Embroidery Lettering Tool
Type any word, arrange letters on a real-size hoop, and export a ready-to-stitch design for your embroidery machine.
What's Inside This Guide
Open the Lettering Tool
Log into your account at artapli.shop and navigate to the Lettering Tool page.
Accept the Terms
On your first visit a Terms popup appears. Read the terms, check "I Accept", and click Continue.
Pick a Font
Your purchased fonts appear in the left panel. Click any font thumbnail to load it. A Font Row panel will appear with a text input and letter previews.
Type Your Word
Type into the word input field. Letter previews appear in the grid below. Click individual letters or type a word — they go onto the canvas automatically.
Arrange Letters on Canvas
Drag letters to position them. Use corner handles to resize, rotation handle to angle them. Make sure everything fits inside the hoop boundary (dashed rectangle).
Choose Format & Hoop
Pick your output format from the PES dropdown and your hoop size from the 5×7 dropdown in the top bar.
Download!
Type a design name and click Download. Your file saves to the Downloads folder — transfer it to USB for your machine.
From Artapli Shop (Shopify)
Your fonts load automatically in the My Purchases panel on the left side. Browse them using:
If a recent purchase doesn't appear, click the sync button ↻ to refresh.
From Etsy
Find the Etsy Orders section (orange area)
Enter your Etsy order number in the input field.
Click Load
The tool verifies your purchase and imports your fonts. They'll appear alongside your Shopify purchases.
Upload Your Own Files
You can also upload embroidery font files directly:
- Click 📦 Upload ZIP for a .zip file
- Click 📁 Upload Folder for a folder
- Or drag & drop onto the upload area
After loading a font, a Font Row panel appears with these controls:
Word Input
Type your word (e.g., "Hello") in the text field. Letter previews appear in the grid below.
Choose a Size
Use the Size dropdown — sizes depend on the font (typically 1″ to 4″+). Changing size updates all previews instantly.
Adjust Spacing
Slide the Spacing slider to control the gap between letters. Right = more space, Left = tighter.
Add to Canvas
Click any letter preview to place it on the canvas. Or type a full word — all letters appear automatically.
The canvas is the large center area where you build your design. The dashed rectangle shows your actual hoop size.
Hoop Size & Orientation
- Choose your hoop from the 5×7 in dropdown in the top bar
- Click ↻ next to it to flip between portrait and landscape
Moving, Resizing & Rotating Letters
- Move: Click & drag any letter (or tap & drag on touch)
- Resize: Click a letter, then drag a corner handle
- Rotate: Click a letter, then drag the rotation handle above it
- Delete: Click a letter, then press Delete or Backspace — or click the ✕ on the letter
- Deselect: Click empty canvas space or press Esc
Canvas Toolbar (right side of canvas)
Small buttons stacked along the top-right corner of the canvas:
| 🔍+ 🔍− | Zoom in / zoom out (or use mouse scroll wheel, pinch on touch) |
| 1:1 | Reset zoom to default |
| CM IN | Switch between centimeters and inches |
| 📐 | Toggle size labels on letters (show/hide dimensions) |
| + | Toggle center crosshairs (alignment guides) |
| ↖ | Select tool — click a letter to select its entire font group |
| LINE | Lineup — align grouped letters (Straight / Arc / Smile) |
| UNTIE | Break a group — letters stay in place but can move individually |
Canvas Summary Bar
A thin bar at the top of the canvas shows: Letters count, Threads count, and overall Size. Updates automatically.
Undo & Redo
↶ Undo — or press Ctrl+Z
↷ Redo — or press Ctrl+Shift+Z
↻ Start Over — clears everything and resets the canvas
You can combine different fonts on the same canvas. Each font gets its own Font Row.
Add Another Font
Click + Font in your current Font Row. Pick a different font from My Purchases. A new row appears.
Duplicate a Font Row
Click + Duplicate to copy a row with the same font and settings. Useful for typing multiple words at different sizes.
Switch Between Rows
Click any Font Row to make it active (it highlights). New letters you type come from the active row's font.
Included Add-ons
Some font purchases include bonus designs (frames, borders, decorations). These appear in an "Included Add-ons" section below the font rows. Click one to add it to your canvas.
Select a Group
Activate the Select tool
Click the ↖ button in the canvas toolbar (right side). It highlights when active.
Click any letter
All letters from that same font row get selected together. A dashed pink box appears around the group.
Move the whole group
Drag any letter in the group — all letters move together as one unit.
Transform Panel
With a group selected, open the Transform panel. Pick a shape — the preview updates live on the canvas, and the final stitch file is warped server-side at export so the stitches themselves follow the shape, not just the letter outlines.
Lineups (baseline curve)
| ― Straight | All letters on a flat baseline. Clean and simple. |
| ⌢ Arc | Letters follow an upward arch — rainbow/bridge shape. |
| ⌣ Smile | Letters follow a downward curve — U-shape. |
Italic / Slant
Tilt every letter left or right. Use the slant slider to set angle (−30° to +30°). Great for script or dynamic layouts.
Envelope Warp (stretch to shape)
Bend the whole word inside a container shape. Each letter's stitches reshape to fit the envelope. Eight shapes available:
| Arc down | Top straight, bottom dips in the middle |
| Arc up | Bottom straight, top rises in the middle |
| Rainbow bot | Top straight, bottom arches up at center |
| Smile top | Top arches down at center, bottom straight |
| Barrel | Both top and bottom bulge outward |
| Pinch | Hourglass — narrow in the middle |
| Trapezoid up | Wider at the top, narrower at the bottom |
| Trapezoid down | Wider at the bottom, narrower at the top |
After picking a shape, drag the intensity slider to control how strong the warp is. The canvas shows a live preview; your download applies the warp to real stitch data.
Untie — Break the Group
Click UNTIE to dissolve the group. Letters stay exactly where they are but can now be moved individually again.
The right panel shows every thread color in your design. Colors appear in the order they'll be stitched.
| Unite | Merges duplicate thread colors. If the same color appears multiple times (from different letters), Unite combines them — fewer color changes during stitching. |
| Sort | Auto-sorts colors by stitch layer to minimize thread changes on your machine. |
| Undo | Restores the previous color order after sorting. |
Other Thread Actions
- Delete a color: Click the ✕ on any thread to remove it and its stitches from the design
- Reorder colors: Drag thread entries up or down to change stitch order
- Thread count: Shows next to the "Threads" heading — updates as you work
Not finished yet? Save your work and come back later — even from another device.
Click Edit Later
The pink Edit Later button sits above Recently Bought in the left panel. Click it any time your design is on the canvas.
Your design is saved
The tool stores your word, selected font, letter positions, transforms, and thread colors on your account. A thumbnail is generated automatically so you can recognise it later.
Come back anytime
Open the Lettering Tool on any device, click Add Design, and switch to the Saved Designs tab. Pick a thumbnail — your canvas restores to where you left off.
Choose Your Format
Select the format your machine uses from the PES dropdown in the top bar.
Name Your File
Type a name in the design name field (e.g., "Sarah Birthday").
Click Download
The tool combines all your letters into one embroidery file. A success popup confirms it — the file saves to your Downloads folder.
Transfer to Machine
Copy the file to a USB drive, insert it into your machine, and load the design.
Which Format Do I Need?
| Format | Machine Brands |
|---|---|
| PES | Brother, Babylock, some Bernina |
| DST | Tajima, Barudan, many commercial machines |
| JEF | Janome, Elna |
| VP3 | Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff |
| EXP | Melco |
| HUS | Husqvarna (older models) |
| XXX | Singer, Compucon |
| VIP | Husqvarna Viking (older) |
- Your session starts when you load a font — 60 minutes by default
- The timer shows in the right panel next to +30min
- Click +30min anytime to extend — no limit on extensions
- At 5 minutes left, a warning popup appears with options to save or extend
- Your current design is also autosaved to your browser — if the tab crashes, the tool offers to restore on next open
Two print buttons appear in the right panel once you have letters on canvas:
| 🖨️ Print 100% | Prints your design at actual embroidery size. Great for checking fit — print on paper, cut out, and place on your fabric as a positioning guide. |
| 🎨 Color Steps | Prints a color change guide showing each thread color in stitch order. Keep this next to your machine as a reference. |
Want to see your design on a real shirt, towel, or bag before you stitch? Generate a QR code and preview your lettering through your phone's camera.
Click Preview on Item
Once your design is on the canvas, the Preview on Item button appears in the right panel. Click it to generate a QR code unique to your design.
Scan with your phone
Open your phone's camera and point it at the QR on screen. Tap the link that pops up — this opens the Artapli Preview App in your mobile browser.
Point your camera at the fabric
The Preview App overlays your lettering onto whatever your camera sees. Move the phone to position the design, pinch to resize, check placement — then go back to the Lettering Tool and download when you like it.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Shift + Z | Redo |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo (alternative) |
| Delete / Backspace | Delete selected letter |
| Esc | Deselect / exit selection |
On Mac, use Cmd instead of Ctrl. Shortcuts work when you're not typing in a text field.
Troubleshooting
Font won't load / stuck on loading
- Check your internet connection
- Click Sync ↻ to refresh
- Try Chrome (recommended browser)
- Clear browser cache and reload
Download button is grayed out
- You need at least one letter on the canvas
- Wait for any processing to finish
Design looks different on my machine
- Export in your machine's native format (see format table above)
- Always stitch a test sample on scrap fabric
- Check thread tension and stabilizer settings
Session expired — design lost
- Expired sessions cannot be recovered
- Next time, download early and use +30min to extend
Tool is slow or laggy
- Close other browser tabs
- Use Chrome for best performance
- On mobile, turn off power-saving mode
Have a question or suggestion? Use the feedback section inside the tool — we read every message.
The First Online Embroidery Lettering Tool — One of a Kind
The Artapli Embroidery Lettering Tool is the first and only browser-based embroidery lettering application in the machine embroidery world. Unlike traditional embroidery digitizing software that requires expensive desktop installations, this tool runs entirely in your web browser — no downloads, no plugins, no subscriptions to bulky software suites. It is a one-of-a-kind innovation that gives every embroidery stitcher instant access to professional lettering capabilities from any device with a web browser.
This is not just a font preview tool or a simple text-to-embroidery converter. The Artapli Lettering Tool is a full visual canvas workspace where you type words, see real embroidery letter previews with actual stitch data, drag and position each letter individually on a true-to-scale hoop, adjust sizes and spacing, group and align letters along straight lines or curves, manage thread color sequences, and export ready-to-stitch embroidery files — all from one screen, in minutes, with zero software experience required.
What Makes This Tool Unique
No other tool like this exists. In the embroidery industry, lettering has traditionally required either purchasing pre-digitized words (limiting you to what's available), or owning expensive digitizing software like Wilcom, Embrilliance, Hatch, or PE-Design — programs that cost hundreds of dollars, run only on specific operating systems, and have steep learning curves. The Artapli Embroidery Lettering Tool eliminates both barriers. It is a free-to-use online application available to anyone who owns Artapli embroidery fonts.
- First browser-based embroidery lettering tool — no installation, no desktop software needed
- Works on any device — PC, Mac, Chromebook, iPad, tablet, even smartphone
- Visual canvas with real-size hoop — see exactly what your design looks like before stitching
- Multi-font support — combine different embroidery fonts in one design, each with independent controls
- Curved text and alignment — arrange letters on straight, arc, or smile curves with one click
- 8 export formats — PES, DST, JEF, VP3, EXP, HUS, XXX, VIP for every major embroidery machine brand
- Real stitch data — not auto-digitized or generated; uses actual hand-digitized embroidery letter files
- Thread color management — sort, unite, reorder, and delete thread colors for optimal stitching
- Instant export — compose and download your embroidery file in seconds, ready for USB transfer
- Privacy-first — all files encrypted during session, automatically deleted afterward, never shared
Built for Embroidery Stitchers
Designed for home embroiderers, crafters, and small business owners who use machines from Brother, Babylock, Janome, Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff, Bernina, Tajima, Melco, Singer, and other brands. Whether you're personalizing baby blankets, monogramming towels, creating custom gifts, stitching names on team uniforms, or building a small embroidery business — this tool gives you the creative freedom to type any word in any font and produce a professional embroidery file.
Every feature was built with the real workflow of an embroidery stitcher in mind: the hoop sizes match standard embroidery hoops (4×4, 5×7, 6×10, 8×12 and more), the canvas shows your design at true scale, thread colors are displayed in stitch order, and the export produces genuine multi-format embroidery files that your machine reads natively — not converted, not approximated, but composed from real stitch data.
Popular Uses
- Personalizing gifts — names on stockings, baby bibs, towels, bags, and apparel
- Small embroidery businesses — quickly create custom text designs for clients without expensive software
- Crafters and hobbyists — experiment with fonts, sizes, and layouts before committing to fabric
- Team and event projects — batch-create names for sports jerseys, wedding items, or school gear
- Multi-language text — supports any characters included in your embroidery font files
Supported Formats & Machines
The tool exports in 8 industry-standard machine embroidery file formats: PES (Brother, Babylock, Bernina), DST (Tajima, Barudan, commercial machines), JEF (Janome, Elna), VP3 (Husqvarna Viking, Pfaff), EXP (Melco), HUS (Husqvarna older models), XXX (Singer, Compucon), and VIP (Husqvarna Viking older models). These formats are compatible with virtually every home and commercial embroidery machine on the market. The tool produces real embroidery stitch files — actual stitch data with proper jump stitches, color stops, and machine-readable coordinates.
How It Compares to Traditional Embroidery Software
Unlike Wilcom, Embrilliance, Hatch, PE-Design, or SewWhat Pro — which require installation, licensing fees, and significant learning investment — the Artapli Lettering Tool is instant, browser-based, and purpose-built for one thing: creating beautiful lettered embroidery designs quickly and easily. It does not attempt to replace full digitizing suites; instead, it excels at the single most common task embroiderers need: turning words into stitchable designs.
Most software that offers "lettering" auto-digitizes text from computer fonts (TTF/OTF) — the quality varies and often requires manual adjustment. The Artapli Lettering Tool uses pre-digitized embroidery letters where every stitch path was created by a human digitizer. The result is professional-quality stitching without any post-processing.
Key Embroidery Definitions
- Embroidery Lettering Tool
- A web application for typing text, arranging embroidery letters on a virtual hoop, and exporting machine embroidery files. The Artapli Lettering Tool is the first browser-based tool of its kind.
- Machine Embroidery Font
- Individually digitized embroidery letter files containing actual stitch data — needle paths, thread colors, and density settings — that an embroidery machine reads to create stitched text on fabric.
- Embroidery Hoop
- The frame holding fabric taut during machine embroidery. Common sizes: 4×4, 5×7, 6×10, 8×12 inches. The tool displays a virtual hoop at true scale.
- Digitizing
- Converting artwork or text into embroidery stitch data. The Artapli Lettering Tool uses pre-digitized letter files so users skip this step entirely.
- Thread Color Sequence
- The order in which thread colors are stitched. The tool shows the complete sequence and supports reordering and uniting duplicate colors.
- Multi-Font Embroidery Design
- A design combining two or more fonts in a single file. The tool supports unlimited font rows, each with independent size, spacing, and word input.
- Curved Text in Embroidery
- Arranging letters along a curved path. The tool offers Straight, Arc (rainbow), and Smile (U-shape) alignments with automatic descender handling for g, j, p, q, y.
Artapli — Making embroidery lettering accessible to every stitcher.
