Use custom fonts for embroidery lettering

Check the font before upload

Use the original TTF or OTF file, not a font preview image or a ZIP of unrelated files. Confirm that the typeface includes the language and characters you need, and that your use is permitted by its license.

A font name is not enough to establish script coverage. If a character is missing, substituting a random glyph is not a reliable way to preserve the text.

Choose satin or fill deliberately

Narrow, column-like strokes can suit satin. Wide display letters can be more practical as fills. Very thin strokes, extreme contrast and decorative swashes can require a larger size or manual correction.

Inspect counters, joins, crossbars and dots after generating the lettering. Connected scripts need to be judged as complete words rather than isolated characters.

Review non-Latin text

For Arabic and other scripts, use a suitable font and compare the generated word with the intended text. Check direction, joining and letter forms. A font's successful upload does not prove that every word will be suitable for embroidery at every size.

Keep a visual reference of the text and ask a reader of the language to check unfamiliar lettering before sewing or delivering it.

Keep a reproducible source

Retain the font file, exact wording and size in your workflow. Save the editable project so you can regenerate a name or a new size instead of scaling a flattened machine file.

Test the final lettering on the intended fabric. A clean outline on screen is only the starting point for clean stitches.

Common questions