What to Look For When Buying an Embroidery Machine (2024)

Machine embroidery is an incredibly satisfying creative hobby. There's just so much an embroidery machine can do, from in-the-hoop projects to piecing and more! (Think waaaaaay beyond monograms, my friends. The kinds of things you can create on an embroidery machine will blow your mind!)

But is the idea of purchasing a machine a little (or a lot) overwhelming? And what do you choose? An entry-level machine? A top-of-the-line model? Something in between? 🤔

Well, there's no better resource than machine embroidery enthusiasts themselves. That's why we asked our Kimberbellas (and Fellas, Too!) Facebook group for advice about buying an embroidery machine!

Here's what they had to say:

Hoop Size

One of the most important things to consider when buying a machine is what size of hoop you want. Entry-level machines have a 4x4 or 5x7 hoop, while other machines may have a 9x14 or larger!

So, how do you know what to go for?

Donna, from our Facebook group, had this to say:

“Everyone has a different reason for wanting an embroidery machine, so know what your expectations are. Some are content with the capacity of a 5x7 hoop! Just be sure of your decision because within months, you may want a larger hoop capacity.”

With this in mind, we suggest you go with the largest hoop size that fits within your budget. If a 5x7 hoop is what you can afford, that’s great! There are so many things you can do with that size of hoop. And, if you find that's too small after awhile, you can maybe upgrade your machine later.

To learn about what size of design will fit in what hoop size, please click HERE.

Service

Another important factor to consider is the kind of service you'll get after the sale. We recommend going through a local shop, if possible, with a staff who will help you along your creative journey.

It's easy to think, “Oh, they'll just try to pressure me into a big purchase.” That may be true in some cases, but the majority of machine dealers truly do want to help you succeed. They want to find a good fit for you, establish a good relationship, and be your go-to resource.

After all, if you’re happy with their service you’re going to want to continue giving them your business. (Trust me...the LAST thing a shop wants is for you to be frustrated and not use your machine!)

Renae shared her experience:

"I did not want to embroider. I was a quilter! I just needed a machine to sew straight lines! I was so intimidated by the embroidery module itself.

Then I saw Kimberbell and it's all I do. I adore watching my machine embroider! A dealer who knows that you might want to try embroidery someday is perfect. [You want] great tech who is easy to talk to and listens and takes care of your investment."

From Nanette: “My machine came with classes. I found it important to have the ability to see videos and be able to watch them repeatedly. You can only absorb so much at a time!”

Learning can be done virtually, too, wherever you live. There are many tutorials and online classes you can enjoy! A lot of dealers have embraced technology such as Zoom and Facebook to connect with you.

Even if you don’t live near a machine dealer (or if the shop near you doesn’t have the type of machine you’re looking for) you can find shops online who can provide virtual experiences for you to learn.

Community

Another great way to learn machine embroidery is through Kimberbell projects. Our full-color instructions carefully guide you through each step and teach a variety of techniques!

Psssst...if you want to try a FREE Kimberbell project, click HERE for our Fancy Meeting You Here Mug Rug! It takes about 1-2 hours to stitch and is a great project for beginners. 😀

We also recommend attending embroidery clubs and classes with your quilt shop, such as Digital Dealer Exclusives or one of our Kimberbell Events.

You’ll find that machine embroiderers are very willing to help each other. With machine embroidery, you're welcomed into a community of supportive people who are willing to share information with you.

We hope you'll join our private Facebook group, Kimberbellas (and Fellas, Too), and ask questions! No question is a dumb question. Remember, every expert today was the newbie yesterday!

Questions

Another part of a successful embroidery machine purchase is knowing what questions to ask before you head into your local quilt shop or look for a machine online.

Kim, another of our Kimberbellas, had some good suggestions of questions to ask:

• What is the largest hoop size for this machine?
• How easy is it to place a hoop in the hoop guard?
• Does this machine have an easy needle threader for thread changes?
• Does your shop offer lessons or classes so I can learn my machine?
• What is the turnaround time for repairs and tune-ups?
• Do you have stabilizer, threads, needles, etc.? In other words, is yours a one-stop shop?
• Does your shop have specialists who know my machine?
• What manuals come with the machine?
• Is this machine user friendly?
• How do I transfer designs to the machine? A card reader? A USB? Does the machine have wifi capabilities?
• What kind of manipulations will the machine do? Can I enlarge or shrink a design? By how much?
• Does this machine automatically cut jump stitches?
• Can I combine designs without software?
• Can I rotate, mirror, and flip designs with this machine?

A good embroidery machine dealer is going to listen to your questions, find out your specific needs, and help you choose the right machine for you. (And it may not be one with all the bells and whistles!)

Space

Another thing to consider when buying an embroidery machine is your available space. What kind of room do you have in your house? A spacious sewing room? A smaller nook? A dining room table?

If you have limited space, you might consider a two-in-one machine that has both embroidery and sewing capabilities. That way, you don't have to store and set up two separate machines.

However, if you do have the room, it's kind of nice to have separate embroidery and sewing machine so you can have them both going at the same time. For example, if the embroidery machine is busy with a longer stitch out, you could hop on your sewing machine at the same time to tackle something else. 😀

Creative Joy

There are many, many things you can create on a home embroidery machine, from zipper pouches to home decor and so much more. You can even quilt on an embroidery machine! Learn more HERE.

Just imagine the possibilities...

One last word of advice from Angie, another machine embroidery enthusiast:

“Think about the bells and whistles that you might want. This will take a little more education on your part, but since you’re investing in your machine, you’ll want to be successful with it.”

Remember, we ALL want you to be successful: shop owners, your fellow machine embroiderers, and our team here at Kimberbell. Head into a shop and ask for a demonstration on what embroidery machines can do, or take a look at some YouTube videos!

Here are some additional resources to help you get started:

• 10 Helpful Tricks Every Machine Embroiderer Should Know
• 22 Machine Embroidery Tips
• I Just Bought a Home Embroidery Machine...Now What?
• What I Wish I Knew Before Starting Machine Embroidery

We can't wait to Experience the Joy of Creativity® with you and your new embroidery machine!💕