I can't see how you can emb. without the hoop as that's what places the stitches. Have you used 505 spray to hold it in place on the stabiliser?

hi
You are talking about the hoopless embroidery, But you still use a hoop. I am telling you three different ways you can do hoopless embroidery. Number 1: Put your stabilizer in your hoop.You can use 505 temporary adhesive spray on the stabilizer, then put your bag on that. Lightly, press. The item sticks to the spray. You are not hooping the item itself, that is how you do hoopless embroidery.
Number 2:
Put your item on the stabilizer, pin it,(Using regular sewing straight pins.) Put on machine. Do a basting stitch on the machine, STOP just before pin (if its in the way)remove it. Remove all pins once basting stitch is done. Now do your embroidery.
Number 3:
You can buy sticky back stabilizer. You put the stabilizer in your hoop removing the peel of paper, then you have stickiness. Lay item on this and do embroidery. ok. I hope you understood everything. good luck.