favourite needlework items: my embroidery hoop

I thought that today I might tell you about one of my favourite needlework items: my hoop. For many years I used cheap and nasty thin little hoops, because they were cheap. Having had some issues with my back, I came to accept that the way I was doing my needlework was not helping my back at all.

A few years ago I was teaching at the Sydney June craft show at Darling Harbour for Country Bumpkin. Each day I spent a few hours there for CB, teaching and also helping on their stall.

I met some lovely people, including some who have been on my mailing list for many years. I also got to see some of the Country Bumpkin products up close and personal.

I noticed that they had some hoops which attached to a stand that you could sit on. Rather than the huge floor standing ones, these were quite small and compact. It was a big purchase for me – much more expensive than the cheap hoops that I usually bought. But I decided that my physiotherapist would think it was a very good idea, and I did too – so I bought one.

It has now become my very favouritest (great word!!) hoop. I love it. I love the fact that it can be height adjusted so that I can bring it almost up to my eyes if I want. The hoop is on a hinge so you can easily flip it up and down, making it easy to get to the back of the work. The hoop can also be swivelled around on its stand so that you can rotate the work to get at certain parts easier. And the screw has a slot for putting a screw driver in, which means that it can be tightened much more than simply by hand.

The wood is beechwood and it is lovely and smooth. I have bound the inner ring of the hoop to give better traction for keeping the fabric in place.

I truly love my hoop. If you’ve been considering getting one, I’d certainly recommend one!