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tutorial for velveteen blanket embroidery
How-to's

Velveteen Blanket Embroidery Tutorial (Step-by-Step with Mighty Hoop)

May 1, 20250

Looking to embroider a thick, luxurious velveteen blanket with professional results? In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to hoop and stitch a blanket using the HoopMaster Station, Adjustable Fixture, and a 4.25×13” Horizontal Mighty Hoop. This method is perfect for thick or delicate materials and tubular embroidery machines.

🎥 Watch the full video tutorial below

Tools Used in This Tutorial

Step 1: Set Up Your HoopMaster Station

Set up your HoopMaster station

Start by adjusting the HoopMaster Station to lie flat (you can hoop at an angle, but flat is easier for thick fabrics like blankets).

  • Flip the station over.

  • Loosen the thumbscrews and wingnuts.

  • Push the legs down until flat.

  • Tighten everything back in place.

  • Flip the board right-side-up.

Place the Adjustable Fixture on the station. We positioned ours above the number “8” on the board for reference.

Step 2: Secure Your Mighty Hoop

Secure your MightyHoop

We’re using the 4.25×13” Horizontal Mighty Hoop, ideal for tubular embroidery machines. If you’re unsure whether it fits your machine, check our website or give us a call.

To install:

  1. Insert the bottom hoop ring into the lower fixture.

  2. Slide the top piece of the fixture down to hold it snugly.

  3. Open the magnetic flaps for hooping access.

Step 3: Choose the Right Stabilizers

Choose the correct stabilizers

We used:

  • Two layers of tearaway stabilizer (for stability and easy removal).

  • One layer of water-soluble stabilizer on top (prevents stitches from sinking into soft fabric).

Because the back of the blanket will be visible, tearaway gives a cleaner finish than cutaway on this thin material.

Step 4: Mark Your Design Placement

Mark your design placement

For accurate placement:

  1. Use placement dots to mark the center.

  2. Measure from the bottom of the rope design to the edge of the blanket (ours was ~11″).

  3. Place your center mark at around 5.5″, then adjust it to sit perfectly within the rope’s knot.

  4. Align this mark with the centerline of the station.

Step 5: Hooping the Blanket

Hooping the blanket

Once your stabilizers are clipped in:

  1. Pull the blanket onto the station.

  2. Align the placement mark with the station’s centerline.

  3. Feel for the Mighty Hoop’s inner ring to make sure it’s centered.

  4. Remove the dot and lay the water-soluble stabilizer over the hoop area.

  5. Press the top ring of the Mighty Hoop into place.

Step 6: Embroidering the Design

Embroidering the design

  • Mount the hooped blanket onto your machine.

  • Drape the rest of the blanket over a chair to relieve arm weight.

  • Flip your design 180° before stitching (since it’s hooped upside-down).

  • Always run a trace to ensure your design fits inside the hoop.

Step 7: Cleanup and Finishing Touches

Cleanup and final touches

Once embroidery is complete:

  • Remove the hoop from your machine.

  • Tear away the water-soluble stabilizer.

  • Use tweezers or steam to remove any small bits stuck between letters.

  • Tear away the stabilizer on the back.

  • Trim any loose threads.

And that’s it — your embroidered velveteen blanket is complete!

Whether you’re personalizing a gift or tackling a thick fabric project, the HoopMaster and Mighty Hoop system makes the hooping process fast, clean, and frustration-free. This tutorial featured a special gift for Captain Kate McCue, but the techniques apply to any embroidery project involving dense designs and soft materials.

🛳️ Going on a cruise? A custom embroidered blanket makes a fantastic gift!

Need Help or Want to Order?

📞 Call us: (262) 257-0930 (Mon–Fri, 8:00am–4:30pm CST)
🌐 Shop all HoopMaster & Mighty Hoop products

how to choose the right embroidery hoop
How-to's

The Complete Guide to Choosing the Perfect Embroidery Hoop

April 2, 20250

Embroidery hoops are one of the most crucial tools in machine embroidery. Selecting the right hoop size can make the difference between a perfect project and a frustrating failure. This detailed guide will walk you through the basics of embroidery hoops, key factors to consider when choosing the proper size, helpful tips for working with different hoop sizes, and accessories to elevate your embroidery experience.

Understanding Machine Embroidery Hoops

Machine embroidery hoops stabilize fabric during embroidery, ensuring it remains taut and in place. This prevents puckering and shifting, which can compromise intricate designs. Hoops come in various shapes and sizes, with rectangular and circular being the most common. The choice of hoop size affects the embroidery’s quality, precision, and ease of handling.

What is the Most Popular Embroidery Hoop Size?

  • The most popular embroidery hoop size is the 5.5-inch square hoop, or the equivalent 15-centimeter round hoop. This size is most common, as it is the perfect size for company logos and left chest designs. Most company logos and left chest designs are between 3.5 to 4.5 inches in size, which makes the 5.5-inch or 15-centimeter hoop the most popular size.

General Trends and Preferences in Embroidery Hoop Sizes

  • Embroidery trends and preferences in hoop sizes vary among embroiderers. This is because not all embroiderers focus on the same type of embroidery business.
  • Contract and corporate embroidery businesses tend to embroider left chest logos and designs. These designs are typically smaller and take less time to embroider. Due to this, contract embroiderers normally use smaller hoops and will have multiples of the same size hoop, so that they can be as efficient as possible.
  • Embroidery hobbyists tend to use a variety of hoop sizes, as they embroider many different items and design sizes. Unlike contract embroiderers, they typically only need one hoop of each size they use since they are not focused on speed.
  • Embroidery Businesses that focus on a specific niche market use hoop sizes that work best for the specialty items they embroider. They may only need one or two different hoop sizes, but multiples of them, or they may need a variety of sizes. Embroidery trends can also affect the hoop sizes they use.

Factors to Consider for Choosing the Right Size

When selecting the appropriate hoop size, consider the following factors:

  • Design Size: The industry standard is to always choose the smallest hoop possible to accommodate your design. Doing so will provide better fabric tension, reduced chance for misalignment while hooping, and less waste with items like embroidery stabilizers and water-soluble toppers.
  • Embroidery Machine Compatibility: Different machines have specific hoop size requirements. Ensure your hoop is compatible with your embroidery machine brand and model.
  • Product Being Embroidered: If you are embroidering a product with something that cannot be hooped over, like a thick seam, you will need to find a hoop size that can accommodate the design size while avoiding the seam.

Types of Embroidery Hoops

  • Round Hoops: Traditional and widely used, ideal for general embroidery.
  • Square/Rectangular Hoops: Typically used for larger designs and continuous patterns.
  • Oval Hoops: Offer a unique shape for specific design needs.
  • Magnetic Mighty Hoops: The newest and most efficient, user-friendly tubular embroidery hoop.

Innovative Hoop Technologies

Are Magnetic Embroidery Hoops Worth It?

  • The patented, magnetic Mighty Hoop eliminates pre-tensioning associated with traditional hoops, are suitable for thick workwear or delicate fabrics, reduce hoop burn and are built to take the daily use of the busiest commercial embroidery business.
  • Mighty Hoop benefits include:
    • Ease of Use: Quick setup and adjustments. Reduces stress on hands and wrists.
    • Consistent Tension: Ensures even fabric tension, reducing puckering.
    • Secure Hold: Strong grip without hoop marks.
    • Versatility: Suitable for different fabric types and thicknesses.
    • Time Saving: Reduces hooping time and increases efficiency and productivity.
    • Durability: Built for the commercial embroidery industry and warranted.

Accessories Recommended to Enhance Embroidery with Hoops

  • Stabilizers: Essential for supporting fabric; choose from tear-away, cut-away, no-show polymesh, or wash-away based on the project.
  • Hoop Grip Tape: Helps prevent fabric from slipping inside traditional non-magnetic embroidery hoops.
  • Hooping System: Simplifies and speeds up the embroidery hooping process, while making placement easy, accurate and consistent. The HoopMaster is the world leader in commercial hooping systems, using patented features essential to embroiderers and their business.
  • Hoop Templates: Aid in proper alignment for precision embroidery. The Pocket Guide, by HoopMaster, is a popular placement guide for both traditional hoops and magnetic Mighty Hoops.
  • Water soluble embroidery topper/stabilizer: Helps prevent embroidery stitches from sinking into thick materials like towels or fuzzy blankets for a clean embroidery look.

By carefully selecting your embroidery hoop, you can ensure high-quality results, and a smooth embroidery process every time. Happy hooping!