What’s the deal with the embroidery machines that have a hoop size of over 8 inches? Are those actually worth it? Or are they just a really expensive novelty item to make people feel like they’re getting more for their money than with smaller hoops?
In this post, we’ll answer these questions and many others. We’ll show you how to choose the best embroidery machine according to your needs and go through pros and cons of different types of hoops.
The first thing to know is that the biggest hoop determines the maximum hoop diameter that you can use with it. Therefore, if you want to machine a piece with an 8-inch hoop, you can’t use an 8 inch or 9-inch embroidery machine. You need to find one that allows you to set the throat of the machine as large as possible.
That means that most of the mechanical embroidery machines can only be used with a hoop size up to 7 inches in diameter (8 inches is the maximum amount of space that their frame can take up before they begin to get damaged). All of them are comfortable with 6 inches and above, though.
“But I wanted a bigger embroidery hoop!”
Don’t worry. We’re here to help you with that. We’ve compiled a list of the best embroidery machines that have large hoops.
List of the Largest Hoop Embroidery Machine:
- Brother SE1900 Sewing and Embroidery Machine – 5″ x 7″ Hoop Area
- Brother PE800 Embroidery Machine – 5″ x 7″ Hoop Area
- Brother Sewing and Embroidery Machine, 4 Marvel Faceplates – 4″ x 4″ Hoop Area
- Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine – 4″ x 4″ Hoop Area
- SINGER | Legacy SE300 Embroidery Machine – 10.25″ x 6″ Hoop Area
- Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine – 4″ x 4″ Hoop Area
- Janome Memory Craft 500E Embroidery Machine – 7.9″ x 11″ Hoop Area
- Janome Memory Craft 230E Embroidery Machine – 5″ x 5″ Hoop Area
1. Brother SE1900 Sewing and Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productThe Brother SE1900 is a very productive machine. Its computing power is strong enough to make it one of the most advanced models on our list. With this, you will be able to handle complex designs and perform flawlessly even with the greatest amount of detail.
The SE1900 has a 5 by 7-inch throat area which can accommodate up to 6 by 10 inches hoop, giving you a lot of space to work with.
The machine has a great auto-hooping feature which can be used up to 4 times without the need of rear touch-up. This is very useful for people that are working on difficult pieces and don’t want to stop and touch up too often.
The SE1900 comes with an embroidery module that can save you time when you’re switching between different pieces.
With this, you will be able to stay in the same file and simply change the designs whenever you want.
Other features include a large 3.2 inch LCD touchscreen display and 7 feet accessories. Also, it has an easy-to-use menu structure which allows you to navigate through the 240 preloaded designs quite easily.
2. Brother PE800 Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productA large embroidery area and a large LCD are features that you will be able to find in most models on this list. However, they are not always easy to use. This machine has all of that and much more in a very user-friendly experience.
The PE800 has a 5″ x 7″ hoop which is quite big when compared to other models. However, don’t let its size fool you because it can be used with smaller hoops too, as long as they’re at least 3.5 inches in diameter.
The PE800 has 138 embroidery designs and 250 built-in stitches that you can choose from. All the designs are user-friendly and very easy to edit.
The machine itself is easy to use, it has a very intuitive menu structure that you will learn to use in no time. It also comes with a USB port which let you transfer files to your machine with ease.
The machine has a built-in LCD that lets you view your designs clearly, and it is even touch-screen compatible, which makes it easy to use.
Overall, this small model is the best one on the list for its price and features.
3. Brother Sewing and Embroidery Machine, 4 Marvel Faceplates:
Amazon productBrother is known for making a wide variety of different products on the market. The Brother 4 Marvel Faceplates is one of these products. It is another model that has a very large embroidery area, which makes it better than its rivals in this category. The machine has a 4″ x 4″ hoop which can accommodate up to 4″ x 4″ hoops, giving you lots of room to work with.
The 4 Marvel Faceplates are meant to decorate small items such as tea towels, potholders, and scarves. The machine used to come with 80 designs and 103 built-in stitches. However, you can now purchase it with 10 designs that have been downloaded directly from the Marvel website. Also, you may find that there is a DVD included in the box that contains a few other Marvel designs that you may find useful.
It has an easy-to-create menu structure that is intuitive and easy to use. This product is similar to the previous Brother model in terms of price, size, and features. Not to mention that this particular model can also be used with a 3.5″ hoop too, so it’s not hard to find good substitutes for it on the market.
However, if you’re looking for something that can be used with smaller hoops as well as large ones then this model may not be what you were looking for.
4. Brother SE600 Sewing and Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productThe Brother SE600 is another excellent product from one of the most popular sewing and embroidery machine manufacturers in the world. It has a very large embroidery surface that is 5″ x 7″, which gives you plenty of room to do your work on.
The machine comes with 80 different designs, all of which are built-in and ready to use. However, there is a chance that you will find it too numerous, so you can choose to buy more designs separately if you want them. There are a total of 103 built-in stitches which are all very easy to use. And if you need to adjust them then you can also do so with a few simple clicks of your mouse.
Furthermore, it has 4 built-in lettering fonts and 8 frame patterns that can be easily adjusted by simply moving them around the embroidery area until you find the perfect location and size for your design.
5. SINGER | Legacy SE300 Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productIt is a very popular embroidery machine from Singer, which has been around for a long time. And it shows not only its performance but also its design and functionality.
The machine includes 200 different built-in embroideries, which means that you won’t need to buy any extra designs for it. The overall size of the machine is 20.2 x 8 x 12.2 inches and has a small footprint that will fit neatly on top of your sewing table or even on your shelf. It comes with 5 different embroidery designs: Basic, Floral, Heart, Lace, and Paisley.
You can use the machine for any type of sewing, whether it’s t-shirt making or couch pillows. As an embroidery machine, the ability to do freehand embroidery in a pinch is essential. Even if you don’t plan on a huge project you can easily start up a small one if needed. The machine has an automatic needle threader that ensures easy and fast threading of your needle.
6. Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productThe PE535 is a very popular embroidery machine from Brother, which has been around for a long time. It is the largest model on our list of best embroidery machines with large hoops. It has a 4″ x 4″ hoop surface that will easily fit over most surfaces you have in your sewing area.
The machine comes with 80 built-in designs and 9 built-in fonts that can be easily edited and adjusted to suit your needs. Its large 3.2″ LCD touchscreen display is very easy to use, it comes with a user-friendly menu structure which makes it easy for you to navigate through all the different features.
The PE535 has USB connectivity which you can use to transfer your files onto the machine and get started with your designs right away. It comes with a USB cable and a power cord, so all you will need to get started is the machine and some fabric.
The PE535 has a beautiful design that fits nicely on any sewing table or shelf. It is similar to the previous Brother SE600 model we have talked about, so if you’ve been looking into it then we highly recommend this one as well.
7. Janome Memory Craft 500E Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productJanome is one of the most popular sewing and embroidery machine manufacturers in the world. And this model is one of its finest products. The Memory Craft 500E has a maximum embroidery size of 7.9 x 11 inches, which makes it better than other models on our list because it can be used to make larger projects that take longer to complete.
The machine itself is 21.81 x 15.98 x 15 inches and comes with 4 different hoops that can be used for most different types of projects. The machine comes with a lot of built-in stitches, 169 in total. However, you will be able to download even more designs from their website if you find it to be too much or too little.
The menu structure is very easy to understand and use, and the touchscreen is very clear and responsive. This product has a very affordable price for its features and size, making it one of the largest hoop embroidery machines on our list.
8. Janome Memory Craft 230E Embroidery Machine:
Amazon productJanome makes great embroidery machines that are easy to use and very well-priced. The Memory Craft 230E comes with a 5″ x 5″ hoop, which is a perfect size for most smaller projects. The machine comes in a compact size of 21.81 x 15.98 x 15 inches, making it very easy to work with even in tight spaces. It comes with 73 built-in designs and 3 built-in fonts that you can edit and adjust to your needs if you choose too.
It has an area for 11 user-customizable designs which you can download from the manufacturer’s website. The machine has a built-in Automatic Thread Tension Control System, so there is no need to worry about thread breaking any time soon. This model comes with a lot of preloaded designs that will be useful to you even if you’re not necessarily planning on embroidering.
Overall, it is one of the most popular models on the market right now because of its affordability, quality, and size.
What are the basics of hooping for machine embroidery?
You’ll need to know how to hoop for machine embroidery before you start. However, if you’re a newbie in the embroidery art industry, then it is best that you either purchase a machine that comes with a hooping frame or purchases one separately.
A hooping frame can be bought from most sewing stores (on Amazon) and it will last forever. It can be used to hoop with any size of embroidery so it’s important that you choose something that’s very convenient for your project. Just make sure that it is long enough and wide enough to fit around your project.
The most important and most basic part of hooping for machine embroidery is to make sure that the hoop is placed firmly around your fabric. The best way is to place the hoop on a surface that’s large enough for it, so you can easily manage it.
How do you use a repositionable embroidery hoop?
You may use a repositionable embroidery hoop if you need to change the size of your fabric. The repositionable hoop is very useful because you can remove it easily from the fabric and then place it back on, without worrying about your design being ruined in any way.
All you have to do is place the hoop around your fabric, and then slowly pull on each of its sides until it’s tight around your project.
Then, simply adjust the holes so that they match the shape of your fabric (if necessary).
How do you use a non-repositionable embroidery hoop?
To use a non-repositionable hoop, you need to make sure that it is placed around your fabric in the perfect way. To do this, simply place the hoop on top of your fabric and then slowly pull on each of its sides until it’s tight around your project.
Then, secure the bottom part of the hoop onto something that’s stationary (like a chair or table) so that it doesn’t move while you’re working.
What size embroidery hoop should I get?
The best embroidery hoops to get are 5″ x 5″, as these will be large enough for most machine embroidery projects. In fact, most machine embroidery buffs use these sizes because they’ll give you a more professional finish and will give the best results with your work.
However, if you have a lot of fabric that is bigger or smaller than this size then it’s beneficial to purchase some extra hoops.
Can I buy a bigger hoop for my embroidery machine?
Yes, you can. There aren’t many embroidery machines that come with a bigger hoop than 7.9 x 11 inches. However, you can find some online or in some sewing shops as well. It is very important that your hoop is able to fit around your fabric so that it won’t fall while you’re working on it.
If your hoop doesn’t fit around the fabric then it will not work correctly and this will ruin the fabric as well as your design.
Conclusion:
Machine embroidery is an art that is fun and easy to learn, but it can be quite challenging if you’re a newbie. You need to know how to hoop machine embroidery before you even start on your first project. However, once you get the hang of it then you will find out that it is very easy to produce great results. All you have to do is take your time and make sure that everything is in the right position before starting up your machine and working on your project.
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