Sprite Stitch Board!

I have just started a very large project and I am currently using a hoop with it. I would love to get a scroll frame, but money is going to be pretty tight for awhile. I was wondering if anyone else has finished a large project with only a hoop. So far, I have only been working on the top left corner and it's okay, but I'm worrying if I get deeper in that it will get too unwieldy and hard to stitch. Does anyone have any tips?

Right now I am using a large hoop for the quilt squares I am doing and it's a bit of a pain. It is just a wee bit smaller than the area of the square so I have to work part of it and then move the hoop down or up accordingly. I am looking into getting one of the Q-snap frames like FunkyMonkey uses as it would be big enough to do the squares without moving the frame at all. As for the cloth hanging around the edges, I am not sure what to do with that. My only suggestion is to use pins like what you tack pieces together with before sewing to gather the excess and keep it neater, but that might not work either as it could/would be hazardous to your fingers...

I have a huge hoop which I'm using for the charity square and it fits perfectly. I tried using a scroll frame once, but it was too hard for me to use without a stand as I had to hold it. Ergo, I only use hoops.

One thing I found on this forum that I've been using since I found out about it, was to take some binder clips and clip back the excess fabric so you don't accidentally stitch them together (as I have done before) and so it's easier to hold.

For my charity squares last year, I used what must have been about a 12" hoop. I just took an old t-shirt/junk fabric and put that over my aida when I put it in the hoop then cut out the middle so that there was a border of fabric around my stitching area. I safety-pinned the extra aida underneath the junk fabric along the outside of the hoop. Something like this:

I never had to move the hoop that way and had less work washing it afterwards. I hope this helps!

Hoops are easy enough to move around your project, but I'd suggest you protect your stitchings somehow. I suggest covering your hoop with fabric (something that won't bleed color, so preferably a white/offwhite). Any linen, cotton, or other scrap will do, just ensure that you put it over the wood very tightly and fully so that there's no wood touching the stitches.

Also, make absolute certain that you don't leave your project in your hoop. You could accidentally end up putting permanent creases in the project if you do.