Get your fonts just right!
Don't compromise when it comes to quality
Wilcom is known as the world class leader in embroidery lettering. Hatch Embroidery allows hobbyists to take advantage of high quality professionally digitized fonts that are included with Hatch Embroidery Personalizer, Hatch Embroidery Composer and Hatch Embroidery Digitizer.
Fonts
Different fonts have different parameters. Hatch Embroidery includes many “system fonts”. System fonts are professionally digitized fonts that have been individually digitized and programmed to work within the software program. You also have TrueType Fonts (TTF) where Hatch Embroidery can automatically generate stitches based on the TTF artwork. All fonts will have specific parameters that need to be observed. Take a look at the chart of fonts included in your Hatch Embroidery software and their recommended maximum and minimum parameters. You can request to download this at the end of the article.
Uppercase and Lowercase
It is also important to keep in mind that the sizing of a font will differ depending on whether it’s written in upper or lowercase lettering. Lowercase lettering is approximately 70% of the height of uppercase lettering. Keep this in mind when ensuring that your lettering is contained in the parameters. Take a look at some of the examples using popular fonts below.
A few examples with popular fonts
Comic
Minimum: .4in/10mm Maximum: 2.0in/50mm
Edwardian Script
Minimum: .5in/12mm Maximum: 2.0in/50mm
Run Stitch (Block)
Minimum: .2in/4mm Maximum: .25in/6mm
Tahoma
Minimum: .25in/6mm Maximum: 1.6in/40mm
Times New Roman
Minimum: .25in/6mm Maximum: 1.6in/40mm
Typewriter
Minimum: .5in/13mm Maximum: 2.0in/50mm
Serif 1
Minimum: .25in/6mm Maximum: 1.2in/30mm
Verdana
Minimum: .25in/6mm Maximum: 1.7in/44mm
Hoops
Your hoop will also influence the size of your lettering directly simply because if your lettering does not fit your hoop, there’s no way you’re going to be able to embroider it onto your project. Some embroiderers have tried to overcome this problem by resizing their font. Keep in mind that some fonts distort when they are resized outside of range and your finished product may end up looking different to what you expect! To overcome this problem, always keep your hoop measurements in mind when formatting lettering in your software.
Monograms
When choosing lettering sizes for monogram fonts there are more specific guidelines. Many embroiderers who work with single lettered monograms usually use letters that are 1 or 4 inches. Stackable monograms are often measured at 3.5 or 4 inches. Spelling out names generally fall at 1, 1.5 and 2 inches. Of course these are only guidelines; the main thing to keep in mind for monogramming is that it needs to fit within the hoop.
Take a look at some of the specific sizes recommended for monogramming fonts…
Fancy Monogram
Minimum: 1.0in/25mm Maximum: 4.0in/100mm
Octagon Monogram
Minimum: .7in/18mm Maximum: 4.0in/100mm
Point Monogram
Minimum: .7in/18mm Maximum: 4.0in/100mm
Get Lettering Right the First Time
Choosing the right sized embroidery lettering is imperative to ensuring high quality designs. When your lettering gets too large or too small it can distort and the results may not be what you were hoping for. To get the right lettering size it is important to consider your font, whether the lettering is lowercase or uppercase and what type of, if any, monogramming you used.
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Hatch Embroidery software products are in popular use in over 100 countries. It is time to join the global trend and give Hatch a try! The 30-day Free Trial grants you unlimited use of all the amazing features and the 30-day Money Back Guarantee ensures that there is absolutely no risk involved.
