Hooping a back pack

Someone asked me today how I hooped a back pack, and instead of just typing it up for her, I decided to put it on my blog to share with many. I searched for a tutorial online and couldn't quickly find one. So here we go!

First of all, since I have a single needle home embroidery machine, I often have to tell people no when they ask me to monogram a bag. Usually it is near impossible or too difficult to be worth the stress. But if the embroidery spot is easily accessible, I'm willing to give it a go. For example, here is Annaliese's backpack from this past school year, purchased at Old Navy:

Obviously it is already monogrammed... I'm going to quickly run through how I did it. See how this front pocket unzips and pulls down quite a ways? This makes it possible to lay on my hoop.

I use a hoopless embroidery method. I hooped tearaway stabilizer and used spray adhesive. (If I were to do it again today, I would use sticky stabilizer, but I didn't own any at that point.)

Then I placed the pocket of the backpack on the hoop. (I had used a marking pen to note where the center of my design should be and was sure the bag was straight on my hoop.) The stickiness of the stabilizer will hold the vinyl down flat, but it's good to pin the bag to the stabilizer outside of the stitching area just as an extra measure.

Now I move the hoop to the machine and stitch away!

Side view:

Front view. This is the tricky part... the bag blocks my view of the machine. And I need to hold the bag the whole time so the weight of it doesn't drag the hoop and distort the embroidery. You wouldn't want to do an extensive design on a bag hooped like this, just a name or three-letter monogram. (OH, and now I see how dirty her bag is, need to go wash it. insert blush)

This is my view as I stand over the bag. I can peak and hit the stop button if needed. :)

So there you go. Is that helpful??