You Don't Have to Jump Through These Hoops

 I wasn't going to make a Slow Sunday Stitching post but Kathy challenged us to take a photo of our hoop(s) and I couldn't resist. 

This is the quilt I'm working on stitching with perle #8.  It's in a big hoop that sits on my lap while stitching.  It's big and not my favorite for hand quilting but I use it when I want to do a lot of rows at a time that are in close proximity so I don't have to constantly move the hoop. 

 I use small round hoops for most embroidery like this stamped card table sized table cloth I found at the thrift store.   This is a smaller project I work on in the summer when it's too hot to have a quilt on my lap. 

 Then there's this oval hoop. I picked it up with a bunch of hoops at the thrift store and never found a use for it until I started stitching chicken scratch sashing strips for a quilt I'm working on.  I like that it's long enough for me to get the entire length of the sashing in the hoop and it's narrow enough for me to easily stitch the rows. This is another summer project or something I pick up when my wrist hurts from too much hand quilting.  This is a different arm motion. 

This is another summer project or when I have the time to dig through trims and threads and feel like thinking about what to do on each six inch block.   Since these are six inch blocks and I like to use a  small hoop for stitching  but one big enough to stitch the entire seam without moving the hoop, I baste some scrap muslin around the block before putting it in the hoop.  The block with the cats is one I finished before Christmas but haven't posted about. I usually don't post about them until the set of four improv circle blocks is finished. 

This poor wrinkly thing resides in my Bug Out Bag (or To Go Bag) along with some yarns and crochet hooks for crocheting dish cloths.  It's a quick easy project to pick up and put down at a moment's notice. I found a bunch of these stamped embroidery projects complete with single color thread on clearance for about 1/6th the regular cost so snatched them up.  They are supposed to be pillows.    I like a small hoop for embroidery like this.  I haven't gone anywhere in awhile so wrinkly bird will go back into the bag and stay ready.  I probably shouldn't leave it in the hoop though. But...

And finally this PVC hoop is my fav for hand quilting. It's a lot smaller than the wooden hoop but it's perfect for quilting areas like I did on my Glitter quilt.   I'm still need to leave this hermitage and get to the store to buy a long needle so I can tie in the middle of the nine patches using blind tie or international stitch.  I was also thinking of tying in the center of the oval - ish area where I already stitched but I may just stitch  another row inside that one.  I love how the stitching there makes the nine patches pop out. 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

where everyone is showing off their hoops today.