Modern Hoopla

Kate Latham describes Modern Hoopla as her collision of crafts and her daily inspiration. Modern Hoopla was born when a spark of an idea jumped out from her cross-disciplinary interests, the proverbial light-bulb moment. She’d been focusing on digital fabrication, making her imagination spit out of a CNC machine (that’s a computer-controlled router), when she took an embroidery class. She saw “naked” hoops everywhere and wanted a more finished way to display her newfound craft.

The basic design for Modern Hoopla frames sprung to life very quickly at her studio in coastal Cape Charles, Virginia. Many prototypes later, the clever hoop-framing system has grown to include hoops from 3 inches to 14 inches.

Framing needlework has traditionally been difficult and expensive, but that work of creative expression and skill deserves an elevated presentation. Modern Hoopla’s Hoop Frames and Hoop Props give your work the polish it merits. Kate’s frames enclose the hoop entirely and do not use glues or screws that could damage your work. The Hoop Props are an innovative way to display your work on a desk, shelf or windowsill, and have the added advantage of hiding the screw tensioner.

Modern Hoopla’s next invention was a line of floss management tools. Floss Racks and Bobbin Minders help keep your working threads at the ready and tangle free, whether you prefer bobbins or clothespins for floss storage. The charming Floss Boxes corral the bits and pieces of floss leftovers with a visual hint of craft archaeology.

Beyond creative problem-solving for the modern stitcher, Kate’s goal is to grow a sustainable business that keeps manufacturing local to her rural Virginia home. “I love empowering women with power tools!” says Kate. Her staff of four — all women — are helping to redefine the “factory floor,” with flexibility and accountability replacing top-down authority. The cohesive team is collaborative and supportive and likes to test new ways of working, right along with innovative products.

The next year will bring new products, new finishes, and new collaborations with cross-stitch and embroidery artists. Stay tuned!

Visit Modern Hoopla at Booth 929 at h+h americas, in the Indie Untangled area.

Photography by Erin Blair.

www.modernhoopla.co
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