How to Create and Use Custom Embroidery Hoops in Your Software

If you own an embroidery machine or a specific hoop that is not available in the software’s default lists, you can manually add it to your library.

Follow the steps below to configure your custom workspace.

1. Open Options:
   Navigate to the Tools menu at the top of your screen and select Options.
   
2. Access Custom Hoops:
   In the dialog box that appears, click on the Custom hoops tab. This is your central hub for managing custom configurations.
   
3. Add a New Hoop:
   Click the Add button to open the creation dialog.
   
4. Name Your Hoop:
   Type a clear, identifiable name for your new hoop.
   
5. Select or Type Manufacturer and Model:
   Manual entry allowed for unlisted machines.
   Select the machine manufacturer and the specific model from the dropdown menus. Useful Tip: If your manufacturer or machine model is not available in the dropdown lists, simply click on the text box and type the name manually.
   
6. Define Shape and Useful Area:
   Select the physical shape of your hoop, then input the specific width and height values to define the useful embroidery area.
   
7. Create and Restart:
   Click Create. You must close and restart the eXPerience 8 software for the new hoop and machine configuration to take effect and appear in your lists.

How to Apply Your Custom Hoop

Once the software has restarted, your new company and hoop will be permanently available in your machine and hoop lists. You can apply it in two ways:

Setting as Your Default Workspace

If this custom machine is the primary one you work on, you can set it as your default hoop directly through the Welcome tab. This ensures every new project automatically uses these settings.

Applying to a Single Design

If you are only creating a one-off design for this specific machine:

1. Start a blank design and create or import your artwork.
2. Click on the Machine icon in the toolbar and select the Change option.
3. Select your designated Company Name, Machine, and Custom Hoop from the lists.
4. You are now ready to export your design for production.

Crucial Compatibility Tip: Many top embroidery machine manufacturers (including Janome, Elna, Brother, Pfaff, Husqvarna-Viking, Babylock, and Necchi) utilize file formats that require a pre-assigned, recognized hoop directly within the exported file data.

If the design file lacks recognized hoop information, the machine may refuse to read it. Because of this, custom hoops may not be compatible with all machine brands. Always double-check your machine and hoop selection before exporting to ensure the file is properly formatted for your specific hardware.