[boheime]

I saw some patterns online for some really cute play food, little bags with cut outs, etc. The site said everything was done by sewing "in the hoop." They looked really simple and as though I could do it without buying the pattern, but I don't know what "in the hoop" means. I have a quilting hoop for my sewing machine which I actually never use to quilt things as it takes too lon to keep moving the hoop. Would I use that to sew in the hoop? Would I then just trim off the extra fabric? It looked like they had used a really tight zigzag stitch such as you could use for a button hole.

 

[beachmouse]

I'm guessing that they mean stitching by hand while using an embroidery hoop. It's so, so much easier to get a good amount of tension in the fabric by using one than by trying to sew in hand. You can probably use the quilt one if you can get the fabric nice and taut in it.

Or you can go to a general crafts store that's got a stitching section, and get one the right size to fit around the design for a pretty cheap price. Some of them are even decorative enough that you can use them to finish a piece instead of using some sort of picture frame.

 

[boheime]

All of the items were machine sewn, so I think you just use the hoop to keep everything nice and tight while using the machine.