granny5

I bought one and absolutely love it! It is wonderful. I also bought one of those small lights that shines a bright cross where the design is supposed to be centered. I got both suggestions from the you tube video from "Power Tools with Thread". Becky has wonderful suggestions about embroidery and quilting. She is fun to watch and has lots of good info. Try it you will love it!

ThreadHead

How I hoop mine, another idea.... I bought a roll of window film, the kind that men put on a window before they stucco a house. It is slightly sticky. I hoop the inside of the hoop, folding it over the edge just enough to hold it. It is tight like a drum. Slide it into the outer hoop and tighten. Set it into your machine. I take a cheap water soluble glue stick and go around the inside of the hoop. I set my fabric on the hoop, fabric does not move. Depending on how dense the embroidery is will determine how much stabilizer I use. Normally, I use a light/medium weight. For embroidery denser that the size of a quarter or fifty cent piece I will use a heavy stabilizer or two lighter weight pieces. I have the older ESe 2, which I digitized most of my designs. I have put them on Jeans, shirts, jackets and quilts. The kids love them.

tohorse1

I have one made by dime and I love love love it, it does not move and it has all the grid lines on it so you know its straight.

Quilter7x

I have the mat but haven't used it yet. Happy to read other people's comments about it.

Granny5, I saw the cross hair light demonstrated at a DIME event a few years ago. Seems like a nice tool.

nvrxgal

I have one and love it. Hoop does not move on mat & its marked with reference lines and center crosshairs and works for any brand of hoops, unlike the much more expensive Masterhooper.

sjw555

I just went to an embroidery class and instructor loved these mats. They did really seem to work when she demonstrated them in our class. I’m new to embroidery, but I wound up buying one of these mats based on her recommendation.

juliasb

I have ot used one either. I do find it questionable as far as being able to hold your hoop in place after looking at the picture of one.

rjwilder

I use the shelf liner, I've also put a few dots of rubber cement on the bottom of the frame to keep it from shifting, they peel right off with no residue left behind.

DrosieD

I have the one from DIME. Even shelf lining will work to prevent slipping. I like the DIME for the markings so you can get things in straight and centered.