Here’s the picture which has me giddy with glee for two reasons. First, I got the replacement part for the QSnap attachment for my stand. When the Needlework System 4 folks say a lifetime guarantee, they mean it! I bought my stand urm… a really really long time ago and they bustled a replacement part off to me right away at no charge! My second happiness is, yes, you are seeing correctly, a hoop in my qsnap holder. I’ve been looking for a really good hoop – not the kind made from cheap balsa that splits and gives you splinters, but one of the nicely sanded edge ones that someone took pride in making. I’ve looked in a lot of places and refused to order anything online because I needed to feel it to see if it was right for me. I am now the proud owner of a Hardwicke Manor Hoop. It’s made in Germany of Beech wood and it is, for me, absolutely wonderful! My qsnaps and I have been having lots of disagreements over the past 18 months and I am more than delighted to give them a permanent vacation. My hoop is light, smooth and based on their suggestion of using bias tape or as you can see, rubber shelf liner, tight as a drum if I wish it. I am bouncing off the wall with glee!! Best of all, this hoop did not cost me a fortune… it was a few dollars more than the 11″ qsnap I was using… but it will last me a whole lot longer and not give me attitude when I want to stitch.

That said, I’m off to go work on Kat’s Libra… I just finished up a bunch of confetti and want to enjoy stitching some of the pretty pink cotton candy background!