We HIGHLY recommend working with a hoop. It will help you achieve the look you'll be truly proud of by preventing "fabric puckering" as you pull your stitches tight.

The size of the hoop you use is up to you;
using what feels good in your hands is
what we recommend.

As you can see, it's OK to place your hoops over the designs. Finishing your work in a hoop is also a retro trend that has made a comeback! Especially for our petite Christmas designs that can hang on a tree. Or, one of our 12 Series designs "framed" would be a perfect gift.