In this video, we show how to hoop a cap using a cap frame and hooping gauge. We first slide the cap frame onto the gauge and push it forward until it clicks into place. We then fold out the inner liner of the hat so it can slide under the lip of the hooping gauge.
Next, we slide the cap over the cap frame, making sure the inner liner goes under the centering line of the cap gauge. We pull the locking metal hat band over the hat so the brim fits between the two metal strips, then lock the clip to hold the cap in place.
Once the hat is locked in, we make any minor centering adjustments by moving the brim left or right until the center seam of the hat lines up with the red mark on the cap gauge. We then locate the four clips and attach two on each side of the cap around the two metal bars coming out of the cap frame. At that point, the hat is ready for sewing.
Clean cap hooping starts with the right hardware, so it may help to review hoops and hoopers.