In-the-hoop (ITH) embroidery: what it is and what you can make

In-the-hoop (ITH) embroidery means the machine stitches the construction of a small project, not just a decoration, so a coaster, zipper pouch, key fob or ornament comes out of the hoop nearly finished. You stitch placement lines, add fabric or felt over them, and finish with a seam that joins the layers. You need a design that fits your machine's hoop, the stabilizer the design recommends, a needle that suits the layers, and a little hand finishing such as trimming, turning or stuffing.

In-the-hoop embroidery, usually shortened to ITH, is machine embroidery that builds a small item inside the hoop instead of just decorating fabric. The machine stitches outlines that show where each layer goes, you add fabric, felt or a zipper, and a final seam joins everything. Typical projects are zipper pouches, key fobs, coasters, wallets and stuffed ornaments.

Embroidery Library, Urban Threads, Ageberry, Linda’s, Emborado and Brother are named below because their tutorials, guides and product pages were sources for this page. This site is not affiliated with any of them.

What makes a design “in the hoop”

In ordinary embroidery you hoop a garment or towel and stitch a design on top of it. In many ITH projects you hoop only stabilizer. The design file stitches placement lines on it, and you lay the pieces of the project on those lines as the machine works. Linda’s describes another common pattern: load a base fabric, embroider it, add a backing fabric, then stitch a perimeter seam.

Linda’s guide to ITH designs describes the goal as a finished project made entirely within the hoop. Emborado’s glossary explains the usual rhythm: a placement stitch shows where fabric or batting goes, the machine secures the layers and adds decorative stitching, then it closes most of the project and leaves a turning opening if one is needed.

“No sewing” is only partly true. Linda’s describes projects that need little or no hand sewing once they leave the machine, and Emborado notes that the order of trimming, folding, taping and turning matters, and that a zipper, snap, ribbon or stuffing may be added along the way. The tutorials below still have you trim, press and tear away stabilizer, and some have you close an opening by hand. That is why a good ITH design comes with written instructions.

Projects you can make

Project	What is in the hoop	Hoop note
Coasters	Base fabric and a backing fabric joined by a seam around the edge	Typically 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm) per Linda’s; a classic first project
Wallets and holders	A fabric holder built in the hoop, such as a thread wallet	Typically 5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm) per Linda’s
Stuffed felt ornaments	Front and back felt, a ribbon loop, fiberfill	Set by the design; Ageberry’s snowman ornament tutorial asks for 5 × 7 in or larger
Zipper pouches	Zipper, front and back fabric, sometimes a strap	Set by the design; Ageberry’s lined zipper bag tutorial asks for at least 6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm)
Key fobs	Sturdy fabric shapes, then an eyelet and key ring	Set by the design; a small item, but still check the listing

Stuffed figures are another common ITH category, according to Emborado. Look for the hoop size on every product page before you buy a file.

How an in-the-hoop project goes together

Every design is different, so follow the instructions that come with yours. Most share this order.

Prepare the pieces. Many designs include template files, often called dielines. Print them and use them to cut fabric or felt, for example by sticking the paper to the fabric with temporary spray adhesive. Do not stitch the template files. Load the full embroidery file.
Hoop the stabilizer. Hoop it tightly, with no gaps or bubbles. Ageberry’s snowman tutorial says to keep it quite tight at all times and to cut it larger than the hoop so the hoop can hold it.
Stitch the placement line. This outline shows where the first layer goes.
Add the layer. Lay the fabric, felt or zipper inside the outline. Hold it with masking or painter’s tape, or with temporary adhesive on the back of the piece. A zipper goes on with its teeth centered on a stitched centerline.
Stitch the tackdown. This stitch fixes the layer to the stabilizer.
Repeat for each layer. For the back piece, some designs, such as Embroidery Library’s key fob and ornament and the lined bags from Urban Threads and Ageberry, have you remove the hoop from the machine and turn it over, without unhooping the stabilizer.
Stitch the finishing seam. It joins the front, back and any strap or loop. If both sides of the seam will show, wind a bobbin with the same thread as the top, as Embroidery Library’s felt ornament and key fob tutorials advise.
Finish by hand. Unhoop and remove the stabilizer, then trim the excess fabric. Embroidery Library’s zipper pouch leaves about 1/4 in (6 mm) of seam allowance, while Ageberry’s snowman trims about 1/8 in (3 mm) from the outline if you skip its optional cutting outline. Clip corners, turn the piece right side out and press. Stuff the piece and hand-sew any opening shut.

Stabilizer for in-the-hoop projects

Here the stabilizer is the work surface the whole project is built on, so use the type your design names. These are the choices the tutorials we read use.

Tear-away. Embroidery Library’s zipper pouch and ornament tutorials name Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz or Floriani Tearaway Medium, which it says are more fibrous and tear more cleanly, and the pouch tutorial hoops it tightly. Ageberry’s snowman ornament uses a light, medium or heavyweight tear-away. In the zipper pouch, the stabilizer stays on through the finishing seam. It comes off the back afterwards, which uncovers the zipper opening and makes the bag more flexible.
Cutaway behind fabric pieces. Embroidery Library’s key fob tutorial backs the fabric with a medium-weight cutaway before cutting out the shapes, and still hoops tear-away to stitch on.
Water-soluble. For a lined, double-sided pouch, Urban Threads recommends a soft, fibrous water-soluble stabilizer. It makes the pouch less bulky and easier to turn. Clear, plastic-like water-soluble film does not work as well. Removing the stabilizer inside the finished pouch is optional. For Vilene, Urban Threads soaked the pouch overnight (12+ hours), then scrubbed it gently under running water until the stiffness was gone, and says to follow the stabilizer maker’s instructions.
No-show mesh. Ageberry’s lined zipper bag uses it for support without extra bulk, with a magnetic hoop to hold the thin stabilizer in place.

Our stabilizer guide explains the types in more detail.

Hoop size and your machine’s stitch area

The hoop size is the first thing to check, because ITH designs do not split across several hoopings. Linda’s states this plainly, and each listing gives a minimum hoop size. If the design is bigger than your machine’s stitch area, you cannot stitch it in one go.

The machine’s maximum embroidery area is what limits you, and each hoop works only with the models its maker lists. Brother’s 5 × 7 in hoop (SA444), for example, is listed with a 5 × 7 in embroidery area and a specific list of compatible models, so check that a hoop is listed for your model before you buy it.

4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm) machines, such as the Brother PE535, suit coasters and other small projects.
5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm) machines, such as the Brother PE800, suit wallets and ornaments like the snowman tutorial’s, which asks for 5 × 7 in or larger.
6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm) and larger is what Ageberry’s lined zipper bag tutorial asks for.

Our hoop sizes overview shows the standard fields, and the will-it-fit tool checks a design’s size against your machine. Also confirm your machine reads the file format the design comes in, such as PES, JEF or VP3.

Needles, zippers and small details

Needle. Embroidery Library’s ornament and key fob tutorials and Urban Threads’ pouch tutorial suggest a size 11 (75/11) sharp sewing needle rather than an embroidery needle, because its finer point makes smaller holes in the stabilizer. Ageberry’s snowman tutorial uses a thicker 90/14 embroidery needle so the machine can sew over vinyl without problems. See our needle guide for the basics.
Zippers. Ageberry advises a zipper with thin plastic teeth, since metal teeth can break needles, and one that extends at least 1 in (25 mm) past the bag on each side.
Straps and rings. Urban Threads warns that a needle that hits the D-ring on a strap will break. Tape the strap where the instructions show and keep the ring clear of the stitching.
Thick layers. Batting and vinyl are bulky, so corners may look slightly rounded. Ageberry suggests clipping the corners and using a point turner.

Mistakes that ruin ITH projects

Leaving the zipper slider at one end. Tutorials from Embroidery Library, Urban Threads and Ageberry all warn that the pouch ends up sewn shut or the zipper cannot be used. Move the slider to the center, or open the zipper further, before the finishing seam.
Unhooping too soon. At the step where you add the back piece, remove only the hoop from the machine.
Changing the stitch order. Ageberry’s snowman tutorial says to keep the design’s stitch order, even if your machine offers to rearrange or optimize the steps.
Not taping loops and straps. A ribbon loop or strap must be taped down so it is not stitched over.
Skipping the instructions. Order matters as much as the stitch file.

Where to start

Start with a coaster, the project Linda’s calls the classic first one. A key fob or small ornament is a sensible next step, once you have checked that the design fits your hoop. Save lined zipper bags for later, since Ageberry’s tutorial says its bag may not suit beginners. Our design sources guide lists where to find files.

If you want to try a related technique after that, free-standing lace also builds a finished piece on stabilizer that you remove.

Frequently asked questions

What does ITH mean in machine embroidery?

ITH stands for in-the-hoop. It describes designs that build a finished project, such as a pouch, coaster or ornament, inside the embroidery hoop. The machine stitches outlines, holds the layers together and sews the final seam.

What hoop size do I need for in-the-hoop designs?

Each design lists its minimum hoop size, and in-the-hoop designs do not split across several hooping steps. Linda's guide says coasters usually fit a 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm) hoop and wallets a 5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm) hoop, while Ageberry's lined zipper bag tutorial asks for at least 6 × 10 in (160 × 260 mm).

What stabilizer should I use for in-the-hoop projects?

Use the type the design recommends. Embroidery Library's zipper pouch and ornament tutorials use a tear-away, its key fob tutorial adds a medium-weight cutaway behind the fabric pieces, and Urban Threads recommends a soft, fibrous water-soluble stabilizer for a lined pouch.

Can a beginner make in-the-hoop projects?

Yes, if you start small. Linda's guide calls coasters the classic first project because they need a small hoop and few steps. Ageberry's lined zipper bag tutorial, by contrast, says that project may not be suitable for beginners.

Do in-the-hoop projects need any sewing?

The machine does most of the stitching, but check each design. The tutorials we read still have you trim, press and tear away stabilizer, and some have you close an opening by hand or add stuffing, a ribbon, an eyelet or a key ring.