Embroidery Machine Guide

Husqvarna Viking · Sewing and embroidery · Specs checked October 2026

Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3: hoop size, file formats and specs

Also written: Designer EPIC 3, DESIGNER EPIC 3, DESIGNER EPIC™ 3, Epic 3, Husqvarna Epic 3, Husqvarna Designer Epic 3, Viking Designer Epic 3, Viking Epic 3

Husqvarna Viking's top sewing and embroidery combo. With the optional turnable hoop it stitches a 460 × 450 mm (18.1 × 17.7 in) area. It has 912 built-in designs, 871 stitches, a 10.1 in touchscreen, Wi-Fi and USB. It is single-needle, sold through dealers, and costs far more than most home combos.

The Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 is a sewing and embroidery machine with a 18.1 × 17.7 in (460 × 450 mm) embroidery field. It reads .VP4, .VP3, .SHV, .DHV, .VIP, .HUS, .PEC, .PES, .PCS, .XXX, .SEW, .JEF, .EXP, .DST files and gets designs by USB stick or Wi-Fi, and has 912 built-in designs and 10 lettering fonts.

Designer EPIC 3 hoop size and embroidery area

The Designer EPIC 3 can stitch a design up to 18.1 × 17.7 in (460 × 450 mm) in one hooping, which is the 9.5 × 14 in size. That is the field limit: a larger hoop from another maker will not let it stitch a bigger area.

Designer EPIC 3 field8 × 126 × 105 × 74 × 4
The Designer EPIC 3 field (filled) next to standard hoop sizes, drawn to scale.

In the box: DESIGNER Regal hoop (18.1 × 10.2 in; maker lists 465 × 260 mm) (18.1 × 10 in (460 × 260 mm)), DESIGNER Royal hoop II (14.2 × 7.9 in) (14 × 8 in (360 × 200 mm)), DESIGNER Jewel hoop II (9.4 × 5.9 in) (9.5 × 5.9 in (240 × 150 mm)), DESIGNER Splendid Square hoop II (4.7 × 4.7 in) (4.7 × 4.7 in (120 × 120 mm)).

Optional from Husqvarna Viking: Mega Turnable hoop (18.1 × 17.7 in; turn the hoop 180 degrees mid-design) (18.1 × 17.7 in (460 × 450 mm)), DESIGNER EPIC 3 magnetic hoop (14.2 × 9.1 in) (14 × 9.1 in (360 × 230 mm)), Special Techniques (reversible) hoop (9.4 × 5.9 in) (9.5 × 5.9 in (240 × 150 mm)), DESIGNER EPIC 3 free-arm hoop (3.9 × 5.9 in) (4 × 5.9 in (100 × 150 mm)).

Fits in one hooping at typical size: left chest, full front, full back, pocket, sleeve, beanie, towel, baby onesie, baby bib, tote bag, pillow cover, quilt block, patch.

Check if your design fits the Designer EPIC 3

What file format does the Designer EPIC 3 use?

The Designer EPIC 3 reads .VP4, .VP3, .SHV, .DHV, .VIP, .HUS, .PEC, .PES, .PCS, .XXX, .SEW, .JEF, .EXP and .DST files. You load designs by USB stick or Wi-Fi, and the mySewnet app works with it. Designs in other formats (for example ) need converting first with embroidery software.

Where to buy the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3

About $23,999–$25,999 new (checked October 2026)

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Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 specs

TypeSewing and embroidery
Embroidery field18.1 × 17.7 in (460 × 450 mm)
Hoops includedDESIGNER Regal hoop (18.1 × 10.2 in; maker lists 465 × 260 mm) (18.1 × 10 in (460 × 260 mm)); DESIGNER Royal hoop II (14.2 × 7.9 in) (14 × 8 in (360 × 200 mm)); DESIGNER Jewel hoop II (9.4 × 5.9 in) (9.5 × 5.9 in (240 × 150 mm)); DESIGNER Splendid Square hoop II (4.7 × 4.7 in) (4.7 × 4.7 in (120 × 120 mm))
Optional hoopsMega Turnable hoop (18.1 × 17.7 in; turn the hoop 180 degrees mid-design) (18.1 × 17.7 in (460 × 450 mm)); DESIGNER EPIC 3 magnetic hoop (14.2 × 9.1 in) (14 × 9.1 in (360 × 230 mm)); Special Techniques (reversible) hoop (9.4 × 5.9 in) (9.5 × 5.9 in (240 × 150 mm)); DESIGNER EPIC 3 free-arm hoop (3.9 × 5.9 in) (4 × 5.9 in (100 × 150 mm))
Cap frameNo
File formats it reads.VP4, .VP3, .SHV, .DHV, .VIP, .HUS, .PEC, .PES, .PCS, .XXX, .SEW, .JEF, .EXP, .DST
Design transferUSB stick or Wi-Fi
AppmySewnet
Built-in designs912
Lettering fonts10
Sewing stitches871
Screen10.1 in, colour, touch screen
Max embroidery speed1000 stitches per minute
Weight33.1 lb (15 kg)
StatusSold new
Typical priceAbout $23,999–$25,999 new (checked October 2026)
Skill levelAdvanced

Who the Designer EPIC 3 is for

For serious home embroiderers and quilters who want very large designs, on-fabric projection and hoop scanning in one machine, and who are ready to pay for it. Skip it if you stitch mostly small designs, need a cap frame, or want a multi-needle machine for production.

Strengths

  • Embroidery area up to 460 × 450 mm (18.1 × 17.7 in) with the optional Mega Turnable hoop; Husqvarna Viking calls it the largest in the industry
  • Four hoops come in the box, up to the Regal hoop at about 18.1 × 10.2 in (460 × 260 mm), plus a hoop adapter for older hoops
  • Embroiders at up to 1,000 stitches per minute, with 912 built-in designs and a 10.1 in (217 × 136 mm) color touchscreen
  • Embroidery projection shows the design on the hooped fabric for placement, and hoop scanning puts a picture of the hooped fabric on screen
  • Reads .vp4, .vp3, .pes, .jef, .dst, .exp, .hus and other formats from USB, with Wi-Fi and mySewnet cloud storage as well

Limits

  • Priced in the five-figure range at dealers, many times the cost of a typical home sewing and embroidery combo
  • The 460 × 450 mm area needs the optional Mega Turnable hoop, and you turn the hoop 180 degrees partway through; the biggest hoop in the box is about 18.1 × 10.2 in (460 × 260 mm)
  • Single needle, so you change the thread by hand for every color
  • Heavy and wide: about 33 lb (15 kg) plus about 17.6 lb (8 kg) for the embroidery unit, and the manual advises about 17 in (45 cm) of free space behind it with larger hoops

Good to know: Husqvarna Viking's machine page gives the embroidery size as 460 × 450 mm, and the manual refers to a 460 × 450 mm hoop, so this guide uses 460 × 450 mm. The Mega Turnable hoop's own product page names it 450 × 450 mm, and the maker's Nordic Frost page also says 450 × 450 mm. The manual lists the included Regal hoop as 465 × 260 mm, a few millimetres wider than the stated maximum width, so it is entered here as 460 × 260 mm. The manual says the turnable hoop stitches one half, then asks you to turn the hoop 180 degrees. The manual also lists .10* files, which have no single extension and are left out of the formats list; it also reads .spx stitch files and .vf3 fonts. Husqvarna Viking's Hat Hoop accessory page does not list the EPIC 3 among its compatible machines, and no cap frame is listed for it, so capFrame is false. The free-arm hoop is listed by the maker as 100 × 150 mm, which is entered as width × height as written. The maker's page gives embroidery speed as 1,000 stitches per minute; the manual gives 1,050 stitches per minute as the sewing maximum. Weight is the manual's figure for the machine only; the embroidery unit is extra. Husqvarna Viking's US pages now sit on singer.com. The machine is listed there as a store or dealer exclusive, and one dealer lists it for in-store purchase only. The DESIGNER EPIC 2 is still sold new beside it, so this guide does not mark either as replacing the other.

How the Designer EPIC 3 compares

Listed in our buying guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the embroidery size of the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3?

The maker states 460 × 450 mm (18.1 × 17.7 in), which needs the optional Mega Turnable hoop; you turn the hoop 180 degrees mid-design. The largest hoop in the box, the Regal hoop, is about 18.1 × 10.2 in (460 × 260 mm).

What file formats does the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 read?

Its manual lists .vp4, .vp3, .shv, .dhv, .vip, .hus, .pec, .pes, .pcs, .xxx, .sew, .jef, .exp, .10* and .dst embroidery files. It also reads .spx stitch files and .vf3 font files, and it says some file versions are not fully supported.

Is there a magnetic hoop for the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3?

Yes. Husqvarna Viking sells a DESIGNER EPIC 3 magnetic hoop with a 360 × 230 mm (14 × 9 in) embroidery area. It is an optional extra and is not in the box.

Can the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 embroider hats?

Husqvarna Viking lists no cap frame for it, and its Hat Hoop accessory page does not name the EPIC 3 as a compatible machine. Its hoops are made for flat fabric.

How does the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 compare with the EPIC 2?

Both stitch up to 1,000 stitches per minute, and Husqvarna Viking still sells both. The EPIC 3 has 871 built-in stitches against 840, and its box includes four hoops up to the Regal hoop (listed at 465 × 260 mm) against three hoops up to the 360 × 260 mm Imperial hoop on the EPIC 2.

Sources

Specs come from Husqvarna Viking's own pages and manuals, checked October 2026. Prices are typical ranges, not live prices. We are not affiliated with Husqvarna Viking. See how we research.