Should I use a hoop for Hardanger?

Following my recent video on embroidery hoops, Jenn asked me some questions:

“Should I use a hoop for hardanger? I do use one with larger satin stitch motifs but tend to do the rest in hand. I am wondering if I should be using the hoop when I do the needleweaving?”

These are great questions! My infuriating answer to that is: it depends. Most Hardanger, I do in hand. It enables me to get into a rhythm that I wouldn’t be able to get into, if I was working in a hoop.

For filling stitches, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. If you get better results using a hoop, use a hoop. If you get better results without a hoop, don’t use a hoop. Generally, for all simple needleweaving, I don’t. But for fancy filling stitches, I often do, particularly if there are diagonal stitches across open space. Working these types of stitches in a hoop helps me to maintain good tension.

Jenn then replied to say: “That helps very much! I do like stitching in hand for the most part but I have seen so many people using hoops in videos online I thought I might be doing something wrong, lol. Thank you for your reply.”

Such an interesting comment! A lot of people do use hoops in videos, including me, and I wouldn’t always off camera. So why is that? I use hoops in my videos because it’s easier for a viewer to see what is happening. Holding it in hand means your hand can wave all over the place, including out of the camera’s view. Having it in a fixed hoop on a stand means it stays within camera view much more easily!