Best Embroidery Machines For In the Hoop Designs

If you love creating in the hoop machine embroidery designs, you already know that not all embroidery machines are created equal. Certain features can make a huge difference in how easily your machine handles thick fabrics, layered projects, and intricate stitching. Two of the most important features to look for are jump stitch trimming and adjustable embroidery foot height.

What Features Make the Best Embroidery Machine For In the Hoop Designs?

• Jump stitch trimming automatically cuts threads between sections, saving time and giving your project a professional finish.
• Adjustable embroidery foot height or a moving embroidery foot allows your machine to accommodate bulkier projects — critical for ITH designs like bags, plushies, or quilt blocks.

Jump Stitch Trimming On Embroidery Machines

The above video clip shows what jump trimming is in a nutshell. Jump stitch trimming is different from automatic trimming and is super helpful not just for in the hoop designs but any embroidery machine project. Automatic thread trimming is pretty much on ANY embroidery machine. This means that the machine ties off at the end of each COLOR. However, jump stitch trimming is when the machine is stitching a color and there are no connections between the elements. The machine will stop, tie off and move over to the next element and continue stitching.

Lets say a set of black dots that are all over the hoop, polka dots if you will. A machine with jump stitch trimming will stitch each dot, tie off and navigate to the next dot and repeat. It ties off and trims the thread even when you have dots all over the hoop spaced out. This prevents stretching and breaking the thread. A machine that DOES NOT have jump stitch trimming will stitch one dot, and simply move to the next dot without a trim. This can result in your project being ripped out of the hoop if the machine has to travel around the design a lot. It can break thread and ruin your project. A common complaint in machines without jump stitch trimming is, “I have to babysit my machine. If I look away for even a moment, it eats my design!”

Adjustable Embroidery Foot Height on Embroidery Machines

Adjustable embroidery foot height is all about what the embroidery foot is capable of. All embroidery machines and sewing machine have needles that go and down inside the “foot”. Most multi-needle machines have a pressure foot or embroidery foot that moves up and down independently of the needle motion. Both are in motion. Some embroidery machines allow you to change the height of the embroidery foot depending on the project. So if you are working on a quilt with bulky layers, you could raise the embroidery foot so that it doesn’t catch on the fabric layers. It hovers above the fabric while the needle is in motion.

After I got my multi needle machine, I never again had a project get ruined. There were still thread breaks, of course. But prior to having one, all my single needle machines would struggle even to stitch applique designs without the ever-looming dread of a failed project due to malfunctions. I’m not trying to sell the multi-needle machine to you. There are many wonderful single needle machines and they work just fine! The point is, that is if you love doing in the hoop projects, embroidering on thicker materials, or just want to worry less, the multi-needle machine can turn your hobby into a passion.

My Experience as a Designer

As an owner of a Brother Entrepreneur 10-needle machine, I’ve seen first-hand how these features can make in-the-hoop embroidery effortless. Despite this I make sure that when I am engineering in the hoop designs, that I base my decisions on construction around machines that do NOT have these features. But if you’re shopping for a new Brother embroidery machine and you’re a lover of in the hoop designs, how do you know which models have them?

That’s why I created this handy guide! Below is a chart of embroidery machines that include either or both of these features, plus their hoop sizes — so you can find the perfect machine for your ITH projects. Keep in mind, that I have not owned all of these machines, so be sure to consult with your local embroidery machine dealer about these features and have them give you a demo!! And with that, here is a helpful starting point to help you narrow your search.

Brother Brand Embroidery Machines For In the Hoop Designs