Fast frames, Slim line, mighty hoop, help please

[Japhel]

I've read a lot about the 3 systems and am still confused here. I do baby and kids items such as shirts, onesies, burp clothes blankets,etc, but I also do towels and some totes, etc. My items are appliqued always, big designs, as large as the item (shirt, onesies, etc) I am currently using a 12x12 hoop for the larger items, which is great fro my designs. I would like to buy an easier way to hoop them, a friend of mine uses fast frames,she showed me today and I am impressed at how fast she hoops her items, even lunch bags, but I ma afraid they are not as big as I need them. Would I be able to hoop delicate items such as shirts and onesies with the clamp system? I was originally going to buy the mighty hoop (magnetic) but they dont have a size in between 5.5 and 10X10 and that is an issue for me
Thanks for the help

[Just Sew It]

Jazmin, I have the large Slim Line clamp with two size frames and the smaller with two size frames.
Clamping is not like hooping. You don't get the drum-tight result. The clamps hold heavier things like jackets, totes, cap backs, great but I don't use mine for wovens or tees.
Hope that helps a little.
Jo

[edr]

Hi Jazmine,

I agree with Jo. I have the SlimLine 12x12, 12x5, 6.5x5 and 4.5x4.5 frames and clamps that work with them. The clamps are great for bags and heavier things but they do not do as well as hooping delicate things because they do not hold the backing drum tight. Frustrated with the SlimLine system when doing some baby bibs, I used the Micro Pocket Clamp instead with good results, although this too didn't hold the backing as tight as I wanted.

However, I got the 11x13, 10x10 and 5.5x5.5 Mighty Hoops a couple weeks ago, but just got to try the 5.5 hoop out last night. WOW! is all I have to say. It holds the fabric and backing so tight. I didn't use the Mighty Hoop Freestyle hoop frame that came with it. I just held the top of the hoop over the under hoop and poof! they snapped tightly together instantly! Watch those fingers . I was going to wait to post my comments on the Mighty Hoop until I tested the 10x10 and 11x13 hoops too. If the 10x10 and 11x13 Mighty Hoops work as well as my first experience with the 5.5x5.5 (and I think they will exceed my expectations), the Mighty Hoops may be the only hooping technique I use 90 percent of the time. There are just a few things that I have to get in order after returning from Australia (like waiting for the new Ayama OS CD for Windows 7 64-Bit from Melco) before I have time to really work my Amaya XT. Last night was the first time I embroidered with it since last October. So if you can wait, I'll report more later.

Cheers,
Ed "Kanga" Roux

[Juli in Kona]

I know that what I am about to say will generate a lot of discussion, BUT I do not hoop "drum tight". I use the clamp for wovens, like shorts and shirts, and for even t-shirts and polos. I think the secret is to use the iron-on no-short stabiliser. Since I have been using that stabilizer, I have almost no troubles with pulling. The slim line works great for almost anything where you have to put the design near the edge. I cannot stuff a lot of material in the clamp - there just isn't enough room to put, for instance, a heavy jacket with a collar and expect that there will be room for the collar. But shorts where the design is on the bottom edge near the slit up the side - works like a charm. It is not drum tight and I use tear-away with both the woven and knit fabrics. Just slid it in with the stabilizer under it and line it up. My customer LOVES the tear-away!! He hates the cut away showing.

[Japhel]

Thanks for your responses, I think that maybe the clamp system is not for me, I dont do that many heavy items. I am dying to get the magnetic hoops but was wondering how hard it would be to hoop with them without the hooping station and also the fact that they dont have a size betwwen the 10 x10 and the 5.5
I might get the fast frames and the 10 by 10 mighty hoop if you guys think I can use it without the hooping station, do you think I might loose my fingers while attemptint to do so???

[edr]

Hi Jazmin,

Let me try some silk with the 11x13 Mighty Hoop this weekend to see if it is easier to hoop with the Hoop Master or just hoop on a table. I bought the SlimLine clamps 12x5 frame specifically to do 100" of a continuous lace pattern, but it just did not do a good job--It did not hold the silk and backing taut enough. I ended up hooping the silk with the standard 440mx300m hoop that came with the Amaya XT. It came out so well, even I can't tell where I rehooped each section to get 100" of endless lace embroidery. This technique should be a lot easier with the 11x13 Mighty Hoop.

Cheers,
Ed "Kanga" Roux

[Jenny]

We don't have the Mighty Hoop but we do use the fast frames a lot...in fact we use them so much we bought another set from someone on here...we needed another set to be able to hoop an item while another one is sewing...we found we had too much down time waiting for the sewing to complete so we could hoop another one...we only have the 9X9 Slim Line and after I messed up by leaving it open one time I am scared to use it and when we do we are very careful to make sure we have it closed and then remove it from the machine as soon as we finish using it...I would love to get one of the Mighty Hoops but for now we use what we have...until next time...

Jenny
Westbrook Wonders