Thank you for buying a Twisted Hoop embroidery kit! Below, I will walk you through how I set up my hoop, what stitches I recommend for each section, and give you a few options for how to sew up and finish the piece.
What you'll need
- hoop
- fabric (2 layers)
- embroidery needle, size 5
- embroidery thread
- pattern sticker
- scissors
- felt for backing
- frame
Steps
1. Set up your hoop
Separate your hoop by loosening the metal fastener on the hoop and place the smaller, inner hoop down on a flat surface. Place two layers of fabric on top of the inner hoop, making sure it's centered.
Place the outer hoop over the fabric and inner hoop and tighten the fastener at the top. As you tighten the fastener, occasionally pause and tug the excess fabric through the hoops to keep it taught.
2. Place pattern sticker
Remove the backing from your pattern sticker and place it centered on the hoop fabric. Press lightly to make sure the pattern is even against the fabric with no bubbles or creases.
3. Thread your needle
Cut your thread to the desired working length. About 1-2 ft is a good place to start; any longer and the thread may start to get knotted as you stitch.
Most standard embroidery thread actually contains 6 strands of thread twisted together. Depending on the pattern, level detail, and desired style, you may want to use all 6 strands together or separate the strands for a thinner line. I generally recommend 1 or 2 strands for my patterns.
Once you have your thread cut and separated to the desired number of strands, make a simple double knot on one end, about half an inch from the end.
To thread your needle, dampen the unknotted end of your thread and press it flat between your fingers, then carefully push the end of the thread through the eye of your needle. This can be really tricky, especially with thicker threads, so if you get stuck consider using a needle threader to help you. Once the thread is through the eye of your needle, pull it a few inches to make sure it wont slip out as you're stitching.
4. Get Stitching!
Now you're ready to start on your project. For the long straight lines of the constellation, I recommend using a single back stitch.
For each star, I would start with a short back stitch along each straight line in the pattern.
If the star has a dot in the center, use a french knot to give the star some texture.
Continue back stiches and french knots for the rest of the stars.
Wording
To stitch the wording, "cassiopeia", I recommend a stem stitch or a split stitch. I used a stem stitch here, making sure the thread lies on the outside of the curve of the lines.
Continue until you reach the end of the wording.
5. Finishing up
Now that you're done with your embroidery, tie off your last piece of thread and then loosen the metal fastening on your hoop and take your fabric out. 
To disolve the pattern sticker, run your fabric under cold water until it is fully dissolved. You may need to rinse off the fabric a few times to get all of it.
Lay flat to dry, do not blot the fabric or the color may bleed from threads.
Framing the embroidery
If you are putting your embroidery in a frame, take out the glass or plastic from the frame and place it over the back of your embroidery.
Thread two strands of floss on your needle and stitch up the back of the embroidery over the glass, starting with the long edge. Pull the thread tight as you go, making sure the constellation is centered the way you like.
I recommend cutting away some fabric in the corners before stitching the other edge of the embroidery, so the corners don't get too thick. Tie off thread once both sides are sewn up.
Pop the embroidery back in the frame and secure the back.
Finishing in the hoop
To finish your embroidery in the hoop, fasten the embroidery in the hoop as you did in the set up. Turn the hoop around and use a running stitch around the rough edge of the fabric behind the hoop, and then pull the thread tight so that the excess fabric gets cinched in the back.
Optional step: add felt backing
Using the inner embroidery hoop to measure, cut a circle of felt.
Using a whip stitch, attach the felt circle to the back of the cinched fabric.
Enjoy your art by hanging it up or resting it against a frame!