A hoop project is a design stitched on fabric held in a hoop, usually finished in the same hoop and hung on the wall. The steps below are the same for a 4 in ornament and a 10 in wall piece; only the sizes change.
Cut the fabric
Cut a square at least 5 cm bigger than the hoop on every side, so there is fabric to grip when you tighten the ring. The hoop sizes database lists the cut size for each hoop, and the transfer scale tool works it out for a design that is bigger than the hoop's inner ring. Press the fabric first: creases inside the ring are hard to remove later.
Hoop it
Separate the two rings. Lay the inner ring on the table, the fabric over it, and press the outer ring down over both. Tighten the screw a little, then pull the fabric edges evenly all round, working opposite sides in turn, and tighten again. The fabric should sound like a drum when tapped. Wrapping the inner ring with a strip of cotton tape first helps a smooth fabric stay tight and stops the ring leaving a mark.
Thread the needle
Cut about 45 cm of thread; longer lengths tangle and wear thin before they are used up. For six-strand cotton, pull the strands out of the cut length one at a time and put back the number you need. Two or three strands is the usual weight for outlines; use more for satin stitch. The needles database matches the needle size to the number of strands. A crewel needle with a long eye is the everyday choice on fabric.
Start and end without a knot
A knot on the back makes a bump that shows when the piece is pressed. Instead, take a small stitch on the front a few centimetres from the start, along the path you are about to stitch over, and leave a short tail; the tail is cut off once the stitching has covered the anchoring stitch. To end, run the needle under four or five stitches on the back and trim.
Keep it clean
Wash your hands before stitching and take the fabric out of the hoop at the end of a long session if it is a soft cotton, so the ring does not leave a permanent crease. Store the work rolled or flat, not folded through the stitching.