5.5 × 5.5 in embroidery hoop (140 × 140 mm)
A small square hoop from Janome, the SQ14b, with a 140 × 140 mm (5.5 × 5.5 in) stitch area. Janome includes it with the Memory Craft 550E and lists it for the 500E and 400E. It gives about twice the stitch area of a 4 × 4 in hoop.
A 5.5 × 5.5 in hoop gives about 30.4 square inches of stitch area: 5.5 × 5.5 in (140 × 140 mm). 54 machines in our guide can stitch this size in one hooping.
What fits in a 5.5 × 5.5 in hoop
- Monograms and short names up to about 5 in (127 mm) across
- Left-chest and pocket logos that are too wide for a 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm) hoop
- Small quilt blocks and appliqué squares up to about 5 in (127 mm)
- Napkin, coaster and pillow-corner designs up to about 5 in (127 mm) square
- Baby bib and onesie motifs up to about 5 in (127 mm) square
- Four 2.5 in (64 mm) motifs in a two-by-two grid
Needs a bigger hoop
- Standard 5 × 7 in (130 × 180 mm) designs, which are 40 mm too long for this hoop
- 8 in (200 mm) quilt blocks, which need Janome's SQ20b hoop
- Full-front shirt and jacket-back designs
- Anything larger than about 5.5 in (140 mm) in either direction
Good to know: Janome names this hoop the SQ14b. Embird lists it at 140 × 140 mm (5.5 × 5.5 in) for the Memory Craft 500E, and Echidna Sewing lists it as one of four hoops that come with the Memory Craft 550E, alongside the RE36b, SQ20b and RE20b. Janome's US page for the 500E also lists the SQ14b among that machine's four hoops. On the Memory Craft 400E it is an optional extra. Baby Lock's square hoops come in 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm), 6 × 6 in (150 × 150 mm) and 8 × 8 in (200 × 200 mm), and Embird lists a Brother square hoop at 150 × 150 mm, so none of them match 140 × 140 mm. A square field gives no rotation advantage: turning a design 90 degrees never changes whether it fits. Hoops are made for specific machine models, so use the SQ14b that Janome lists for your machine rather than a similar-sized hoop from another brand.
Standard placements that fit at typical size: left chest, pocket, sleeve, cap front, cap side and back, beanie, towel, baby onesie, baby bib, quilt block, patch. See the design size chart.
Machines that can stitch a 5.5 × 5.5 in design
Machines with a bigger field (also fit 5.5 × 5.5 in designs)
| Machine | Field | Type | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janome Memory Craft 350E | 8 × 5.5 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Janome Memory Craft 300E | 8 × 5.5 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Janome Skyline S9 | 6.7 × 8 in | Sewing and embroidery | $3,999–$4,999 |
| Singer Futura XL-580 | 10 × 6 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Singer EM200 | 10 × 5.9 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Singer SE300 | 10 × 5.9 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Brother PRS100 | 8 × 8 in | Embroidery only | $3,999–$4,499 |
| Janome Memory Craft 400E | 8 × 8 in | Embroidery only | $1,399–$1,699 |
| Baby Lock Alliance | 8 × 8 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Brother NQ1700E | 6 × 10 in | Embroidery only | $2,399–$2,400 |
| Brother NQ1600E | 6 × 10 in | Embroidery only | — |
| bernette b79 | 10 × 6 in | Sewing and embroidery | $2,299–$2,999 |
| bernette b70 DECO | 10 × 6 in | Embroidery only | $1,699 |
| Brother NQ3700D | 6 × 10 in | Sewing and embroidery | $3,999–$4,999 |
| Baby Lock Flare | 6 × 10 in | Embroidery only | $2,299–$2,529 |
| Baby Lock Vesta | 6 × 10 in | Sewing and embroidery | $3,365–$3,599 |
| Baby Lock Flourish II | 6 × 10 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Singer Futura XL-400 | 10 × 6 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Singer Futura XL-550 | 10 × 6 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Janome MB-7 | 9.5 × 8 in | Multi-needle | $5,999 |
| Janome MB-4S | 9.5 × 8 in | Multi-needle | $4,999 |
| Pfaff creative 3.0 | 10 × 8 in | Sewing and embroidery | $3,599–$5,299 |
| Janome Memory Craft 500E | 11 × 8 in | Embroidery only | $2,099–$2,399 |
| Poolin EOC06 | 8 × 11 in | Embroidery only | $1,059–$1,299 |
| Brother PR680W | 12 × 8 in | Multi-needle | $12,999–$13,629 |
| Brother VM5200 | 8 × 12 in | Sewing and embroidery | $5,499–$5,500 |
| Brother PR655 | 12 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Baby Lock Array | 12 × 8 in | Multi-needle | $13,249–$14,574 |
| Baby Lock Pathfinder | 8 × 12 in | Embroidery only | $4,084–$4,299 |
| Brother PR600II | 12 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Ricoma EM-1010 | 12.2 × 8.3 in | Multi-needle | $5,079–$6,879 |
| Brother PR1055X | 14 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Janome Memory Craft 550E | 14 × 8 in | Embroidery only | $2,899–$3,499 |
| Brother PR1050X | 14 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Brother PR1000e | 14 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Baby Lock Venture | 14 × 8 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Brother PR1060W | 14 × 8 in | Multi-needle | $24,200–$25,700 |
| Bernina B 700 E | 15.7 × 8.3 in | Embroidery only | $2,999 |
| Melco BRAVO | 12.7 × 10.5 in | Multi-needle | $8,995–$10,887 |
| Brother Stellaire XE1 | 9.5 × 14 in | Embroidery only | — |
| Brother Stellaire XJ1 | 9.5 × 14 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Brother Dream Machine 2 XV8550D | 9.5 × 14 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Baby Lock Altair 2 | 9.5 × 14 in | Sewing and embroidery | $10,284–$10,999 |
| Baby Lock Meridian 2 | 9.5 × 14 in | Embroidery only | $7,947–$8,499 |
| Brother Stellaire XE2 | 9.5 × 14 in | Embroidery only | $8,449–$8,500 |
| Bernina B 880 PLUS | 15.7 × 10 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Brother Luminaire XP3 | 10.7 × 16.1 in | Sewing and embroidery | $20,999 |
| Pfaff creative 4.5 | 14 × 13.8 in | Sewing and embroidery | $6,989 |
| Pfaff Creative Sensation Pro | 14 × 13.8 in | Sewing and embroidery | — |
| Husqvarna Viking Designer Ruby 90 | 14 × 13.8 in | Sewing and embroidery | $16,999 |
| Melco EMT16X | 16.1 × 15.5 in | Multi-needle | — |
| Ricoma MT-1501 | 19.7 × 14 in | Multi-needle | $9,569–$11,969 |
| Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 2 | 17.7 × 17.7 in | Sewing and embroidery | $17,999 |
| Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 | 18.1 × 17.7 in | Sewing and embroidery | $23,999–$25,999 |
Frequently asked questions
What size is the Janome SQ14b hoop?
It is 140 × 140 mm, or 5.5 × 5.5 in. Embird and Echidna Sewing both list it at that size. Keep designs a few millimeters inside the edge.
Which Janome machines use the SQ14b hoop?
Echidna Sewing lists it among the four hoops that come with the Memory Craft 550E, and Janome's US page lists it among the 500E's four hoops. The Memory Craft 400E lists it as an optional hoop. Check your own model before you order one.
Is a 5.5 x 5.5 hoop bigger than a 4x4 hoop?
Yes. 140 × 140 mm is about 30 sq in of stitch area, against about 15.5 sq in for 100 × 100 mm, so nearly twice as much. It is still smaller than a 5 × 7 in hoop on the long side, 140 mm against 180 mm.
Can I stitch a 5x7 design in a 5.5 x 5.5 hoop?
No. A 5 × 7 in design is about 130 × 180 mm, and the 180 mm side is longer than the 140 mm hoop. Janome's RE20b hoop, at 140 × 200 mm, holds it.
Other hoop sizes
- 4 × 4 in
- 4 × 7 in
- 6 × 6 in
- 5 × 7 in
- 5.5 × 8 in
- 5 × 12 in
- 8 × 8 in
- 6 × 10 in
- 7 × 12 in
- 8 × 11 in
- 8 × 12 in
- 8 × 14 in
- 9.5 × 14 in
- All sizes chart