have had 3 different brands of emb machines in the last few years and the hoops all had 1 thing in common. there is a mark on each one in the center top and bottom and on the sides. depending on the machine the side marks might not measure exactly in the center. use those marks anyhow when lining up your fabric. the configuration of some machines allow for emb foot to sew closer to the hoop edge than others. i finger press folds to mark my fabric. the machine starts sewing where the digitizer started the design not the center of the hoop. keep your manual next to your machine and use it don't be afraid to call your dealer and the machine manufaturer for help. its usually part of their sales package.
for those of you that don't have dealer support or classes and have 4D emb system check into the Simply Everything teach me videos by diana cedolia and kothy hafersat. you can learn to digitize and do almost anything with the program. their address is www.simplydianaandkothy.com. i asked for the videos for bday and christmas, lucky me i got them. pm me if you need more help