value: 3/5 (Sparkle 6” is $5.36; regular is $3.99)
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use; Travel; Mixed media
Pros
Great value
Lots of size choices
Available in major chain stores
Cons
Does not maintain circular shape
Does not get a tight hold on the fabric
Not suited for delicate or thin fabrics
Clover Embroidery Hoop
Overall Rating: 4.3/5
The Clover embroidery hoop features a lip on the inner hoop, which is designed to grip the fabric firmly, keeping it tight. Although the lip design is similar to both the Susan Bates and Anchor hoops, this hoop holds the fabric better than either. I believe this is due to the quality and sturdiness of the thicker plastic.
Clover also differs from the other designs in that the inner hoop does not have an embossed texture to prevent the fabric from slipping. I’m not sure how this affects the fabric hold, though, as the Clover is overall better at holding your fabric. This hoop does tend to allow the inner hoop to slip out slightly when the screw is overly tight.
I like the unique screw housing, which prevents thread from wrapping around the screw while you stitch. This hoop is the heaviest hoop for its size, which may be more tiring in the hand. For comparison, the Clover 4.75” hoop weighs about 4 ounces more than the 5” Morgan plastic hoop.
Quality: 5/5
Value: 4/5 (7 inch is $12.50)
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Those who want to eliminate thread snagging on the hoop’s screw while working; Everyday use; Mixed media
Pros
Holds fabric well
Durable, High quality
Maintains its shape
Screw housing prevents thread from snagging
Cons
Limited size choices - Only comes in 2 sizes 4.75” (12 cm) and 7” (18 cm)
More expensive
Heavy to use without a hoop stand
Morgan Plastic Hoops
Overall Rating: 4.7/5
The Morgan No-Slip Hoops have a unique patented feature, a tongue and groove configuration, which holds the fabric securely between the inner and outer rings. This feature keeps the fabric firmly in place while working on your project. There is no movement of the fabric until the outer ring is loosened and the project is removed from the inner ring.
This hoop is tightened with a wing nut. This can be easier to tighten than a regular screw, but you also have the added bonus of being able to purchase a wing nut tightener, if you have hand strength or mobility issues.
In terms of weight, these weigh less than the Clover hoop in the closest size. The Morgan 5” hoop weighs about 4 ounces less than the 4.75” Clover hoop. This is a very sturdy and well-made plastic hoop. It truly does hold your fabric without slipping for a very long time, both while actively working on it and while storing a project.
Quality: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Ease of Use: 5/5
Best Suited For: Everyday use, travel, mixed media
Pros
Holds fabric very tight due to the internal tongue and groove
Is tightened with a wing nut, which can be easier to tighten than just a screw
Cons
Pricey (but worth it!)
Heavier than bamboo or wooden styles
Q-Snap frames
Overall Rating: 2/5
Q-Snap frames are made from PVC tubing, making them lighter than other materials. Lay the fabric over the frame and gently push the clamps down, stretching the material around the outside of the frame.
I bought this frame thinking it could be a nice alternative to the typical round hoop. Boy, was I wrong! I do not recommend these frames except for maybe those that find tightening a screw to be difficult. Even then, I would recommend the spring tension type hoops over this style.
Quality: 2/5
Value for Money: 3/5
Ease of Use: 1/5
Best Suited For: Those with hand strength issues; mixed media, travel
Pros
Lightweight
Can be broken down into pieces
Cons
Does not hold fabric tight
Not sturdy - frame pieces shift while working
Frank A Edmunds Spring Tension Hoops
Overall Rating: 3.3/5
Lightweight and durable. Easy clamping feature; keeps fabric tight with no slipping. The inner ring is made of metal with a spring tension clamp and the outer ring is made of plastic to grip the fabric. Their easy clamping feature makes them great for needlework, embroidery and cross stitch. Simply pinch the metal handles on the hoop and release to hold the fabric taut.
Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Ease of Use: 4/5
Best Suited For: Those with hand strength/function issues; small embroidery projects
Pros
Good for those with dexterity issues
Cons
Does not hold fabric tight for long, which may outweigh the dexterity/hand mobility friendliness as you will need to reframe the fabric more often
Imitation Wood Hoops (Generic)
Overall Rating: 3.7/5
Made of rubber and plastic. Durable and flexible. Easily tightens and secures your fabric inside the embroidery ring. There are no screws on the embroidery hoops, only the non-adjustable hanging ring. Retro hanging ring, ideal for hanging and displaying cross-stitch art or wall decorations, make your handicrafts more refined.
Holds fabric securely in place without distorting or snagging your fabric. The rubber outer frame snaps firmly around the white inner frame to create proper tension without needing to tighten any screws. The faux wood finish will add a lovely frame to your DIY hoop art.
Quality: 3/5 (Varies widely)
Value for Money: 5/5
Ease of Use: 3/5
Best Suited For: Framing your final piece
Pros
Good for framing if you like the faux wood/retro vibe
Holds the fabric tightly
More variety in frame shape - I’ve seen oval, square, and hexagonal shapes for those looking for something a bit different
Cons
Difficult to use as an everyday hoop - Getting the fabric in the hoop correctly takes multiple tries; can be difficult to center your project in the hoop
Conclusion
Below are my final rankings for all the embroidery hoops I considered and reviewed.
Final Rankings
Morgan Plastic Hoop (4.7) - Best Overall, Best Plastic Hoop
Clover Plastic Embroidery Hoop (4.3)
Nurge Beech Wood Hoop (4.3) - Best Wooden Hoop
Frank A. Edmunds Beech Wood Hoop (4)
Susan Bates Plastic Hoop (3.7)
Bamboo Wood Hoops (3.7)
Imitation Wood Rubber Hoops (3.7)
Frank A. Edmunds Plastic Spring Tension Hoop (3.3)
Q-Snap Plastic Frame (2)
In summary, the best hoop overall is the Morgan Plastic Hoop. Although these hoops are a bit on the expensive side, they are worth every penny. These hoops keep the fabric tight, even after being in the hoop for several days. And because they’re plastic, you can use the hoops for your mixed media projects.
The best wooden hoop is the Nurge Beech Wood Hoop. I enjoy these hoops because of their sturdy construction, the high quality materials used, and the beauty of the lightly polished wood. These make excellent framing hoops in addition to being useful for everyday embroidering and for being lightweight and easy to travel with.
You should feel a lot more confident choosing an embroidery hoop for your projects going forward. Each hoop style has its unique characteristics, and in reality, a healthy mix of different types of hoops will be needed if you stick with embroidering long term. I find that certain hoops are my everyday go-to, while others are better suited for more unique projects, such as for fabric painting or other mixed media.
