I am interested to know what size people like to get their embroidery designs in, do most people like to get designs that fit in 4"x4" hoop or do people prefer lareger designs?

This post is nearly a year old but still most interesting to read. Thank you to who ever bought it to the top again.

I can only do designs 4x4 or smaller, so I personally prefer 4x4 and smaller. I see so many lovely designs I can not do as I can not afford a new machine with a bigger design limit. Most are larger than 20% so I can not make them smaller without causing much havoc on my machine. :(
Thank you for asking! Many times I wish the digitizer would offer the design in a smaller size, which they digitize separately rather than just downsizing it and sharing as a smaller size. Digitizing it spearately does make a difference as I am positive you already know. Just sharing it with other digitizers who are beginners like myself.

Much as we would probably all love to get larger designs, many of us have machines that won't do larger than 4x4. Thanks for asking Alice!

I Only Have a 4x4 Hoop Machine

I also have 2 machines. One that uses only 4x4 ,and another that uses both 4x4 & 5x7 . Maybe one day I will have one that uses the larger hoop.
( Someday ???)* Nancy

I have two emb. machines. One is only 4x4 and the other has 4x4 and 5x7. I find myself using the 5x7 most of the time. I looked at a machine the other day that had a huge hoop...... and I don't think I would ever use a hoop that large to make it pay for the high price of the machine.
MJDG

I always use my 5x7 hoop, even if my design is 4x4 or smaller...I just like that hoop better. However, I usually get designs that are larger than 4x4.

4X4 and 5X7 are my favorite but I do have a 6X10 sewing field! If I am doing something to frame inside the home, I will use the largest. Linda

It depends but I use my 8 by 8 hoop the most. I just wish my hoop was a little larger. But that means more money. since they just came out with a bigger hoop!

Alexgrandma

Only have a baby so 4x4 is all I can use...

very good question. For me, when I get designs they are always too big (10x10cm) I always want to make them smaler

I have 7 x11.75 frame - so the bigger the better in most cases - but I do use my 5x7 and 4x4 - because that is the only way I can receive files from some designers - not that is what I would prefer. Hope this helps.

Either 4-4 or 5-7 Thank you.

4X4 for a couple more years, at least I hope it will only be that much longer to get the machine I would really like.

I only have 4 x 4 so that is the one I download. I would love to have a larger one but this is only one I could afford.

If I have to choose I always take the largest my machine can do which is 5x7

my machine only does a 4x4 design

It really depends on the project. I try to do the largest hoop that I have for the project. I can only go to the 5x7.

We prefer the desings in the size they are meant to be stitched :c)
(See my command on scaling below.)

4x4 is great for me and everyone can use them. Some can enlarge or reduce the design.
hugs Lee

This question has been asked many a time lol..
I to am like you.. I like to test stitch each size before sharing :-)
I now look at it this way..
No matter how big anybody can do..
everybody can do 4x4..
I also found out that pes is the most common format.
which lucky for me is also my format so that is what I test stitch out.
good luck
Big hugs - from London
Maria xxx

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 29 Sep 2010

Big thanks from Australia.
Alice

I mostly purchase 5X7 because I can make it larger or smaller at my Embroidery Machine. H&*

I hardly ever use my 4x4 hoop. My choice is 5x7

the new machines keep getting larger and larger. I tend to buy for the largest hoop, knowing that I can reduce the design if necessary. Sometimes I buy for the med hoop , knowing that I can go up or down 20% . Kay

1 comment

by bejoscha 29 Sep 2010

Reducing (or enlarging) a design is not always a good thing to do! Depending on the format/machine/software, stitch-positions either get scaled directly (resulting in sparser or denser stitches) or recalculated (i.e. a "line" is re-interpolated with a chosen stitch style, say 1 stitch every 1mm...) Both can lead to problems in the final quality.
In particular for FSL I advice to think on those things when scaling. That's why we sometimes but "smaller" and "larger" versions of our designs online side-by-side. They may look identical, but they have been optimized for the specific size.

(On the other hand, we've found that sometimes very "loose" or "dense" designs can be improved by scaling and forcing the software to keep the number of stitches the same - thus chaging the size of the stitches.)

I am in the same boat and leenova54. I can only do the 4x4. There are so many beautiful larger designs, but can't afford to buy a new machine at this point.

1 comment

by airyfairy 29 Sep 2010

I am also in the same boat. I find the 4X4 is a very convenient size though.

Oh how I wish I could go bigger but 4x4 is the only size I can use.

I like the 5x7 best. I use the 4x4 sometimes too depends on what I'm using the design for. I wish I could go larger than 5x7 but that's the biggest size my machine will sew.

Thank you all so much for answering me here, this really is a great commmunity, I am loving spending time here.
Alice

3 comments

by airyfairy 29 Sep 2010

I also love spending time here. Unfortunately too much time and nothing gets done!!!!!!!

by lulu07 29 Sep 2010

Amen to that, did not realize how much time I had spent, until my poor stomach started growling (realized I had not eated)...oh, but it's so much fun...: )

by snowbird42 10 Sep 2011

i dont know what you mean what else has to be done....lol...soozie

If I have a choice, I will usually go for the medium size. So I guess 4X4.

I Like the 4x4 size

Sometimes I regret that my machine does not accommodate the larger hoops like the Pfaff, Husqvarna and Bernina TOL machines

I like 5x7

I, personally like the larger designs and use the 200x200mm hoop a lot and sometimes the 200x300.

My machine has 4 hoop sizes - I prefer to purchase the larger designs - but I do use the 5x7 alot more than the 4x4. Wishing you luck with your site - why wouldn't you consider several size choices for the one design?

2 comments

by fannyfurkin 26 Sep 2010

I have considered that, I am just keen to know what sizes people like. there is also the time factor, I would not put a design up unless I have test stitched it and that all takes so much time. Now I am wasting so much more time reading what all you cutees are talking about.lol

by shirlener88 27 Sep 2010

Alice, there are alot of the CUTE members that would jump at a chance to test for you - if that would also help you out?

My Brother uses a 4x4 so that is what I need. Sometimes that is too big. Some of the designs in 5x7 would be nice but I can;t use them

I Like the 4x4 size. Most the designs I have I use for making quilts and I usually use a 6x6 block for my embroidery.

It depends on the design and what I'm going to use it for.
I find that the 4x4 size is a good universal size for most projects.
I like the 5x7 size, too, for certain applications, e.g. up the seam of pants legs, picture designs and sayings for framing, on adult clothing and on totes and bags. My big hoop will take up to 6x10 designs.

Designs which extend just outside the 100mm limit are a nuisance and need reducing to fit the 4x4 hoop or I'll use the bigger hoop and often that can be a waste of stabiliser. Reducing to fit within the, say 99mm, limit doesn't affect the appearance of a design but reducing can sometimes affect the integrity of the stitches.
However, if I like a design enough I'll use the hoop it fits in best. Also I often group 4x4 designs, or, if allowed by the digitiser, elements of them, into bigger designs and use the bigger hoop.

I'm happy with 4x4 and 5x7 sizes.

AlmaG.

I think most machine have 4x4, but I like 5x7 and 6x10. I don't have a 4x4 so I waste a lot of stabilizer when putting the a 4x4 in my 5x7 frame. I really have to invest in a 4x4 frame. Something need to be 4x4 size. This is just a personal opinion.

I have 5 different hoop sizes, but when I purchase I usually purchase in the larger size. I can resize most if I need to , but some designs do not resize well. I do think that I use the 5x7 hoop the most.

I think a lot here only have the 4X4 capacity. It is easier to do lots of things with. I have the 5x7 and 6.25X10.25. My daughter gave the the 1x2 which I haven't used yet.

I like the mini, 4x4 and 5x7 but most are 4x4's

I think it is all in what your machine can use. I can do 8x8 designs on 1 machine and 8x12 on my multi-needle. But I use my 5x7 hoops the most.

My largest hoop at the time is 5x7. I get 4x4 all the time if I really like a design and that's the only size it's available in ;D *2U

I find that I use several sizes of design from the mimi-sock size to the 5/7 that as large as my hoop size goes it depends on what and where I want to put a design baby things doll dresses need very small designs at times and I use several large 5/7 design when doing a story thread painting

I would love the larger designs unfortunatly my machine only sews the 4"x4", I have saved quite a lot of 5x7 designs though, because one day i might buy another machine. I live in hope. LOL