Embroidery hoop sizes chart: Brother, Janome, Bernina and more

The chart lists the sewing fields of common hoops, as published by the manufacturers, with example machines that use them. Not every machine takes every hoop of its brand, so check the hoop list in your machine's manual or on its product page.

Inch values are rounded. Where a manufacturer only publishes one unit (for example Brother's small SA431 hoop, sold as 1 × 2.5 in), the other column is our conversion.

Brother home machines range from a 4×4 in (100 × 100 mm) field on entry models such as the SE600 to 9.5×14 in (240 × 360 mm) on the Stellaire range, and the Luminaire XP reaches 272 × 408 mm. Baby Lock uses the same field sizes but often lists exact inch conversions, such as 7-7/8 × 11-3/4 in for 200 × 300 mm.

The maximum field is a limit of the embroidery arm, not just of the hoop: a 4×4 machine can't sew a 5×7 design even with a third-party hoop, because the arm can't move further. Larger designs have to be split into parts that are hooped and sewn one after another. Multi-needle PR models have their own frames, from 8×12 in on the PR680W to 8×14 in on the PR1050X and PR1055X. Brother and Baby Lock read PES; see the Brother and Baby Lock guides.

Janome names current hoops by their sewing field in centimetres: SQ for square and RE for rectangular, followed by a letter for the machine generation. The letter matters, because the same number can mean two sizes: the RE20a is 170 × 200 mm (Memory Craft 9850, Skyline S9) and the RE20b is 140 × 200 mm (Memory Craft 400E, 500E, 550E). Always buy the hoop listed for your model.

Fields range from 140 × 140 mm (SQ14) to 200 × 360 mm (RE36b) on home machines, and up to 280 × 460 mm on the Continental M17. Elna machines share Janome's hoop system: the Elna eXpressive 830 has a maximum field of 200 × 280 mm and the 830L 200 × 360 mm. Older Janome machines use lettered hoops (A, B, C and so on) whose sizes differ by model, so check the size printed on the hoop. Janome files are JEF, and the JEF header records which hoop the design needs. More in the Janome guide.

Bernina names hoops by size class, from the 72 × 50 mm small oval to the 400 × 260 mm Jumbo. Not every model uses the full size of every hoop: on the 7 Series (B 770 QE, B 790 PLUS) the largest field is 400 × 210 mm, even with the Jumbo hoop, while the B 990 with its XL embroidery module reaches 410 × 305 mm. Bernina reads EXP (Bernina guide).

The bernette b70 DECO and b79 come with three hoops: S (50 × 70 mm), M (120 × 180 mm) and L (160 × 260 mm), and read PES among other formats (bernette guide). The Singer Legacy SE300 includes a 100 × 100 mm hoop and a large 260 × 150 mm hoop (Singer guide).

Commercial machines use tubular hoops sold by size (round ones by diameter) and cap frames. A standard structured cap takes a design about 50–60 mm tall and up to about 110–130 mm wide.

Multi-needle commercial machines (Tajima, Ricoma, Happy, Barudan, Melco) use tubular hoops that clip onto arms, so garments can be sewn without opening them up. They come in round and square sizes, and the range differs by machine, so check the frame list of your model.

Round hoops are often sold by diameter (12, 15, 18, 21, 24 or 30 cm, for example). The largest square that fits inside a circle is the diameter divided by 1.41, so after a sensible margin, a 15 cm round hoop takes a design of about 100 × 100 mm and a 12 cm hoop about 80 × 80 mm.

Caps are the special case. A standard structured cap on a 270° cap frame takes designs roughly 50–60 mm tall and up to about 110–130 mm wide; the curve of the crown, not the frame, is the real limit. Low-profile caps leave less height. Commercial machines read DST; see the Tajima, Ricoma and Melco guides.

Pick the smallest hoop that fits the design with a margin. A smaller hoop holds the fabric tighter, so it shifts less while sewing and outlines line up better. Common pairings:

• Left chest logo (75–100 mm wide): 4×4 in / 100 × 100 mm.
• Front of a T-shirt or tote (150–250 mm): 6×10, 8×8 or 8×12, depending on height.
• Cushion or quilt block (about 150–200 mm square): 8×8 or SQ20.
• Jacket back (250–300 mm): a large home hoop such as 240 × 360 mm, Bernina Maxi or Jumbo, or a commercial frame.

When a design is too big for your largest hoop, either reduce it (and check the smallest text still reads, see our logo guide) or split it into sections with alignment marks and re-hoop between them.

In the StitchMyPic editor you set the stitched size in millimetres and choose a hoop: 4×4, 5×7, 6×10, 8×8, 8×12, a 130 × 60 mm cap area, or "Smallest hoop that fits". The editor tells you whether the design fits, and whether it fits only when rotated 90°. If it doesn't fit, change the size before you download, because the stitches are calculated for that size.

Downloads cost 1 credit (pricing) and include PES, DST, JEF and EXP. If you later need the same design for a different hoop, re-export it within 7 days at no extra cost. Start with PNG to PES or JPG to PES for Brother machines, or PNG to JEF for Janome.