I am a newbie to embroidery. What is the difference between keyboard font and alphabet?

Very welsome to this site, hope you enjoy your visits *4U

OK, here's the scoop. When it comes to machine embroidery, a FONT (aka keyboard font) refers to an alphabet that you can use in your software and you are able to key in the letters using your keyboard. They are already digitized to stitch out correctly and are sizable. Fonts are specific to certain software and are not usually interchangable (unless it is with software by the same company, as Embroidery Magic 2 and Fancyworks Studio can both use the same fonts). Embroidery fonts are COMPLETELY different from TrueType fonts (which are those that you can use on your computer display or for your printer). There are ways that you can digitize TrueType fonts, but it would be no different from digitizing any other design from clipart. The letters that are pre-programmed into your machine (or that you can get on cards/memory sticks for the machine) are usually also fonts, since you are given a "keyboard" to type them in and they are sizable. ALPHABETS, on the other hand, are also digitized already, but are single designs that just happen to be letters. You CAN NOT use your keyboard to enter them into another design, nor can they be "added" to your software. They can be merged together to spell things out, but like other designs, they should not be sized by more than perhaps 15% (at the most) in either direction. I hope that answers your question sufficiently. Welcome to the fun world of Machine Embroidery and I hope you don't mind a new addiction to your life. Design collecting is REALLY addicting!!

3 comments

by mops 17 May 2008

Nice to see you back. As always your answer is as complete as can be. Thank you. Flower for you.

by iris2006 17 May 2008

Glas to see you again cutie pie, hope that everything is well with you family *4U

by tmbache 17 May 2008

Nice to see your smiling face Cutiepie. Hopeall is well with the twins and rest of your family!!! Warm hugs and love to you and of course a flower. and to you also imartinez.

A big welcome to you! I'm a beginner too, so I appreciate reading the answers to questions like yours. A flower for you!

Welcome to the Cute Family , Hope we see you often. A flower for you.

yes all this is true plus i have noticed myself with all the clipart that has came with my software that some has digitized and are selling when i got my softwares i noticed a lot of the clipart i have has been digitized on web sites and are for sale

Thank you to all who responded to my question about keyboard font and alphabet. I was so surprised there so many responses and so fast. Thank you again, you've been a great help.

Hi nice to have you here. This is a great site hope you enjoy it as muh as i do.

lmartinez, welcome to the 'CUTE' family - it looks like you have your answer so I will leave you with a flower and hope that you will join in the Q&A alot and post projects and comments on the other projects, don't forget to download designs and view the bookmark section. Lots for you here. *4U

Fill in your profile and let us know your birthday and we will add you to our happy birthday list. glad to have you here!

I think simplyrosie explained, but a keyboard font is where you type the letters in an alphabet, and an alphabet you bring one letter at a time ,like on this web site where you get a new letter each day. Your key board fonts are probably built in your soft ware.

Welcome to the cute fmly I see u have gotten your answer so *4U

welcome on the site

Simplyrosie is right, a font is the complete set that can be used in your software to type in lines of text and choose the orientation straight lines, horizontal, vertical or diagonal; semi or full crcles, pennants, etc. With loose letters you have to place them one at a time. But they usually are larger so you use them for monograms and so on, not for a complete sonnet.

Welcome lamrtinez to the CUTE family. I'm not sure exactly what you're asking... so I'm winging it... fonts are also called 'type' in the graphics world. There are many different fonts, but the ones that are used in embroidery software that digitizes I believe (correctly me ladies if I'm wrong) are true type fonts. If you have Embird or other digitizing SW, you're able to type some text, such as "Simply Rosie" into a design and have the SW digitize that for you. Alphabets on the other hand, as I understand them to be, are already digitized designs (artist could have used true type fonts or hand drawn them, etc.), but you don't need to digitize them yourselves. Just put them together to create a word like "Simply Rosie". Does that make any sense....? If this answer doesn't pertain to your question, please let me know. Again, welcome to the family... hope you enjoy your stay. Blessings friend.

1 comment

by minnieb 14 May 2008

thanks good info

I am pretty sure that somebody asked the same question but I can't remember the answer, my brain is not working to well today ;-P. I just have to wait for the answer too. Welcome to our Cute Community LMartinez. You will love this girls. Flower and XoXo

Don't know the answer to this one. Sorry. Welcome to the 'cute' family. *4U

very good question, i wish to know that also *4U