Preparation for Embroidery

Tighten material to hook

1) Loosen screw on outer hook and put fabric on inner hook, then put outer & inner hoops together [Figure A(1)]; 2) Stretch the fabric then tighten the screw [Figure A(2)]; 3) Continue to stretch fabric on the hook and make sure latitude and longitude are 90° and tighten the screw again [figure A(3)]; 4) Fabric has to be flat and tight [Figure A(4)].

[Figure A]

Traditional Hooping

1) Sew cotton fabric on two sides of material; 2) fix two sides on long bars; 3) roll fabric on long bars to the sizes for embroidery; 4) fasten long bars with bolt (shorter) bars; 5) tighten material with thicker cotton strings and the bigger image below shows the right way to finish embroidery material on hoop.

[Figure B]

Choose right colors of silk floss thread (left image below) to match the design, and start embroidering (right image below).

Two ways to hide thread ends

You need to know how to knot before starting embroidery. There are two ways to keep the ends of silk threads steady when you are embroidering: knot or hide them. You need to use one of two knotting methods each time when you start from a new segment of thread.

Knotting: 1) End of thread is between needle and your finger [Figure C (1)]; 2) Wind thread twice on needle [Figure C (2)]; 3) Pull the needle up and finish the knot [Figure C (3)].


(1)                                        (2)                                           (3)
                                             [Figure C]

Hiding: Leave about 1-2” of thread when you start embroidery. Lay the 1-2” of thread underneath the area you will be embroidering, and embroider over it several times, securing and hiding the thread.