Ann The Gran Community

I am very new to ME (3 wks), I downloaded a font and when I try to transfer the letters to the card, it comes up as 4 pictures...ex L....I.....S....A, then when I want to make it, it will only do the L, then I have to try to do the spacing to get all the letters lined up. Is there a way when you pick the letters from the file and transfer it to the card, you can make that 1 picture (LISA) instead of 4 pics ( L    I    S    A), so the letters would be easier to line up???

Welcome to the wonderful world of machine embroidery (ME) and AnnTheGran (ATG). ME is the most fun craft, it is beautiful, and creative, you are going to fall in love!

You are the victim of what I call Newbie Excitement!  I had the same malady and frankly, I lived through it. . .

You will want to read my blog about "What I Wish I Knew. . ." which discusses some of the things that can cost money which may not be well spent.  That blog discusses the difference between monograms and fonts.  They may sound the same, but alas, they are not.

I also recommend that you read my forum post (I love to talk and write about embroidery) which is for the PE700 machine, but the info and tips apply to any machine. 

My next recommendation - if I am not being too pushy - is to read, ask questions (as you did here) and read more.  We are all still learning about machine embroidery.  It is a growing and rapidly evolving craft.  I personally have tried many crafts, but have no talent at any of them.  ME allows me to make something that I am so proud of that I just love it!

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

I had read "what I wish I knew" 2 times, it did say that monograms and fonts are different, but it still didn't help me with the issue I am having. I have also spent over 2 hours reading and reading some more on the forums, blogs and tips, and still can't find anything about how to  make the letters combined for easier embroidering. I tried to do my name and I didn't get the letters exactly lined up. I am so addicted to playing with my machine, it is difficult to get anything else done. I have 5 children and work full time as a nurse and also part time as a nursing instructor. I love this, just getting frustrated about trying to do names and such. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe this will help - http://www.annaboveembroidery.com/usemfo.html  

ABC Embroidery has many tips (click on "Links" at the bottom right of any screen.

It appears you are using a rewritable memory card.  If so, you need to create the lettering with editing software and then send it to the card.

Embird has a free trial, if you would like to try it out.  It is not too expensive and if you purchase it, you start with the base program and then add features as you become more familiar with ME and want to learn more.

Click on "Links" at he bottom right of any screen and search for Secrets of Embroidery.  Click on Embird at the top right of the screen. This is one of many vendors that offer this software.  SOE also has many tutorials that may offer further assistance.

Holy Cow - if I were a working nurse, raising 5 and learning ME, my hair would be on fire...

I apologize for my original answer, I was reading your question from a different viewpoint.

You do need to have a software that will allow for you to place letters together.  AlphabetXpress is one of the most user friendly for creating words, including names.

There are many on the market and they vary in price a great deal.  Compositions is another that will do an excellent job for you.  I suggest, humbly, of course, that you download 2 or 3 of the suggested programs and give them a try.  Pattiann's suggestions are really good as well.  It really has a lot to do with your personal learning methods (that is really a large variable) and what you really need for your projects.  the only way to know is to try them.

You want something that is user friendly, reasonably priced, and capable of doing other things for you as you advance in your knowledge.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

thanks, I am currently downloaded a trial version of embird for 30 days, I have had some difficulty with it, ex. why the threads are stretched across the top of the design. I am still working with it. I am going to try alphaget express too. I just want to be able to combine names and such. Also, looking for help with doing designs, such as names that are larger than the hoop size and the best way to remove the hoop and keep your design in line. Pattiann really helped with the tutorial for embird

Are you talking about the jump stitches from one letter to another?   I haven't read her tut so I'll just ask. In Embird going to the Editor screen, you clicked on merge to find the second, third ect files you needed? Then choose your hoop size, and when you get it all lined up and save, choose center image and Embird will combine the whole thing.

HELLO,

 IAM ALSO NEW TO ME AND AM WANTING TO DO NAMES AND COMBINE LETTERS FROM SEPARATE FILES TO CREATE WORDS AND SENTENCES. I DOWNLOADED THE FREE TRIAL OF EMBIRD AND AM CONFUSED, BECAUSE WHAT I WAS WANTING TO TRY OUT IS NOT WHAT IT IS LETTING ME DO. I WAS HOPING TO TRY MY FONT CD I HAVE TO SEE IF THIS PROGRAM WOULD WORK, BUT I GUESS IT ONLY LETS YOU USE THE FONTS IT HAS IN DEMO MODE. MAINLY, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT MY KIDS NAMES ON CLOTHING, ETC. ALONG WITH A PICTURE DESIGN WITH THE NAMES. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE BEST PROGRAM TO DO THIS THAT IS REASONABLY PRICED. I WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN FINDING SOMETHING TO RESIZE SOME OF THE DESIGNS I HAVE THAT WILL NOT FIT MY HOOP. I ALSO AM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO ORGANIZE MY DESIGNS AND MAKE THEM EASIER TO SEE AND FIND.  MY MACHINE WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO MERGE FILES ON IT OR TO RESIZE IMPORTED DESIGNS. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ANYONE ELSE DOES, PLEASE SHARE.

                                                                             THANKS,

                                                                              CHRISTIE

Christie,  With embird you can combine any designs you want easily. If you have alphabets on disk all you have to do is bring them up in editor, line them up as you desire, then click on the folder with the plus on it at the top of the page and it will add anything you open. When you get them lined up like you want you can save them combined just as you lined them up, or you can save them separaretly.  You can bring up a design and if you want lettering you click on the alphabet, type what you want, put in the properties you want, select  layout and choose how you want it, straight or arched, click line or circle and it goes on the same page as your design you brought up. Once you save designs, if you save them separately, all you do is click the folder with plus and it opens all you want to add on the same page. All you have to do is edit, select all and save and they are combined. To resize it is edit select all, choose resize on the drop down menu and put the size or density you want select all save selected and save the design. It will combine all on the page. 

bsue

Christie- Welcome to the wonderful world of machine embroidery (ME) and AnnTheGran (ATG). ME is the most fun craft, it is beautiful, and creative, you are going to fall in love!

If you are new, I recommend that you use the fonts you probably will find on your machine for the time being until you have been able to find your way around a little.  When you start out, we are all interested in helping you, but finding the exact right software for me may not fit your needs at all.

I recommend that you try several different programs, Embird is good, CatalogXpress and AlphabetXpress are also very good.  Compositions is also a very good program to do nearly all of what you are asking about.  To my knowledge, there is not one single program that does everything.

Before you spend the amount of money you are looking at, I seriously recommend you understand machine embroidery a lot better than you may know now.  For instance, I have a blog on stabilizers which is a large learning process in itself.  That blog just talks about general stabilizer information.  There is a lot to learn.

Read as much as you have the time to do.  This site is the premiere site for information and sharing among embroiders.  Others do have some less organized information, stick with ATG for quick information.  The Search in the upper portion of the screen will be your friend!

Ask all the questions you have.  Expect to have a few projects that will not be as great as you might hope, that is how it goes!

 Pat, The Avid Embroiderer

If you are wanting to use the fonts on your computer, yes, Embird will only do a demo. You need to purchase Font Machine while is a plug in for Embird to do that. It's well worth the money, I can tell you.  Or you can just purchase certain fonts from embrid and do what you want with those, any size, any words.