Embroider Names on Pacifier Clips with a Mighty Hoop (Ricoma MT Series)

Primer: What this project achieves and when to use it

Embroidering names on pacifier clips turns a utilitarian item into a sweet keepsake. The project is quick, beginner-friendly, and ideal for baby showers, birthdays, or baptism gifts. You’ll set the name vertically so it reads neatly down the strap, and you’ll secure the small clip safely in a magnetic hoop so the metal hardware never enters the stitch area.

This method applies to narrow, strap-like items that can lay flat and hold a short name or monogram. It works best when you can keep the strap straight and stable on a firm backing so the needle path is predictable and the letters stay aligned. magnetic hoops

Pro tip

• Print the design at actual size before you hoop. Seeing the full word (not just a crosshair) makes centering on narrow straps much faster.

Watch out

• Keep the metal pacifier hardware entirely outside the sewing field. Striking metal can break a needle and damage the machine.

Quick check

• If you can trace the whole name outline without touching metal or edges, your setup is safe and centered.

Prep: Tools, materials, and files

You’ll need:

• Mighty Hoop Freestyle Stand with a 5x5 hoop

• Two sheets of tear-away stabilizer

• Basting adhesive

• Heat-resistant tape for templates

• Scissors and a lighter (for cleanup)

• Thread

• Pacifier clips (two shown)

• A digitized name design (e.g., Kacey.DST)

Workspace setup

• A clear hooping station for the Freestyle Stand

• A flat table for template taping and alignment

• Your Ricoma MT Series embroidery machine area

Files and prerequisites

• Save your name design to USB or machine storage

• Basic Embrilliance know-how to set fonts and orientation

• Familiarity with your Ricoma MT Series touchscreen for design selection, hoop selection, and trace

Safety first

• Spray adhesive onto stabilizer away from your station to prevent residue on equipment and fabric.

• Use a lighter briefly and carefully—enough to shrink wisps of thread without heating the clip or your fingers. embroidery magnetic hoop

Prep checklist

• Design file saved and accessible

• Two stabilizer sheets cut to hoop size

• Adhesive and tape within reach

• Pacifier clip hardware positioned so it can stay outside the sew field

Setup: Software and machine configuration

Design in Embrilliance

1) Open Embrilliance and choose a 5x5 hoop workspace. Type the name (example: KACEY) and select your font. The video used a playful script titled “Behind These Hazel Eyes.”

2) Set text orientation to vertical. In Embrilliance, use Style → Vertical to rotate the word so it reads top-to-bottom.

3) Print a full-size template. You don’t need a run sheet—just the first page so you can visualize exact size and placement on the strap.

Why this order matters

• Seeing the word at final size makes positioning intuitive. Vertical orientation ensures letters follow the strap length without crowding. hooping station for embroidery

Machine readiness (Ricoma MT Series)

• Confirm your hoop choice matches what’s on the machine (D hoop used with a 5x5 Mighty Hoop in the demo).

- Load the design from USB or machine storage and save it to the machine if needed.

- Select the hoop so the arms adjust automatically.

Setup checklist

• Text is vertical and printed

• Design file is loaded on the machine

• Hoop selected matches your physical hoop

Operation: Stitching names on pacifier clips (step-by-step)

1) Hoop the stabilizer and secure the clips

- Place the Mighty Hoop in the Freestyle Stand.

- Spray basting adhesive onto the tear-away stabilizer away from your table, then place two sheets onto the bottom hoop.

- Position two pacifier clips side by side on the stabilizer, aligning both perfectly straight and keeping metal clips out of the embroidery area.

- Engage the top hoop firmly. Confirm both straps are parallel and flat.

Pro tip

• Small items behave better on two layers of tear-away—it resists shifting while still tearing cleanly after stitching.

Watch out

• Don’t let adhesive overspray reach your hoop edges or stand; buildup invites lint and misplacement.

Outcome to expect

• The straps sit straight, secure, and flat with no visible lift at the edges.

Checklist

• Two stabilizer sheets applied

• Clips straight, parallel, and flat

• Metal hardware well clear of the stitch field

2) Place and tape the printed template

• Center the printed name template on the first clip where the strap is uninterrupted—between any seam and tag.

- Tape it with heat-resistant tape so it won’t shift during tracing.

Quick check

• The template reads straight along the length of the strap; the baseline aligns with the strap’s weave or edge.

3) Load and confirm the design on your machine

- On the Ricoma screen, select the saved design, confirm the D hoop, and enter embroidery mode.

Watch out

• Selecting the wrong hoop size can clip your outline during trace or stitch.

4) Trace and align for the first clip

• Always trace from needle #1. Use the arrow keys to nudge the presser foot until it sits at the template’s center.

- Run a full trace to ensure the design clears edges and hardware. If needed, adjust slightly and trace again.

Outcome to expect

• The needle perimeter matches the template outline without hitting hardware or the hoop.

Pro tip

• Slow the arrow movement for fine adjustments near center. Precise nudges beat big swings.

5) Stitch the first name

- Set stitch speed around 700 SPM (the demo used ~700). Start the job and monitor for clean stitching.

Quick check

• The letters form evenly with no dragging or skipped segments.

6) Slide to the second clip and repeat

• Remove the taped template from the first clip.

• Using the arrow keys, move directly to the second strap’s center and trace again.

- Start the second stitch-out at the same speed for matching results.

Outcome to expect

• Two matching stitch-outs without re-hooping, both centered and straight.

Operation checklist

• Template used and removed cleanly

• Trace performed for each clip

• Both names stitched at consistent speed

Note

• This small-item workflow is a great use case for mighty hoop magnetic embroidery hoops—a secure grip without fighting bulk while keeping hardware safely out of bounds.

Quality checks: Alignment, stability, and stitch results

Alignment

• Confirm letters run straight along the strap length, with even spacing from both strap edges.

Stability

• Slight puckering can occur on narrow straps. For this use case, minor ripples are acceptable and often relax with handling.

Stitch quality

• Front: Smooth curves and closed shapes. Back: Trimmed jump threads and clean tie-offs.

Quick check

• If a full perimeter trace clears, and you see uniform letter density post-stitch, you’re good to clean up and finish. magnetic hoops for embroidery

Results & handoff: Clean-up and presentation

1) Remove from hoop

• Pop the frame and lift the clips off the stabilizer.

2) Tear away stabilizer

• Peel the tear-away cleanly; two layers often separate satisfyingly when well stitched.

3) Final tidy

• Singe wispy threads with a lighter—short, quick passes only. Avoid the fabric and hardware.

- Trim anything the flame misses with small scissors.

4) Final inspection

• Look for neat satin edges and thread ends tucked or singed. Some light wrinkling is fine on a pacifier strap.

- Present as a pair or package with a gift tag.

Pro tip

• If you notice a little ripple, finger-press the strap on a flat surface; narrow items often settle after a few minutes.

Note

• This method works wonderfully on paired clips: center the first with a template, then slide to the second and stitch for a matched set. mighty hoops for ricoma

Troubleshooting & recovery

Symptom: Template aligns, but stitch lands off-center

• Likely cause: The presser foot wasn’t aligned exactly at the template center before tracing.

• Fix: Return to trace; use fine arrow movements to place the foot precisely, then trace again before stitching.

Symptom: Needle path would cross the hardware area during trace

• Likely cause: Clip positioned too close to metal.

• Fix: Re-hoop and reposition so metal sits completely outside the traced perimeter.

Symptom: Adhesive buildup and lint on the stand/hoop

• Likely cause: Overspraying adhesive at the station.

• Fix: Spray adhesive onto stabilizer away from your hooping area and apply to the hoop afterward. magnetic embroidery hoop

Symptom: Minor puckering on strap

• Likely cause: Narrow strap and dense lettering.

• Fix: Accept light ripples for this use case or choose a lighter-weight line font next time.

Quick isolation tests

• Re-trace with needle #1 to confirm placement before any restitching.

• Slow down arrow moves for fine positioning near center.

Recovery tip

• If you must redo one clip, you can leave the other intact, re-hoop with fresh stabilizer, and re-align using the printed template. ricoma mighty hoop starter kit

From the comments

• Community feedback highlighted this as a “great idea and project”—quick to set up, with charming results on a small budget.

• Readers appreciated the simple, consistent choices (same font, color, and size on both clips) for a clean, matched look. magnetic hoops for embroidery

Appendix: Visual map of key steps

- Hooping and stabilizer setup:

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- Clip placement and top hooping:

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- Template alignment:

- Machine load and hoop selection:

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- Trace and fine alignment:

- Stitching first and second clips:

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- Cleanup and final inspection:

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Why this order works

• Decide and print first: With a vertical template in hand, you can place confidently.

• Hooping before tracing: Secure items flat, then confirm with trace so you never chase alignment mid-stitch.

• Two-up efficiency: Stitch one, slide, stitch the next—no extra hooping cycles.

If you like compact, secure workflows for narrow items, this Mighty Hoop + Freestyle Stand combo is hard to beat for both speed and precision. magnetic hoops