How To Embroider A Cap With This Hoop Cut a piece of adhesive stabilizer slightly larger than the cap hoop frame and pull the backing off. Stick the stabilizer to the bottom frame of the cap hoop. Try wrapping the stabilizer around the edges of the cap hoop, if it doesn’t stick tightly enough. Using a water-soluble pen, mark the center of the design on the cap. Loosen the back strap on the cap. Unscrew the thumbscrew on the hoop clamp to and slide the cap bill under the clamp. Using the markings you made on the cap and the template grid, arrange the cap so that the center of the design aligns with the center of the hoop. Before you tighten the clamp, make sure the sweatband and backing are pulled away from the embroidery area so that you don’t stitch it to the cap. You may have to tape or pin the sweatband to keep it out of the way. The buckram (stiff backing) under the sweatband also has to be pulled back. If necessary to pull it back neatly, cut the buckram an inch or two where it is stitched to the cap bill on each side. Tighten the clamp with the thumbscrew. Starting in the middle and working out to the edges, press the cap down firmly against the adhesive stabilizer. The cap must be as flat and smooth as possible. Clamp the cap hoop to the regular 4×4 inch hoop on the side opposite where it attaches to the embroidery unit. Turn the SE400 on and set it up for embroidery as usual. Turn the embroidery unit on and attach the regular 4×4 inch hoop with the cap hoop attached. You may have to remove the foot and/or shank to do this. Use the curser keys to center the needle and begin to embroider your design onto the cap. Remember, the design must be rotated clockwise a quarter turn because the cap is hooped sideways and you want the design vertical.