Artapli Studio Help

Will this design fit my hoop? (and why resizing at the machine squished my letters)

Short answer: every design comes in several sizes that were digitized for that size. Open the design in your Library, read the real width × height of each included size, and pick the one that fits your hoop with room to spare. If you want to be sure, print it at 100% scale and lay the paper on your fabric before you stitch.

Please don't enlarge or shrink a stitch file a lot on the machine. That is the most common reason letters come out squished, gappy or too dense.

Steps

1. Read the included sizes

In My Library, click the pink Download button on the design's card to open its details. The Specifications tab shows Sizes and embroidery details: one row per included size with its real width × height, the stitch count and the number of thread colors. Switch cm / in at the top if you prefer the other unit. This only changes the labels; it does not resize anything.

Go by the width × height numbers, not by the file name. A file called "4in" may measure a little under or over 4 inches, because the name is the size it was planned for and the numbers are what is really in the file.

2. Check it against your hoop

The hoop size on your machine is the outer limit. The stitching field your machine allows is usually a little smaller than the hoop's name; your machine's manual lists the exact field. Leave some space on every side so the presser foot does not hit the frame.

• A 4×4 hoop usually stitches about 100 × 100 mm (3.9 × 3.9 in).
• A 5×7 hoop usually stitches about 130 × 180 mm (5 × 7 in).

Both numbers of the design must fit, and the long side can go along the long side of the hoop.

3. Print it at 100% scale and try it on the fabric

Open the Print 100% scale tab. Choose the size you want under Exact size / file. The line under the picker shows that file's real width × height, stitches and thread colors. Then press Print at 100% scale. A PDF downloads.

In your printer settings choose Actual size or 100%, and turn off Fit to page. After printing, measure the paper design with a ruler. It should match the width × height shown in the Library. If it does, cut it out and lay it on your shirt, towel or blanket. You will see at once whether it fits the hoop, the spot and the item.

Large designs print on several sheets, marked "Tile 1 of 2" and so on; tape them together.

4. Or judge it on a photo of your item

The Preview on item tab (its tile says Open in Mockup) leads to Mockup. There you can add a photo of your item, set its real scale, and place the design at its real size. See See it on your item before you stitch.

Why resizing at the machine changes the stitching

A stitch file is not a picture. It is a list of needle positions. When the machine or a basic editor scales it:

• Bigger: the same number of stitches is spread wider. Satin columns get long and loose, fills open up, and you start to see gaps.
• Smaller: the same number of stitches is packed tighter. Letters get thick, stiff and bulletproof, small openings close up, and thread can break or bunch.
• Pull compensation and underlay were set for the original size, so after scaling, letters may no longer meet their outlines.

Most machines handle a small change of about 10% well. For anything more, choose the included size that is closest, or use embroidery software that recalculates stitches. Check your machine's manual for what its resize does.

If something looks wrong

• The design is too big for my hoop: choose a smaller included size. If none fits, the design was not made for that hoop.
• I need bigger letters than any included size (for example 4–5 inch tall letters): please message us before you resize. We can tell you whether a larger size exists or can be made.
• The printout is smaller than the numbers in the Library: the printer scaled the page. Print again with Actual size / 100% and Fit to page off.
• The file name says one size and the numbers say another: trust the width × height numbers.
• Resized letters came out squished or gappy: go back to the original file in the included size closest to what you need, and stitch a test on scrap fabric.

Related

• See it on your item before you stitch
• Stitch it well: stabilizer, gaps and jumps
• Where are the instructions? ITH, appliqué and fringe

Questions people ask

Do you have this in a bigger size? I need 4–5" tall letters.

Open the design in your Library and check Sizes and embroidery details: every included size is listed with its real width × height. If none is big enough, message us before resizing; we can tell you whether a larger size exists.

I adjusted the size to fit my hoop and it squished the letters. Why?

Resizing on the machine keeps the same stitches and just moves them closer together or further apart. Small changes of about 10% are usually fine; bigger ones make letters dense or gappy. Use the included size closest to what you need.

Will it fit a 5x7 hoop / frame?

Compare the design's width × height with the stitching field in your machine's manual (a 5x7 hoop usually stitches about 130 × 180 mm). Both numbers must fit, with a little room around them.

What is the minimum size?

The smallest size we tested is the smallest one listed in your Library. Going smaller than that closes up small letters and details.

The file is called "4in" but the Library says 3.8 in. Which is right?

The width × height numbers are measured from the file itself. Trust those.

How can I see the real size before I stitch?

Use Print 100% scale, print with Actual size and Fit to page off, measure it with a ruler, then lay the paper on your item.

Does switching cm / in change my design?

No. It only changes the labels.