# What Can You Make With an Embroidery Machine? 15 Projects

> What you can make with an embroidery machine, by hoop size and difficulty: monograms, patches, towels, onesies, totes, quilt blocks, appliqué and lace.

- Source: https://embroiderywise.com/posts/what-can-you-make-with-an-embroidery-machine/
- Markdown version: https://embroiderywise.com/posts/what-can-you-make-with-an-embroidery-machine.md
- Last updated: 2026-10-07

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- What can you make with an embroidery machine? Projects by hoop size

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# What can you make with an embroidery machine? Projects by hoop size
  Updated October 7, 2026 By [EmbroideryWise Editorial Team](https://embroiderywise.com/about/) [How we research](https://embroiderywise.com/how-we-research/)

Prices are approximate and change often, so check the current price before you buy.

## Key takeaways

- Hoop size, not built-in design count, decides which projects you can stitch in one hooping.
- Start with stable wovens on tear-away: monograms on canvas, towel motifs and quilt blocks.
- In-the-hoop (ITH) projects build the item itself in the hoop; Kimberbell says almost all the work happens there.
- Freestanding lace needs designs digitized for lace and heavy water-soluble stabilizer, according to Urban Threads.
- Hat patches are the practical way to put embroidery on structured caps with a flatbed home machine.

### On this page 9 sections

- [What do the common hoop sizes actually hold?](#what-do-the-common-hoop-sizes-actually-hold)
- [Project table: hoop size, stabilizer and difficulty](#project-table-hoop-size-stabilizer-and-difficulty)
- [Beginner projects for a 4 × 4 hoop](#beginner-projects-for-a-4--4-hoop)
- [Projects that need a 5 × 7 hoop or larger](#projects-that-need-a-5--7-hoop-or-larger)
- [Projects for 6 × 10 hoops and bigger](#projects-for-6--10-hoops-and-bigger)
- [Can you embroider hats?](#can-you-embroider-hats)
- [Which projects should you try first?](#which-projects-should-you-try-first)
- [Related tool](#related-tool)
- [FAQ](#faq)

## Before you choose

- [4 × 4 vs 5 × 7 embroidery hoop: what fits and which to buy](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/4x4-vs-5x7-embroidery-hoop/)
- [Machine embroidery appliqué for beginners: placement, tackdown, trim, satin](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/machine-embroidery-applique-for-beginners/)
- [How to embroider towels: stabilizer, topping and floating, step by step](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/)

A 4 × 4 machine handles monograms, small patches, onesie and left chest designs, towel motifs, coasters and quilt blocks. A 5 × 7 hoop adds tote fronts, larger towel designs, bigger appliqué, zipper pouches and most freestanding lace ornaments. Larger fields (6 × 10 and up) fit full T-shirt fronts, big quilt blocks and multi-part in-the-hoop projects in a single hooping.
The short answer is: almost anything flat enough to fit under the presser foot and small enough to fit your hoop. The useful answer depends on your hoop size, because that sets the largest design you can stitch in one hooping. Built-in design counts matter far less.

Below are beginner projects grouped by hoop size and difficulty, with the stabilizer each one needs. Use the [hoop fit checker](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/hoop-fit/) to test a specific design’s dimensions against your machine.

## What do the common hoop sizes actually hold?

Hoop names are rounded inches. The real limit is the stitching field in millimeters:

| Hoop class | Brother field | Example machines | What fits comfortably |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 4 × 4 | 100 × 100 mm | [PE545](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-pe545/), [SE700](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-se700/) | Monograms, left chest, onesies, coasters, small patches |
| 5 × 7 | 130 × 180 mm | [PE900](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-pe900/), [SE2000](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-se2000/) | Tote fronts, towel borders, pouches, larger appliqué, most lace ornaments |
| 6 × 10 | 160 × 260 mm | [NQ1700E](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/brother-nq1700e/) | Adult T-shirt fronts, large quilt blocks, bigger ITH projects |

A design sold as “4 × 4” can be slightly larger than 100 × 100 mm, because 4 inches is 101.6 mm. Check the stitched size in millimeters. Our [4 × 4 vs 5 × 7 comparison](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/4x4-vs-5x7-embroidery-hoop/) goes deeper on what each size limits.

  Embroidery field sizes, drawn to scale Maximum embroidery field as published by the manufacturer. Rectangles share one scale.

  A 5 × 7 field (130 × 180 mm) is about 2.3× the area of a 4 × 4 field (100 × 100 mm). See the [hoop fit checker](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/hoop-fit/).

## Project table: hoop size, stabilizer and difficulty

| Project | Smallest practical hoop | Stabilizer | Difficulty |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monogram on a canvas tote | 4 × 4 | Tear-away | Beginner |
| Flour sack or tea towel motif | 4 × 4 | Tear-away | Beginner |
| Quilt block on quilting cotton | 4 × 4 (block size sets the hoop) | Tear-away | Beginner |
| Terry towel monogram | 4 × 4 | Medium cut-away + water-soluble topping | Beginner to intermediate |
| Coasters (ITH) | 4 × 4 | Per pattern (often tear-away or cut-away) | Beginner |
| Patches (ITH) | 4 × 4 | Tear-away in the hoop, cut-away under the patch fabric | Beginner to intermediate |
| Onesie or baby tee motif | 4 × 4 | Soft cut-away | Intermediate |
| Left chest T-shirt design | 4 × 4 | Sheer cut-away (no-show mesh) | Intermediate |
| Appliqué on a tote or quilt | 4 × 4 or 5 × 7 | Tear-away or cut-away by base fabric | Intermediate |
| Zipper pouch (ITH) | 5 × 7 | Per pattern | Intermediate |
| Freestanding lace ornament | 4 × 4 or 5 × 7 | Heavy water-soluble only | Intermediate |
| Tote front design | 5 × 7 | Tear-away (cut-away for dense designs) | Beginner to intermediate |
| Sweatshirt chest design | 5 × 7 | Medium cut-away | Intermediate |
| Hat patch | 4 × 4 | As for patches | Intermediate |
| Full T-shirt front | 6 × 10 | Cut-away | Intermediate to advanced |

The stabilizer column follows maker guidance: OESD and Madeira recommend tear-away for stable wovens and cut-away for knits and stretchy fabrics, Urban Threads uses a sheer cut-away with spray adhesive for T-shirts, and Urban Threads pairs medium cut-away with a water-soluble topping on terry. For the details, see [cut-away vs tear-away stabilizer](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/cut-away-vs-tear-away-stabilizer/) and [embroidery stabilizer types](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-stabilizer-types/).

## Beginner projects for a 4 × 4 hoop

### Monograms and names

Monograms are the classic first project: one or three letters, one color, and a lot of personal value. Brother lists built-in fonts on its screen-equipped PE and SE machines (10 on the PE545 and SE700, 13 on the PE900 and SE2000), so you can start without buying designs. Put them on canvas totes, napkins, towels and pillowcases first, then move to shirts. If monogramming is your main goal, read the [best embroidery machine for monogramming](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-embroidery-machine-for-monogramming/).

### Towel motifs

Thin flour sack and tea towels behave like quilting cotton. Urban Threads recommends tear-away with light, open designs on thin towels. Terry is harder; see the next section and our [towel guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/).

### Quilt blocks

Machine-embroidered quilt blocks are stitched on quilting cotton, a stable woven that suits tear-away. A 4 × 4 hoop handles small blocks; larger blocks need 5 × 7 or bigger. Square the block after stitching, then piece it like any other.

### Patches

Embroidery Library’s in-the-hoop patch method uses a printed dieline to cut the fabric, tear-away hooped on its own, medium cut-away behind the patch fabric and a 75/11 sharp needle. The machine stitches a placement line, a tack-down and the design, then finishes with a satin border. You attach the finished patch with patch glue, hot glue or a sewing machine. Patches are a good way to put embroidery on things you can’t hoop, including caps and shoes.

### Onesies and baby clothes

Onesies are small, which suits a 4 × 4 hoop, but they are knits. Use a soft cut-away and hoop gently or float the onesie on adhesive stabilizer. The [placement guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-placement-guide/) has starting measurements.

## Projects that need a 5 × 7 hoop or larger

### Tote bags

A canvas tote is stable and forgiving, so it suits tear-away. A 5 × 7 field gives you a design big enough to read across a bag front. Keep the frame clear of handles and seams.

### In-the-hoop (ITH) projects

Kimberbell defines in-the-hoop embroidery as a technique where you do almost all of the work in the machine’s hoop. The design file stitches placement lines, tack-downs and seams in order while you add fabric, batting or zippers between steps. Kimberbell lists bags, toys, home decor, pouches, coasters and keychains as common ITH projects, and suggests starting with small pouches or coasters.

Check hoop compatibility before you buy an ITH design, as Kimberbell advises. ITH patterns are sold in specific hoop sizes, and a 5 × 7 version is not a 4 × 4 version scaled down.

### Appliqué

Appliqué uses fabric shapes instead of dense fill stitches, so it covers more area with fewer stitches. The machine stitches a placement line, you lay fabric on it, the machine tacks it down, you trim, and a satin stitch covers the raw edge. Brother’s PE900 manual walks through the procedure. Our [appliqué for beginners guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/machine-embroidery-applique-for-beginners/) covers each step.

### Freestanding lace

Freestanding lace (FSL) is stitched onto water-soluble stabilizer, which you rinse away to leave only thread. Urban Threads says the designs must be digitized specifically for freestanding lace; a regular design will fall apart. It recommends heavy water-soluble stabilizer (fibrous or film), hooped taut like a drum, one lace piece per hoop, a 75/11 sharp needle and bobbin thread matching the top thread. Ornaments, bookmarks and earrings are common first projects.

### Sweatshirts

Sweatshirts are heavier knits that take a chest design well. Use medium cut-away and keep the sleeves and back out of the frame’s path.

## Projects for 6 × 10 hoops and bigger

Large fields don’t unlock new techniques; they let you stitch bigger versions in one hooping. That means full T-shirt fronts, large quilt blocks, bigger ITH bags and wall hangings. A 5 × 7 machine can sometimes do these with split designs and re-hooping, but alignment takes practice. The [design resizing guide](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/embroidery-design-resizing/) explains why you shouldn’t simply scale a small design up.

## Can you embroider hats?

Brother’s flatbed PE and SE machines don’t list cap frames. Two realistic options on those machines:

- **Make a patch and attach it.** Works on structured caps, because you never hoop the cap.

- **Float a soft, unstructured cap.** OESD documents a method using peel-and-stick stabilizer, a small design and a 90/14 needle, and notes that the more structured the hat, the harder it is.

Our [guide to embroidering a hat on a home machine](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-a-hat-on-a-home-machine/) covers both methods, and the [best embroidery machine for hats](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-embroidery-machine-for-hats/) explains when a cap-frame machine makes sense.

## Which projects should you try first?

Choose your first three projects in this order:

- **A built-in motif on quilting cotton** with tear-away. Learn threading and hooping.

- **A monogram on a canvas tote or flour sack towel.** Learn placement.

- **An ITH coaster or a patch.** Learn following a multi-step design.

Save T-shirts, terry towels and caps for after those, since each adds a new variable (stretch, pile or curved shape). If you don’t own a machine yet, the [best embroidery machine for beginners](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/best-embroidery-machine-for-beginners/) compares 4 × 4 and 5 × 7 options. Look through [free embroidery designs](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/free-embroidery-designs/) for practice files, and read [how to price machine embroidery](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/price-machine-embroidery/) before you sell anything.

## Related tool

Try the [Embroidery hoop fit checker](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/hoop-fit/): Check your design dimensions against any field, with rotation. Free, no signup.

## Don't guess. Calculate.

- [🧵 Machine Finder](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/machine-finder/): which machines fit your projects
- [▱ Hoop Fit Checker](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/hoop-fit/): will your design fit the field
- [◷ Stitch Time Calculator](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/stitch-time/): how long a design takes to stitch
- [📊 Compare every machine](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/): sortable spec table

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the easiest thing to make with an embroidery machine?
A monogram or small built-in motif on a stable woven, such as a canvas tote, a flour sack towel or a quilting cotton square, backed with tear-away stabilizer. Stable fabric hoops flat and doesn’t stretch.

### Can a 4 × 4 embroidery machine make anything useful?
Yes. A 100 × 100 mm field fits monograms, left chest designs, onesie motifs, small patches, coasters and many quilt blocks. It runs out of room for tote fronts, adult T-shirt fronts and larger lace pieces.

### What are in-the-hoop embroidery projects?
Kimberbell defines in-the-hoop (ITH) embroidery as doing almost all of the work in the machine’s hoop. Examples include zipper pouches, coasters, keychains, ornaments and small toys, built in layers from a special design file.

### Can you make money with embroidery machine projects?
Many people sell personalized items, but pricing needs to cover blanks, supplies and your time. Use our pricing guide and calculator before setting prices.

### Can you embroider hats on a home embroidery machine?
Not on a cap frame: Brother’s flatbed PE and SE pages don’t list cap frames. You can embroider a patch and attach it, or float a soft unstructured cap on adhesive stabilizer, as OESD describes.

## Sources

- [Kimberbell: A beginner’s guide to in-the-hoop machine embroidery](https://kimberbell.com/blogs/thekimberbellablog/a-beginners-guide-to-in-the-hoop-machine-embroidery)
- [Urban Threads: Freestanding lace embroidery](https://urbanthreads.com/blogs/projects/freestanding-lace-embroidery)
- [Embroidery Library: Embroidered patches in the hoop](https://emblibrary.com/blogs/projects/embroidered-patches-in-the-hoop)
- [Urban Threads: Embroidery on towels](https://urbanthreads.com/blogs/projects/embroidery-on-towels)
- [Urban Threads: Embroidery on T-shirts](https://urbanthreads.com/blogs/projects/embroidery-on-t-shirts)
- [OESD Stabilizer Guide (PDF)](https://oesd.com/content/PDF/OESD_Stabilizers.pdf)
- [Madeira: 5 common mistakes new embroiderers make](https://www.madeirausa.com/education/5-common-mistakes-new-embroiderers-make/default.aspx)
- [Brother PE900 operation manual (PDF)](https://download.brother.com/welcome/doch102511/888_k80_l80_l82_om01en.pdf)
- [OESD: How to embroider a cap](https://support.oesd.com/article/23-how-to-embroider-a-cap)
- [Brother PE900 product page](https://www.brother-usa.com/p/sewing-embroidery/PE900)

[🧵 Not sure which fits? Find your embroidery machine in 60 seconds.](https://embroiderywise.com/tools/machine-finder/)[📊 Compare every machine Sortable chart of all beginner machines.](https://embroiderywise.com/machines/)

## Keep reading
[Explainer
### 4 × 4 vs 5 × 7 embroidery hoop: what fits and which to buy
4 × 4 vs 5 × 7 embroidery hoops in real millimeters: 100 × 100 vs 130 × 180 mm, the 101.6 mm trap, rotation, what fits, stitch limits and which machine to buy.
 Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/4x4-vs-5x7-embroidery-hoop/)[Buying advice
### Machine embroidery appliqué for beginners: placement, tackdown, trim, satin
Machine embroidery appliqué for beginners: placement, tackdown, trim and satin steps, Brother’s pre-cut method, fabric choices and trimming tips.
 Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/machine-embroidery-applique-for-beginners/)[Buying advice
### How to embroider towels: stabilizer, topping and floating, step by step
How to embroider towels: water-soluble topping so stitches don’t sink, cut-away vs tear-away for terry, floating towels, placement and design choice.
 Updated Oct 7, 2026](https://embroiderywise.com/posts/how-to-embroider-towels/)