The short answer
- An embroidery machine can quilt in the hoop when it has an embroidery module that moves the quilt under the needle. One quilter's guide says any embroidery machine can do this technique. The embroidery module moves the quilt under the needle, so you do not guide the fabric by hand.[2]
- Hoop size decides motif size. On a Bernina Artista 200E, one quilter's largest round or square design in a single hooping was about 5 1/2" x 5 1/2".[2]
- There are three main uses: quilting motifs in the hoop, piecing or appliquéing blocks in the hoop, and adding labels or embroidered details such as names on the backing.[1][3][4]
- Quilt size matters too. Diary of a Quilter reports that Kimberbell recommends its Clear Blue Tiles system for quilts up to 60" x 60", because larger quilts are too heavy and too big for it.[1]
How in-the-hoop quilting works
Layer the quilt top, batting and backing, then spray baste the sandwich. The hoop holds the layers together while stitching, so you do not need to pin them.[1]
Snap the hoop onto the quilt, thread the machine and press start. The embroidery module moves the quilt beneath the needle and places each stitch, so the quilter does not guide the fabric. When one section is finished, move the hoop to the next marked spot and stitch again.[1][2]
Batting is a choice you have to make. One quilter's guide hoops only the top and batting so motifs stay off the backing, but that quilter stitched all three layers because the finished look mattered more to her and exposed batting would shed lint into the machine.[2]
Hoop size and quilt size set the limits
A design cannot be stitched larger than the stitchable area of your largest hoop, so plan block sizes before you cut the first piece of fabric. On a Bernina Artista 200E upgraded to the equivalent of the Artista 730E, the largest design in one hooping was about 5 1/2" x 5 1/2", and that quilter planned future blocks at 6" or smaller so she would not have to improvise to fill the rest of the space.[2]
Because most quilt blocks are square, the shorter stitchable side of your largest hoop sets the largest block you can stitch in one hooping. One quilter found that on her machine this was the hoop's width.[2]
Bulk is the second limit. On her large Drunken Dragons quilt, one quilter used a non-directional design so that no more than 35" of quilt sat to the right of the needle on her Bernina Artista 200E at once, which she felt was the outer limit. The hoop moves during stitching and its right side nearly touches the Bernina's body, so the rest of the quilt has to be rolled above the hoop and kept clear of the needle.[2]
The method works well for throw or crib quilts, table runners and other small or narrow items. Check the size limit of your own hoop and machine before you plan a larger quilt.[2]
Tile systems and edge-to-edge designs
A marking tile system such as Kimberbell Clear Blue Tiles works in three stages. You mark the quilt with tiles of different sizes, hoop each marked area, and select the pre-programmed design that matches that tile size. The original kit includes 26 tile sizes, and an expansion set adds 18 more tiles for larger hoops.[1]
Tile size is a trade-off. Large tiles mean fewer re-hoops and an all-over look. Small tiles give more specific detail and fussy stitching, but you re-hoop more often. Mark the whole quilt before the first stitch, and you only need to move the hoop between sections.[1]
The motifs in the kit are meandering and viney, so they can be placed side by side without lining up the ends. Four are seasonal designs and two are generic swirls and loops. You can also use other Kimberbell designs or designs stored in your own machine.[1]
One quilter used custom tiles for 2" x 8" borders and 4" x 4" blocks, then used an 8" x 14" tile, the biggest that fit her Baby Lock Destiny hoop, for an all-over stipple on a table runner.[1]
Labels, backing text and embroidered blocks
Labels are the simplest place to start. The smallest built-in font on the Husqvarna VIKING Designer Epic 3 is Coquette at 6 mm, which can be too large for a label with a lot of text. The mySewnet Embroidery Software, an additional purchase, has a font 3 mm in height that fits much more writing on a label.[3]
A label can have several lines of text, a motif or two, and different fonts and sizes. Curved lettering is possible with the tools on the Embroidery Edit screen.[3]
Names can also go on the backing. One quilter embroidered all 150 names of a quilt's subjects on the back in groups of 10, and a customer's photo quilt needed the names placed carefully before quilting.[3]
A motif placed in the middle of a block can be free-motion quilted right up to its edge. One quilter added a maple leaf motif to the centres of Ohio Star blocks and quilted around it.[3]
Some tile systems include blocks pieced in the hoop, which one reviewer described as similar to foundation paper piecing. The Kimberbell kit includes a house and tree table runner that uses this method.[1]
Nancy Zieman's eight-lesson book includes embroidered appliqué designs in 6", 7" and 8" block sizes on its design CD, and it walks through the piecing steps.[4]
What to do first
- Write down your largest hoop's stitchable dimensions from your machine's manual or your dealer before planning any blocks.
- Choose block sizes your hoop can stitch in one go, and sketch the quilt so each block fits the hoop.[2]
- Mark the whole quilt before the first stitch, using tiles or a guide, so you only move the hoop between sections.[1]
- Spray baste the quilt sandwich. The hoop holds the layers, so pinning is not needed.[1]
- Hoop the first section, stitch it, then move to the next marked spot in order. Keep the extra quilt rolled and clear of the needle and the moving hoop.[2]
- Test the full sequence on a small scrap sandwich first, and check how the back looks before you start the full quilt.
Common mistakes to avoid
Designing blocks bigger than the largest hoop. A design cannot be stitched larger than the hoop's stitchable area, so you end up improvising the rest of the block. Fix the block size before you cut fabric.[2]
Letting quilt bulk pile up beside the hoop. On a Bernina Artista 200E, the hoop's right side nearly touches the machine during stitching, so the excess quilt has nowhere to go and can catch the needle.[2]
Skipping a test on the back. Stitch a sample sandwich first and check the backing side: one quilter describes unbalanced tension that showed on the back of her quilt.[2]
Questions readers ask
Can any embroidery machine quilt in the hoop?
One quilter's guide says any embroidery machine can do the technique, but it describes a computerized machine with an embroidery module attached, and the module is what moves the quilt under the needle.[2]
Does the stitching go through the batting?
It can, depending on the method. One guide suggests hooping only the top and batting so the motifs stay off the backing. The quilter who wrote the Bernina-based guide stitched through all three layers for the finished look.[2]
Can a hoop handle a full bed-size quilt?
Diary of a Quilter reports that Kimberbell recommends its Clear Blue Tiles system for quilts up to 60" x 60", because larger quilts are too heavy and too big for it. Check your own hoop's limits before planning a bigger quilt.[1]
Do the designs have to come from one brand?
No. With Kimberbell Clear Blue Tiles you can use other Kimberbell designs, other imported designs or designs stored in your own machine. Professionally digitised quilting designs are also sold through machine dealers and online suppliers.[1][2]
Where should I check prices and hoop specifications?
Check the current price, availability and hoop dimensions for your exact model with the seller before you buy, because these details change.
What we could not confirm
- The hoop dimensions for your specific machine model are not covered here; confirm them with your dealer or the manual, since the sources describe different machines.
- The sources do not give a full list of machines that support in-the-hoop quilting, so check that your machine has an embroidery module and a hoop large enough for your block size.
- Whether stitching through the batting causes lint or tension problems on your machine is only described by one quilter, so test on a scrap sandwich first.
- Current prices, kit contents and availability of tile kits, hoops and software are not covered; check them with the seller.
Sources
- Machine Quilting with an Embroidery Machine - Diary of a Quilter — checked 2026-10-27
- Rebecca Grace Quilting: The Cheater's Ultimate Guide to Quilting With Your Embroidery Module — checked 2026-10-27
- Why every quilter needs an embroidery machine | endless creative possibilities - QUILTsocial — checked 2026-10-27
- Nancy Zieman The Blog - Quilt With an Embroidery Machine in 8 Easy Lessons Part One on The Best of Sewing With Nancy — checked 2026-10-27