Spring tension hoops are probably the easiest and simplest hand embroidery hoops to use. Instead of screwing the hoop to tighten the fabric, you just position the ground fabric over the outer hoop, squeeze the inner hoop, place the outer hoop inside and then release for needed tension.
Wood hoops are the most common and economical of embroidery hoops. They range in size from small for hand embroidery to super large for quilting. Unlike spring tension hoops, wooden embroidery hoops use tiny screws that are adjust to achieve needed ground fabric tension.
Plastic embroidery hoops come in both spring tension and screw clamp styles. They are usually very colorful and much stronger than their wooden counterparts, and are less likely to break. Many embroiderers favor plastic hoops over wooden ones.
Most machine embroidery hoops are square or rectangle. In the case of hand embroidery, it can be said that a square hoop is the same as an embroidery frame. Square or rectangle hoops are great for designs with areas that need to be stitched in entirety without re-adjusting the hoop.
You can't go wrong with a round embroidery hoop. You can find them pretty much everywhere including dollar stores, discount department stores, drug stores as well as grocery and variety stores. If you've never used an embroidery hoop before, a round hoop is an excellent one with which to start.
I, too, never realized there were so many kinds of hoops.
I have often wondered about the kinds of embroidery hoops.
Wow, I didn't realize there were so many different kinds of hoops!
select one here...