Wrap an Embroidery Hoop With Fishing Rod Nylon

I love a bargain and the $2.80 Daiso embroidery hoop is a wonderful product, but how should I say it - it's just a bit beige!
While brainstorming ways to dress up the hoop, I spied some of my grandfather's old fishing rod wrapping nylon. Suddenly, I had a light bulb moment. The fishing nylon is perfect for wrapping. It's strong, colour fast, it does not knot, fray or separate as you take it off the spool and it comes in wonderful bold, shiny colours. I was hooked (get it)!

This is a fast, fabulous solution to making your embroidery creations pop. It is economical and easy to achieve. Your only problem will be just how quickly you can embroider to fill these great hoops!

• Daiso embroidery hoop or any other 15cm diametre embroidery hoop

• One 50 yard spool fishing nylon, also called fishing cotton, or rod guide wrapping nylon, in you choice of colour. This amount will wrap the while hoop and give you leftovers as well. This thread is available in variegated colours like I have used

• Double sided sticky tape, I've used
• Scotch Double Sided tape 1/2 inch wide
• Scissors
• Water based finishing varnish
• Old paint brush for painting on varnish

Collect all the materials you will need together. I have used my grandfathers collection of threads and you can see the variety of colours still looking amazing after 40 odd years. The variegated sort looks particularly nice.

Separate the outer ring from the inner ring of the embroidery hoop and set the inner ring aside.

Remove the locking nut and screw from the embroidery hoop outer ring and set them aside.

Cut two lengths of double sided tape around 15cm in length and adhere one to the inside surface of the embroidery hoop just below the raised knobs where the screw goes through. Don't panic if the tape is wider than the hoop or if it does not adhere well. The nylon will lock it down as you work. The tape is more to help you keep the nylon lined up as you work, and so you can walk away and come back another time.

Adhere the 2nd length of tape to the outer surface of the hoop again just below the raised knob section. Why didn't I tape the whole surface you ask? Because after doing the first hoop I realised my fingers are a little dirty and working in small sections is easier. Don't panic if you get a little grime from your fingers as you work, though. The nylon will cover all marks!

Take your spool of fishing nylon. Cut a length off the spool about 15cm in length and set it aside for later. You will use this to help finish off the hoop by making a lasoo loop.
Using the remainder of the nylon thread, feed a length of about 3cm off the fishing nylon spool, and lay this along the inside surface of the hoop on the sticky tape with the end of the thread facing AWAY from the knob ends.

Now start unraveling the fishing nylon slowly in one hand while wrapping the thread neatly around the hoop surface with the other. Work from the back to front of the hoop in the same direction and keep the thread fairly horizontal against the surface as you work. Stack the loops of nylon neatly against each other as you go. You will not need to cut off a length of the nylon. It will just naturally feeds off the spool. This is what it's been designed to do.

If you find you have little gaps between the loops as you progress, use your fingernail or some other blunt object(a screwdriver was suggested by a fishing rod company)to push the loops up tightly. You will see as you work the tape is completely covered, and because the tape is there you can stop for breathers and just leave the spool attached to the hoop.

If you run out of thread because you are using old supplies, like I was or just want to change spools, simply cut off the thread and lay a tail of about 3cm on the back surface of the hoop. Lay a second tail of thread from the new spool beside it and carry on as before, working over the top of the tails. Just make sure the tails are facing away from the direction in which you are wrapping.

Keep adding tape to the inside and outside of the hoop as you progress.

To end off the project, it really is easy. Take the 15cm length of nylon you cut off at the start for a lasoo and fold it in half. Now tie a knot in the nylon so that you have an enclosed loop to work with.
About 5cm from the knob on the far end of the hoop, stop working your wrapping for a moment but don't cut anything yet! Take the nylon lasoo loop you just made and lay it on top of the wrapping you have just done and adhering a bit to the tape with the knot end facing AWAY from the knob of the hoop,Ensure the loop top is free of where your wrapping will end.You will feed your tail through this section, like threading a needle Now continue wrapping and catch the lasoo loop of nylon in as you work on the inside of the hoop. Keep working until you reach the knob of the hoop.

Now cut the nylon from the spool, leaving a tail about 15cm in length. Feed the tail through the lasoo loop of nylon you have laid on the inside surface of the hoop.

Firmly take hold of the knot end of the lasoo loop and pull it through your work. This is quite easy. As you pull the tail of your wrapping will feed through as well. Continue to pull until the lasso loop is free and the tail of your wrapping is also exposed. Cut the tail off neatly and voila - the hoop is now wrapped!

To strengthen the finished product and protect it from dust, I painted the entire outer hoop surface (minus the knob ends) with water based finishing varnish. The fishing nylon is designed to take the lacquer and dried perfectly. I was able to paint all surfaces at once by reinserting the screw and locking nut into the outer hoop and holding the hoop by this was able to paint. Then I just hung the hoop off this screw device free of all surfaces until it was dry. Job done!

Then fishing nylon is perfect for the wrapping task and you can find lots of suppliers of the nylon, as well as other wrapping tips on the internet. I think the results of the embroidery hoop wrap speak for themselves. Bold, neat and professional!