Topic
Embroidery machines
Embroidery machines stitch designs from files inside a hoop. The hoop field sets the largest design in one go, and the file formats decide which designs you can load.
- Common fields
- 100 x 100 · 130 x 180 · 160 x 260 · 200 x 300 mm
- Loading designs
- USB · Wi-Fi · app
The embroidery field is the area the machine can stitch without re-hooping. A 100 x 100 mm field suits names and small motifs; 160 x 260 mm and larger fields suit cushion fronts and jacket backs.
Brands use their own file formats (for example PES for Brother, JEF for Janome). Built-in designs and fonts get you started; most people later buy or digitise designs.
Combination machines sew and embroider with one unit. Use the hoop fit check to see which hoop a design needs before you buy.
Guides on this topic
- Why are embroidery machines so expensive?Why embroidery machines cost more than sewing machines: hoop drives, motors, screens, design libraries, field size and the jump to multi needle machines.Guide
- Embroidery stabiliser: which type for which fabricWhich embroidery stabiliser to use: tear-away, cut-away, wash-away and heat-away explained by fabric, plus choosing bobbin thread for machine embroidery.Guide
- Embroidery machine vs sewing machineEmbroidery machine vs sewing machine: hoop and design file embroidery against decorative stitches, and when a sewing and embroidery combination fits best.Comparison
- Embroidery hoop sizes and fields explainedEmbroidery hoop sizes explained: common fields from 100 x 100 to 200 x 300 mm, what designs fit in each, and how to split designs that are too large.Guide
- Embroidery file formats and software explainedEmbroidery file formats explained: PES, JEF, EXP, DST and VP3, which brands read which, how to get designs onto a machine and how to convert files safely.Guide
- Are embroidery machines hard to use?Are embroidery machines hard to use? A step by step look at hooping, stabiliser, loading a design and thread changes, so beginners know what to expect.Guide
Buying guides on this topic
- Best embroidery machines for beginnersFive single needle home embroidery machines compared by embroidery field, built-in designs, design transfer and screen, from listing facts.Buying guide
- Best sewing and embroidery combination machinesSix machines that sew and embroider, compared by embroidery field, built-in designs, sewing stitches, design transfer and weight.Buying guide