Kimberbell Summer Vol. 2, PJ Designs “Flower for M’Lady,” and Oh, the Possibilities for Spring: What to Make, What to Prep, and How to Avoid the Classic Hooping Mistakes

If you’ve ever bought a new embroidery design collection, felt the excitement… and then stalled because you weren’t sure what fabric, stabilizer, or hooping method would actually behave—this post is for you.

In this demo, Donnett from Embroidery.com showcases three products that are beginner-friendly on paper but can turn frustrating fast if you skip the “hidden prep”:

• Kimberbell Summer Vol. 2: In the Garden (12 designs, multiple hoop sizes) with appliqué samples on a flour sack towel and a cotton T-shirt.
• PJ Designs “A Flower for M’Lady” (an in-the-hoop flower that finishes about 15 inches around, built from five petals plus leaves).
• Kimberbell Oh, the Possibilities for Spring! (book + CD combo), including the sewing-only “Love Me Knot” basket and an embroidered spring banner with dimensional flowers.

You’ll get the exact project details shown in the video—plus the real-world workflow I’d use in a studio to keep results consistent and avoid the common traps (puckers, shifting appliqué, bulky seams, and hoop marks).

Don’t Panic: “New Designs” Don’t Fail—Rushed Hooping and Weak Stabilizing Do

New collections are supposed to feel fun. But towels, tees, and dimensional add-ons are three of the easiest places to get distortion.

Here’s the calm truth: most “my design stitched weird” problems are not the design. They’re usually one of these three physics errors:

• Pull Compensation Failure: The fabric wasn’t stabilized for the direction of pull created by satin stitches.
• Tension Imbalance: The item was hooped tight in one direction (North-South) but loose in the other (East-West), causing ovaling.
• Hoop Creep: The hoop grabbed too much thickness (seams, hems, bulky towel weave) and the fabric crept inward during stitching.

If you’re building a workflow around standard machine embroidery hoops, think less about “can I force it into the hoop?” and more about “can I neutralize the fabric's movement for the full 10,000 stitches?”

Kimberbell Summer Vol. 2 “In the Garden”: Make Ladybugs and Mushrooms Look Boutique, Not Homemade

Donnett introduces Kimberbell’s Summer Volume 2: In the Garden CD and notes you get 12 different designs (ladybugs, mushrooms, watermelons, butterflies, cherries, and more), and that the designs come in several different hooping sizes.

Two samples are shown:

• A mushroom appliqué stitched on a flour sack towel, then customized with an added ruffle and yellow rickrack along the bottom edge.
• A ladybug appliqué on a cotton T-shirt, where the stitched spots were replaced with black buttons for extra texture.
  

The “Hidden” Prep for Towels and T-Shirts (So Appliqué Doesn’t Ripple)

Appliqué is forgiving in one way (it hides small stitch imperfections), but it’s unforgiving in another: the tackdown and satin edges can pull fabric hard.

For a flour sack towel:

• Towels usually require a water-soluble topper (like Solvy) to prevent stitches from sinking into the weave.
• Sensory Check: Rub your thumb over the finished satin stitch. If it feels rough or you see terry loops poking through, you skipped the topper.

For a cotton T-shirt:

• Knit fabric stretches in 360 degrees. If you pull it tight in a standard hoop, it stretches. When you unhoop it, it relaxes back to its original size, but the thread doesn't—creating a permanent pucker.
• The Fix: You must use a Cutaway stabilizer. Tearaway is not strong enough to support the stitch count of an appliqué on knitwear.

This is where many home embroiderers quietly upgrade their workflow: instead of fighting the hoop screw every time, they transition to magnetic embroidery hoops for faster, more even clamping. Because magnets clamp straight down rather than pulling the fabric outward, they eliminate the "hoop burn" marks and distortion common on delicate tees.

Warning: Buttons, needles, and moving parts don’t negotiate. If you are replacing stitched spots with hard buttons (like on the ladybug), keep them at least 20mm away from the needle path. Only attach them after the embroidery is finished. If a machine needle strikes a button at 800 stitches per minute, the needle can shatter, sending metal shards toward your eyes.

Pro Tip from the Demo: Buttons as Ladybug Spots (How to Make It Look Intentional)

The video shows black buttons used instead of stitched spots on the ladybug. To make that look polished:

• Use buttons that match the scale of the design (too large looks clunky; too small disappears).
• Place them consistently—measure from the satin edge rather than eyeballing.
• If the shirt is for a child or will be washed hard, sew buttons with a strong thread and knot securely.

PJ Designs “A Flower for M’Lady”: The 15-Inch In-the-Hoop Project That Teaches You Structure

Donnett then features PJ Designs “A Flower for M’Lady”, explaining it’s done all in the hoop and finishes about 15 inches around. She describes the construction as five separate petals plus leaves, assembled into a large flower.

She also demonstrates that it can be used:

• Flat as a table centerpiece, or
• Shaped into a bowl using a stiffener backing like Floriani Stitch N Shape.
  

Why This Flower Works (And Why Some Big ITH Pieces Turn Into Floppy Pancakes)

Large in-the-hoop (ITH) projects succeed or fail based on internal structure.

A stiffener like Floriani Stitch N Shape is mentioned in the video as a way to mold the flower into a bowl. In general terms, stiffeners help because:

• They resist the torque created when you lift, shape, or hang the finished piece.
• They reduce “hinging” at stitch lines where fabric layers want to fold.
• They help the petals keep a clean curve instead of collapsing.

If you’ve ever made an ITH piece that looked great in the hoop but went limp the moment you removed it, that’s usually a stabilizer/structure mismatch—not your machine.

Thread Pairings Shown: Hemingworth Jewel Tones (And How Color Changes the Whole Mood)

Donnett notes the sample flower is pink, but she paired the project with a Hemingworth thread set in jewel tones:

• Mulled Wine
• Dark Purple
• Old Gold
• Sailor Blue
• Holly Leaf
• Forest Green

That’s a smart reminder: the same design can read “spring pastel” or “dramatic centerpiece” depending on thread palette.

Hooping Reality Check: Big Multi-Layer ITH Projects Need Even Clamping, Not Maximum Tightness

When you stitch multi-layer petals and leaves, you’re asking the hoop to hold a thicker, more complex sandwich. Over-tightening a standard hoop screw can distort the base fabric into an oval shape.

The Sensory Check: Tap the hooped stabilizer. It should sound like a tight drum skin ("Thump-thump") but you should not see stress lines radiating from the corners.

If you’re currently using a hooping station for machine embroidery setup, the goal is repeatable placement and repeatable tension—especially when you’re making multiple petals that must visually match.

And if you’re doing this kind of project often, a magnetic frame is a logical upgrade because it provides even perimeter pressure. It eliminates the "one side tight, one side loose" issue that causes multi-piece projects to misalign during final assembly.

Warning: Magnetic frames are industrial-strength tools. Pinch Hazard: Keep fingers clear when snapping the top frame down. Medical Safety: Keep powerful magnets at least 6 inches away from pacemakers or other medical implants. Always store them with the provided separators.

Kimberbell “Oh, the Possibilities for Spring!”: Know What’s Sewing-Only vs. What’s on the CD

In the final segment, Donnett introduces Kimberbell Oh, the Possibilities for Spring! as a combo pack with a book and a CD.

She shows:

• The “Love Me Knot” basket, and clarifies it is sewing-only (no machine embroidery on the sample), though she notes you could add embroidery easily.
• A spring banner featuring a watering can and 3D dimensional flowers that come out of the watering can pocket, and she notes that banner is machine embroidery from the CD.

She also mentions the book includes templates for cutting appliqué pieces.

The “Hidden” Prep for Combo Projects: Don’t Let Sewing Steps Sabotage Embroidery Steps

When a project mixes sewing construction with embroidery (or gives you the option), the order matters.

In general, you want to:

• Embroider flat components before assembling bulky seams.
• Avoid hooping over thick joins (basket corners, banner binding, pocket seams) unless the design is planned for it.
• Keep your embroidery area accessible—because fighting a bulky, half-assembled project is how people end up with crooked placement.

If you are using a hoop master embroidery hooping station or similar alignment system, it shines here: you can place embroidery consistently on multiple banner blocks or repeated elements without measuring every single time.

The Prep Nobody Shows on Camera: Fabric + Needle + Thread + Stabilizer as One System

The video highlights fabrics (flour sack towel, cotton T-shirt, quilting cotton) and consumables (appliqué fabrics, buttons, rickrack, Floriani Stitch N Shape, Hemingworth thread). What it doesn’t spell out—but matters in real stitching—is that these choices behave as a system.

Here’s a practical way to think like a technician. Before you press start, check your Consumable Triangle:

• Needle Check: For T-shirts, use a Ballpoint 75/11. For the thick Flower project/Towels, use a Sharp 75/11 or 90/14. A burred needle will shred thread.
• Adhesion: Do you have Temporary Spray Adhesive (like KK100)? Use it to float layers rather than hooping them if the fabric is sensitive.
• Speed (SPM): Slow down! For detailed satin stitches on a consumer machine, drop your speed to 600 SPM. Speed kills quality on soft fabrics.

Decision Tree: Choosing Stabilizer for Towels, Tees, and Structured ITH Pieces

Use this logic flow to stop guessing (always defer to your machine manual and the project instructions when provided):

1. Is the fabric a Knit (T-shirt) that stretches?
   • YES: MUST use Cutaway Stabilizer (Mesh or Heavy). Do not use Tearaway.
   • NO: Go to #2.
2. Is the fabric textured/lofty (Towel/Velvet)?
   • YES: Use a Water-Soluble Topper (on top) + Tearaway (on bottom). Avoids sinking stitches.
   • NO: Go to #3.
3. Does the finished item need to hold a rigid shape (ITH Flower/Bowl)?
   • YES: Use a specific Stiffener (Floriani Stitch N Shape / Peltex). Soft stabilizers will collapse.
   • NO: A standard medium-weight Tearaway is likely sufficient.

The Fix You’ll Actually Use: A Clean, Repeatable Workflow for These Three Project Types

Below is the workflow I’d teach a new staff member in a studio—because it prevents rework.

Prep Checklist (Before You Even Load the Design)

• Design Audit: Is it Appliqué (Towel), ITH (Flower), or Mixed (Banner)?
• Hidden Consumables: Do you have spray adhesive, fresh needles, and the correct bobbin weight (usually 60wt or 90wt)?
• Physical Obstacles: Check the item for zippers, thick seams, or pockets that might hit the presser foot.
• Finishing Plan: Are buttons/trims added during the hoop (ITH) or after (Sewing)?
• Marking: Have you marked the center point of the fabric with a water-soluble pen or chalk?

Prep Checklist complete = you stitch without stopping to “hunt for supplies.”

Setup: Hooping and Placement Without Stretching or Hoop Marks

For the projects shown, placement consistency matters more than brute force tightness.

• On a Towel, keep the embroidery field away from the thick hem edge. The presser foot can hit the hem and dislodge the hoop.
• On a T-shirt, avoid "Drumming" the fabric too tight. It should be taut, but not stretched. If the ribbing of the shirt looks distorted, re-hoop.
• On large ITH petals, float the fabric if possible to save stabilizer.

If you are learning how to use magnetic embroidery hoop systems, the key habit is to close the top frame gently and verify the fabric is smooth before the magnets snap shut. Magnetic clamping is fast, but precise alignment is still your responsibility.

Setup Checklist (Right Before You Press Start)

• Clearance: Is the area behind the machine clear? (Heavy towels can bunch up against the wall).
• Bobbin: Is the bobbin thread full? (Running out mid-satin stitch is a nightmare).
• Orientation: Is the design top/bottom correct for the shirt/towel?
• Hoop Check: Push the inner hoop down 1mm past the outer hoop (for standard hoops) to lock the friction.
• Safety: Are buttons/zippers taped out of the way?

Setup Checklist complete = confident the fabric won’t creep mid-run.

“Why Did Mine Pucker?”—Troubleshooting the Problems These Projects Commonly Trigger

Even though the video is a showcase, these are the issues I see most often with exactly these materials.

The Upgrade Path (When You’re Ready): Faster Hooping, Cleaner Results, and Less Wrist Fatigue

If you only stitch one project at a time for fun, you can absolutely do these with standard hoops—just slow down and be consistent.

But if you’re making towels for gifts, stitching multiple tees, or batching banner blocks, your bottleneck becomes hooping and re-hooping.

Here’s a practical “scene-triggered” upgrade path that stays honest:

• Trigger: You see "Hoop Burn" (shiny rings) on your T-shirts or struggle to hoop thick towels.
  • Solution: Magnetic Hoops. They hold thick/delicate items without friction damage.
• Trigger: You spend more time measuring placement than stitching (e.g., for the banner).
  • Solution: A Hooping Station. It creates a physical jig for perfect repeatability.
• Trigger: You have orders for 20+ shirts and the single-needle color changes are driving you crazy.
  • Solution: A SEWTECH Multi-Needle Machine. When productivity matters, eliminating manual thread changes is the only way to scale.

Operation Checklist (During the Stitch-Out and Finishing)

• The "First Minute" Rule: Watch the first 500 stitches like a hawk. If the fabric bubbles now, stop and re-hoop.
• No Tugging: Never pull on the fabric layout while the needle is moving.
• Trim Hygiene: Trim jump stitches as you go (if your machine doesn't auto-trim) to prevent them getting caught under the satin stitch.
• Gentle Shaping: For the ITH flower, shape the stiffener gently with steam if needed; don't crack it.

Operation Checklist complete = a piece that looks intentional, not improvised.

If you recreate any of the three showcased projects, treat the demo as your inspiration—and treat your prep as your insurance policy. That’s how you get the “wow” factor Donnett shows on camera, without the wasted fabric pile off camera.

FAQ

• Q: How do I stop embroidery appliqué on a flour sack towel from sinking into the weave and looking rough?
  A: Use a water-soluble topper on the towel so satin stitches sit on top instead of disappearing into the texture.
  • Add water-soluble topper over the towel before stitching satin edges.
  • Keep the design away from thick towel hems so the presser foot does not bump and shift the hoop.
  • Slow the machine down for detailed satin stitching (a safe starting point is around 600 SPM, if the machine allows).
  • Success check: Rub a thumb across the finished satin stitch—if it feels smooth and no loops poke through, the topper choice is working.
  • If it still fails: Re-check hoop stability and consider using temporary spray adhesive to bond towel to stabilizer to reduce fabric creep.
• Q: What stabilizer should be used to prevent permanent puckering when machine embroidering an appliqué design on a cotton T-shirt knit?
  A: Use cutaway stabilizer for knit T-shirts because tearaway usually cannot support the stitch count without distortion.
  • Choose cutaway (mesh or heavy) and avoid tearaway for knitwear.
  • Hoop the T-shirt taut but not stretched; do not pull the knit while tightening.
  • Consider clamping with a magnetic embroidery hoop to reduce hoop burn and outward stretch during hooping.
  • Success check: After unhooping, the design area should stay flat without ripples and the shirt should not look “drawn in.”
  • If it still fails: Re-hoop and reduce stitching speed (a safe starting point is about 600 SPM) to minimize pull on soft fabric.
• Q: How tight should machine embroidery fabric be in a standard embroidery hoop to avoid ovaling, puckers, and hoop creep?
  A: Aim for even, drum-tight tension without stress lines—maximum tightness often causes distortion.
  • Tap the hooped stabilizer/fabric and listen for a firm “thump-thump,” not a loose rattle.
  • Look for balanced tension in both directions (North–South and East–West), not tight on one axis and loose on the other.
  • Push the inner hoop down about 1 mm past the outer hoop to lock friction (for standard hoops).
  • Success check: The hooped area looks smooth and flat with no corner stress lines radiating outward.
  • If it still fails: Switch to a magnetic embroidery hoop for more even perimeter pressure, especially on thicker or multi-layer setups.
• Q: How can a hooping station for machine embroidery prevent crooked towel embroidery or inconsistent placement on repeated banner pieces?
  A: Use a hooping station to make placement and hoop tension repeatable instead of re-measuring and re-guessing each time.
  • Set the jig once and use the same reference points for every towel/bannner block.
  • Align fabric while it is flat (before bulky seams, bindings, or pockets make hooping awkward).
  • Keep the embroidery field away from thick hems or joins that can tilt the hoop during stitching.
  • Success check: Repeated pieces stitch in the same location and look visually square without “drift” across multiples.
  • If it still fails: Add temporary spray adhesive to reduce shifting between fabric and stabilizer during the run.
• Q: How do I stop in-the-hoop flower petals from misaligning when stitching a large multi-layer ITH project like PJ Designs “A Flower for M’Lady”?
  A: Make hoop tension and materials identical for every petal so each piece stitches under the same conditions.
  • Use the same stabilizer type and batch for all petals and leaves.
  • Avoid over-tightening the hoop screw; uneven clamping can oval the base and change stitch geometry.
  • Consider a magnetic embroidery frame to get consistent, even perimeter pressure on every hooping.
  • Success check: Petal edges match in size and curve when placed together, without one side “growing” or shrinking.
  • If it still fails: Re-check internal structure—soft backing can let pieces flex differently even when stitching is accurate.
• Q: What backing should be used so a large in-the-hoop flower bowl does not collapse after it is removed from the hoop?
  A: Use a stiffener backing (such as Floriani Stitch N Shape) when the finished ITH piece must hold a rigid shape.
  • Choose a purpose-made stiffener for structure; soft stabilizers often lead to a floppy result.
  • Shape gently after stitching; use steam if needed, but avoid cracking the stiffener.
  • Keep handling minimal at stitch lines where layers can “hinge.”
  • Success check: The petals keep a clean curve and the piece holds a bowl shape instead of flattening into a pancake.
  • If it still fails: Confirm the project was built with the intended stiffener weight and avoid substituting a softer stabilizer.
• Q: How can hard buttons used as embroidery accents (like ladybug spots) be added safely without breaking a machine embroidery needle?
  A: Attach hard buttons only after embroidery finishes and keep them well clear of the needle path to avoid needle strikes.
  • Keep buttons at least 20 mm away from the stitched area where the needle could travel.
  • Complete all stitching first, then sew buttons on by hand with strong thread and secure knots.
  • Tape or move any hard trims out of the machine’s sewing field before running the design.
  • Success check: The machine stitches the full design without needle contact noises, needle deflection, or sudden thread breaks.
  • If it still fails: Remove all hard items from the hoop area and re-run a trace/check clearance before stitching again.
• Q: What safety rules should be followed when using magnetic embroidery hoops or magnetic embroidery frames on home or multi-needle machines?
  A: Treat magnetic hoops as industrial-strength tools—prevent finger pinch injuries and keep magnets away from medical implants.
  • Keep fingers clear when snapping the top frame down to avoid pinch hazards.
  • Keep strong magnets at least 6 inches away from pacemakers or other medical implants.
  • Store magnetic frames with the provided separators so they do not slam together unexpectedly.
  • Success check: The frame closes smoothly under control, fabric stays flat, and hands never enter the closing gap.
  • If it still fails: Slow down the clamping step and reposition fabric before the magnets fully engage—alignment must be verified before the snap.