Sunday, January 21, 2018

Slow Sunday Stitching - Photo Challenge #1

Welcome to the weekly hand stitching party! We celebrate all things hand stitched and encourage you to join in the fun. You don't have to prepare any food, or get dressed up, or even leave your house for this party. Just get out one of your hand stitching projects, put in a few stitches, visit with hand stitchers around the world, and share your creativity with us.

A new addition to the Sunday link ups this year will be the occasional photo challenge. I love photography and enjoy seeing the photos you post on your blogs. I often make the pictures as big as I can on my computer screen in order to see the detail in what you are making. 
The photo challenge will encourage you to take a picture of something specific to include in your Slow Sunday Stitching blog post. This week the challenge is to take a photo of any of the hoops you use in your hand stitching. Some types of stitching don't require a hoop, but if you use one, we'd love to see it. And tell us... what do you like about your hoop? 

I regularly use a variety of hoops for the different kinds of projects I have on the go. Let's visit my hoops and see what's in them... 
This is my small plastic embroidery hoop where I always have some kind of embroidery project ready to put in a few stitches. It's lightweight, fits easily in my hand stitching bag and I almost always have it with me just in case I have a few moments to stitch.

This is my most frequently used hoop. It is a circular hoop and today it has my oldest UFO in it, which I am hand quilting. It is a great hoop to have on my lap while traveling or watching TV. It is sturdy and made of solid wood. It's a little heavier than most hoops, but I went through several flimsy wooden hoops that easily broke before I became a very happy customer of the hoops made by Keith Small of "Impressions in Wood". He was a regular vendor at quilt shows in my area for many years and although he passed away in 2015, his daughter has carried on his business. I'm thinking about buying one of their half hoops this year - click here and scroll down.

I also have a an oval hoop on a wooden floor stand which I have used a lot over the years. It's not very portable, so it stays in a quiet corner of the house and I go there when I want peace and quiet! I like that the whole oval frame can tilt to the angle that is most comfortable for quilting. I bought this frame over 20 years ago at Mary Maxim and don't know if they sell them anymore.

Okay now it's your turn! Take a photo of your favourite stitching hoop and add it to your hand stitching blog post. There will be a random draw from all the link ups that have a hoop photo and of course there will be a prize for the first ever photo challenge winner!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

26 comments:

Sarah said...

It's always fun to join your party! I have two hoops on the go at the moment, I shall go and photograph them! Happy stitching.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. I hope all the flu germs stay away from you for the rest of the winter. I won't have a post today about a hoop or anything, other plans! However, when I do quilt a wallhanging in a hoop, I use a oval. I like it better than a circle. Happy stitching this week.

julieQ said...

I am leaving for work, but will enjoy all the fun projects everyone has going on!!

Deb from Frugal Little Bungalow said...

I have hoops like your first two! :)

Louise said...

Very interesting to see your hoops! I don't do any hand stitching at all, so these tools are unknown to me. Always good to learn something new :)

Ellen said...

I really am not much of a photographer but I do try! I have a few hoops but I seem to stick to one in particular.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

so glad you are feeling better. I do not use a hoop although I do have a small one I rarely ever use it - I prefer to use my big 3 roller frame that requires no basting

Deb A said...

I'm looking forward to reading about hoops today! Glad you are feeling better.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Nice hoops. I have a Grace floor quilting hoop but do not like it. Last year I bought the Z44 Grace and of course we know the story on that one. Hopefully in February I will load the maiden quilt. I do not use a hoop for embroidery, maybe someday I will pull all of my hoops out and use them!

Chantal said...

Very interesting topic this morning, Kathy. I shall take pictures and I'll be back with hoops ... at least one. ;^)

SandraC said...

I have the same hoop from Mary Maxim! I have three sisters and they pooled their money when I was a beginning quilter, around 1980, and got me the hoop for my birthday. I'm always afraid of breaking it as I don't know if I could get the same one today. For curvy handquilting I use a square Q-snap.

Ivani said...

Your oval stand hoop looks fantastic with that gorgeous quilt, is it the oldest ufo isn't it? It seems it is there just to decorate the room. So beautiful.

Deb said...

I haven't used my large floor hoop in ages, it's nice to see someone else has one. I love this little photo challenge

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your post reminded me that I have some embroidery in a hoop sitting right next to my chair and haven't picked it up in awhile. The snowstorm going on at our house means it is the perfect day to do just that! Enjoy your stitching today, Kathy!

Sherrie said...

Hi Kathy,
I haven't tried the plastic hoops. I may give them a try. Thanks for sharing your hoops. Have a great day!

Marie said...

I was thrilled to find that Debbie's Studio offers tilting sit on lap hoops for sale - thank you! I had asked Santa for one for Christmas but the company that made my pedestal hoop no longer makes them so he came up empty. And the fact that it's a Canadian supplier is even better.

Kathy S. said...

It sounds like you are feeling much better than you did with the flu last week. Woohoo. Thanks for adding another element of fun. I'm not a huge fan of photography. My husband accuses me of taking a photo of where moving things used to be. It took me forever to get a photo of him pulling away from the starting line at the drag race track. But some of those photos bring back funny memories (just not of his car getting up off the ground at take off.) I have the large oval hoop that you show in your pic. I bought it when I started quilting. I never tried to hand quilt a large project. It pretty much just "hangs out" in the quilting room. I need to check out the half hoops you talked about. That sounds interesting. I totally enjoyed visiting everyone's projects and seeing their hoops today. Have a great week, Kathy!

Turid said...

I never use a hoop. I had one, but couldn't use it. So I gave it away to a friend.

Angie in SoCal said...

I much like to use no hoop when I'm appliqueing or doing embroidery. Just the way I learned.

Cathy said...

And I wasn't going to make a Slow Sunday Stitching post and then there came a challenge!

Sherrill said...

I don't use a hoop when cross-stitching and don't hand quilt so no need for one. I do have a Grace hoop on a stand that I got years ago THINKING I'd hand quilt but never have. Oh well...

Nancy said...

Your most-used hoop -- maybe I should check into getting one like that. You said it's sturdier than most and I can attest that mine in not sturdy or I would not have had to repair it! I do love the fact that mine is fairly lightweight, though.

Nancy said...

P.S. Thank you for hosting Slow Sunday Stitching every week, Kathy.

Dar said...

I've never heard of your hoop maker, but those that are handmade by local artists are usually the best. I have tried many different kinds over the years and sometimes don't use one at all on my quilts (if it is thread basted very well). This will inspire me to get something back in the hope soon. Thanks for hosting Slow Sunday Stitching.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I did hand stitching yesterday, but, no blog post. There will be lots of hand stitching in the next 6 weeks, as I put on hanging sleeves, labels, then travel to Alaska (for the birth of our first grandchild). Hope you are finally recovered.

audrey said...

Really interesting to see the individual hoops that people prefer! Loved this linkup!