1. Select and Transfer Your Design

• Choose a digitized embroidery design compatible with your machine’s file format (check your manual for supported formats).
• Transfer the design to your machine via USB drive, direct cable connection, or built-in Wi-Fi if available.
• Load the design on your machine’s screen; review the stitch count, dimensions, and color sequence.
• Confirm the design fits within your selected hoop size; resize if necessary using machine or software controls (note: significant resizing may affect stitch quality).

2. Choose and Prepare Your Stabilizer

• Select stabilizer based on fabric type: tear-away for stable wovens like cotton or denim; cut-away for stretch knits or loosely woven fabrics; wash-away for sheer or delicate materials like organza or tulle.
• Cut stabilizer 1–2 in larger than your hoop on all sides to ensure full coverage and prevent hoop burn marks.
• For extra support on heavy designs or stretchy fabrics, layer two pieces of stabilizer or use a heavier weight.
• Optional: Lightly spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive to help hold the fabric in place during hooping.

3. Hoop Your Fabric and Stabilizer

• Separate the inner and outer hoop rings.
• Lay the stabilizer flat on your work surface; center your fabric right side up on top of the stabilizer, aligning grainlines.
• Place the inner hoop ring under the fabric and stabilizer; press the outer ring down over both, snapping it into place.
• Tighten the hoop screw until the fabric is drum-tight—smooth and taut without any wrinkles, puckers, or distortion.
• Check that the fabric grain is straight and the design placement is centered or positioned as desired; use a water-soluble marker to mark placement if needed before hooping.
• Gently tug the fabric edges from all directions to remove any slack; retighten the screw if necessary.

4. Thread Your Machine

• Wind a bobbin with embroidery bobbin thread or use a pre-wound bobbin designed for embroidery (these are lighter weight than regular sewing bobbins).
• Insert the bobbin into the bobbin case according to your machine’s manual; ensure it clicks into place and the thread feeds correctly.
• Thread the top thread using embroidery thread in your first design color; follow your machine’s threading path exactly (usually similar to regular sewing but may include additional guides).
• Use the thread stand or vertical spool pin if your machine has one, as embroidery thread spools are often larger or wound differently than sewing thread.
• Pull the bobbin thread up through the needle plate by turning the handwheel or using your machine’s automatic needle threader.
• Trim both top and bobbin threads to 3–4 in tails.

5. Attach the Hoop to the Machine

• Slide the hooped fabric onto the embroidery arm or carriage of your machine until it clicks or locks into place.
• Ensure the hoop is fully seated and secure; it should not wobble or shift during stitching.
• Lower the presser foot or engage the embroidery foot (some machines have a special embroidery foot or no foot at all for embroidery mode).
• Use your machine’s on-screen controls to move the hoop and confirm the design will stitch within the hooped area without hitting the hoop edges.

6. Set Machine Settings and Test

• Confirm the correct embroidery design is loaded on the screen.
• Adjust machine speed if desired (start slower for your first attempt, typically 400–600 stitches per minute).
• Check that the machine is in embroidery mode, not regular sewing mode.
• Press the start button to begin stitching; watch the first few stitches closely to ensure proper tension and placement.
• If stitches look loose, tight, or the design is misplaced, stop immediately, unhoop, and troubleshoot before continuing.

7. Stitch the Design

• Allow the machine to stitch the first color; avoid touching the hoop or fabric while the machine is running.
• When the machine pauses for a color change, trim the top thread close to the fabric, raise the presser foot if needed, and rethread with the next color.
• Continue stitching and changing colors as prompted by the machine until the design is complete.
• If a thread breaks, the machine will usually stop automatically; rethread, advance the design back a few stitches using the machine controls, and resume stitching.
• Monitor the machine for any skipped stitches, thread nests, or fabric puckering; stop and fix issues immediately to avoid ruining the design.

8. Remove and Finish the Embroidery

• When stitching is complete, remove the hoop from the machine.
• Carefully remove the fabric from the hoop, taking care not to distort the fresh stitches.
• Tear away or cut away excess stabilizer from the back of the embroidery, leaving a small border around the stitched area for cut-away stabilizer, or removing all stabilizer for tear-away.
• For wash-away stabilizer, rinse the fabric in cool water until the stabilizer dissolves completely; lay flat or hang to dry.
• Trim all jump stitches and thread tails from the front and back using small sharp scissors or snips.
• Press the embroidered fabric from the wrong side on a towel or padded surface to avoid flattening the stitches; use low to medium heat and a pressing cloth if needed.

9. Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Thread breaks frequently: Check thread quality and age, switch to a larger embroidery needle, reduce machine speed, re-thread the machine, or loosen top tension slightly.
• Fabric puckers or gathers: Increase stabilizer weight or add a second layer, ensure fabric is hooped taut, check that the design density isn’t too high for the fabric.
• Stitches pull or distort: Use cut-away stabilizer instead of tear-away for knits, check fabric tension in hoop, ensure the fabric isn’t stretching during stitching.
• Design doesn’t align: Confirm the hoop is properly attached and locked, re-center the design on-screen, mark placement with a temporary marker before hooping.
• Bobbin thread shows on top: Loosen top tension, ensure bobbin is wound evenly and inserted correctly, check that you’re using lightweight bobbin thread.
• Machine jams or makes noise: Clean lint from bobbin case and hook area, check for bent needles, ensure the hoop isn’t hitting the machine arm, verify the design fits the hoop size.