I have a Brother PE 780 (the Disney one). I am really new to embroidering and I was wondering how I can use different fonts - not just the ones that are installed on the machine. Thanks in advance

Glad you got so many good answers from Brother users, Amanda! I just wanted to welcome you to Cute, and encourage you to keep asking questions, these Cuties know just about everything!! Hugs, Marji

Welcome! this is an excellent site, I have a Brother 6500 I have to use Pe Basic, and I dl fonts from different sources, your machine would allowed you to dl directly , you got good responses!!!!

Amanda,
The Embird software has a Fonts Engine plug-in and a choice of several fonts to purchase for monograming. You just purchase the basic Embird, then add the Fonts Engine to go with it. Should you decide later to learn to digitize your own designs, they have the Embird Studio you can add then. Comparing Embird to Embroidery Font Plus, I believe you will be happier with the features and cost of Embird. Both have great reputations, so check them out.
I am not affiliated in any way to Embird; just a most satisfied customer. A highly skilled digitizer recommended Embird software to me when I first began machine embroidery years ago. She said for the learning ease and cost, it was the best.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
Hugs, Angel

Do you mean alphabet designs or the true type fonts to create designs from?
This covers embroidery designs........
I have a Brother 750D and was told by the sales person that I didn't even need to have the Brother software or Embroidery card to transfer designs to the machine as you can download PES designs directly from your files using Windows Explorer.
Of course, being a real sceptic, I asked them to show me and sure enough it was true. No need for cards or software, just connect the usb cable to your pc and away you go.

I'm assuming the later models probably also have this option and I must give bouquets to Brother for being so forward thinking.

Now, if you wish to use the true type fonts on your pc to create alphabet/text designs, you can do that (in a limited capacity that works quite well) using the very simple PE Basic software.
There is an even better FREE font design software available::: Embroidery Fonts Plus, available from Embroidery Designs.com.
I have added the link below for you.
I haven't read the other answers here so I hope I haven't repeated information that has already been given.
Hugs n New Year's blessings, Meg

1 comment

by Allawson5 02 Jan 2013

So since i'm pretty new to this I guess I mean True Type fonts - I have downloaded PES designs to a USB drive and used designs that way - what I would like to do is have a different font type that I could use (instead of the 6 that are on the machine now)
Thanks for the info I'm going to look into that software, I would eventually like to make my own designs as I have a infant and want to make clothes for him. So I might look into getting actual design software but I'm not ready for that yet!

Amanda, I, too, have a Brother machine, that I began machine embroidering with several years ago. The only softwares I use to assist me in embroidering is the Ultimate Box Reader/Writer, which allows you to download designs from your computer to a chip, which is place into your machine , so you can choose a design to stitch. If your machine connects directly to your computer, you do not need the reader/writer software, as designs can be sent directly to your machine. The best software that I have purchased to enhance this craft is Embird basic. Greatest for the cost! You can add plug-ins, as needed for Embird to do monogramming, digitizing, etc.,but the basic program has many useful features. Check out the Embird site.
You can use font designs you have purchased, or gotten as freebies, to monogram, but unless you have software, such as basic Embird to merge letters together and save as one design, each design will have to be hooped/stitched one at a time to form a monogram or word. This is timeconsuming, and alignment can be trickly, but it CAN be done.
Hope this helps.
Hugs, Angel

1 comment

by anangel 02 Jan 2013

I absolutely love the inexpensive Iconizer plug-in that goes with Embird. It allows you to view designs, you have downloaded into folders, in full color, size, with pertinent into about the design, rather than just seeing icon formats in PES within folders. Love my Embird and Iconizer!!
Angel

Welcome! All answers are here - just keep asking the questions!
Your machine probably has a few fonts that you can use to write words with in your editing screen - rather like word processing. If you want to make text designs with other fonts you will need some extra software (Embird Font Engine or Embroidery Fonts Plus) If you want to use the individual letters from fancy alphabets, you use them just the same as any other design. However, they tend to be rather large and a complete name means more than one hooping.
The beauty of being able to manipulate fonts is that you can control the size of the finished design - exactly like in word processing. Alphabets are not nearly so versatile. (IMHO)

I have a Brother but not that one. You need to have some kind of software (like PE Design) that will read designs. You would open the letters in the software, arrange them, then save them to whatever your machine will read (USB, card, floppy?) Mine is older so I use floppys. I put the floppy in my machine and it reads my creation.

3 comments

by sewmom 02 Jan 2013

Your machine: Easily import designs from your memory stick via the built-in USB port
Built-in embroidery card slot enables use of 1000’s of optional Brother embroidery designs
On-screen embroidery editing on monochrome LCD touch screen

by sewmom 02 Jan 2013

If you have purchased cards you can put a font card in and arrange the letters on your editing screen. Did you get classes with the purchase of your machine?

by sewmom 02 Jan 2013

Brothers use the pes format but you need to check your machine to see what version of pes it uses. Pes has version 1-9. I use 5.6. My machine will read pes 5.6 and lower versions but not higher. If you get higher versions your machine won't read it. It also won't read it if it is too large for your max hoop size. You can get free conversion software in case you encounter the wrong format. Google "CuteEmbroidery conversion software sewmom" and you will get posts with the links.

There are many designs on this site that can be used by your machine. Things to consider:
1. What is the format that your machine understands (I don't have a brother, but a berninia 630. It will read and understand 2 formats that I know, ART being one of them.)
2. Do you need a card or USB stick to transfer designs from your computer to your machine.
3. How much memory does your machine have. In other words, can you upload a design to the machine from your card, USB or directly from your computer. This is just in case you are doing several stitchings of the same design, just easier to use this way.
4. Back-up, Back-up all your designs more than 1 time. Media can go bad and you would lose all your designs.
Maybe this helps, I hope that it does. Wishing you a wonderful, blessed 2013. If I can help, please let me know. Hugs, Max

Amanda, 1st, Welcome to Cute!!! It is a great place to be with lots of help. I have a Brother 780D machine, and I LOVE it. I got the PED Basic card reader because my machine will eithor work from designs put on the card from my computer to the card on the reader. You can put several designs on at one time, and the program lets you know when you have put enough on it. Hope you understand what I am trying to say, You can also hook up directly to your computer but as my computer is in a different end of the house, I have not tried that. Maybe someone will explain it better, I am really tired at this moment. Hugs, Judy