Barb it's a Tajima 15 needle machine.

you never what you'll want to embroider. Some stuffed animals require a big hoop.

also to quilt designs on quilt blocks, 12 x 12 blocks need about a 13 1/2" sq to get the foot around the design.
hope this clears up some of the hooping designs.

Also on a large hoop, you can more designs done. I used to do lace and still do. look up Urban Threads, they have a lace gingerbread house. I could fit a couple on one hooping of Solvy, which is about $30 a roll, less waste of precious backing and topping. You could get a kids name across the pillow case sham too. I used to use the big hoop for that at work.

When I bought my machine it came with the 4 x 4 and the 8 x 10. I have used the 4 x 4 twice in 2 years. It is just easier to use the larger hoop. I have bought the 5 x 7 hoop for the smaller designs so I don't over use the stabilizer. Even when you make a label you need to have the bigger hoop.

I have made quilt blocks with the larger hoop (baby quilts with nursery rhymes and an animal blue grass band) and to put a continuous pattern on edges of towels, sheets and other items the larger hoop is much easier than the smaller hoops. (I made aprons for baking and put cookies along the edges of the aprons. And I have made pillow cases for my niece and nephew and put sayings on the edge along with their names.)

Me too! That is why I posted my question.
Sandy

You can do so much more with the larger hoop.

I don't think I've ever used my 4x4, rarely the 5x7 but love my larger hoops. I can put more than one design and the main thing is, I'm not limited to what size design I use and don't have to do muliple hoopings. Most people get addicted to embroidery and so if you only get the 4x4, which is standard you out grow it really fast. I do admit that I use my 5x7 more now that they have the magnetic hoop. I have the Viking Diamond Deluxe and it has very large hoops.

My embroidery machine accommodates 4" x 4" and I find I need the 5" x 7" quite often....but, then I will need the next size up after that

My biggest hoop is a 5 X7 but I have learned how to rehoop so I can make much larger designs. Takes work and practice, practice, practice.

The largest hoop I have is a 12" x 7", but I also have a stand-alone design-splitting program by Designer's Gallery called Hoopworks, so I am pretty well set up for any size I personally might like to do. However, the hoop I use most is the 5" x 7", so if I were looking to buy an embroidery machine, the minimum requirement for me would be at least a 5 X 7. Would love to have an 8 x 8 hoop, I think a square hoop would be very useful, but my machine will not take it. I also use the smallest hoop I can on projects, it saves on stabilizer.

I've used my 4 x 4 hoop for free-standing lace earrings. I suppose if I were embroidering designs on little ones' clothing, I might use it more, but it sure is handy for making the earrings right now. The patterns I use embroider both earrings at once, then I embellish them with Swarovski crystals. But, the one I use most for other projects is the 5 x 7.

I started with a Janome10000 with 4x4 and 5x7 hoops as well as a giga hoop. I now also have a Janome 15000 with very large hoops and I'm much happier with that but still use my 10000 for the small designs. I can have both embroidery machines going and sew on my Janome 6600 all at the same time. Just love them.