Split Long Text Messages for Embroidering on Ribbon

If you have a message that’s longer than your largest hoop, you have two choices, shrink or split the text. Since you don’t always have the option of shrinking text (you might have to fill a certain size space), you might as well learn how to split it. And it’s really quite simple. Here’s how.

Open Inspirations’ Perfect Embroidery Pro (you can also follow these steps in Word Art in Stitches). Select the Text tool and type the message in the Properties Box.  Do not hit the return key on the keyboard as you’ll want a long continuous line of text for a ribbon.  Select the font, the sample is Athletic Script. 

The text appears on the screen and if you check the top of the screen, you’ll find the length. The sample was 27 ½” wide. 

Before doing anything else, zoom into the lettering and check the spacing (kerning). 

This is too wide for my taste so I reselect the text (with the Text tool) and change the settings in the property box.  Decrease the height to .65” and reduce the spacing to -4. Click Apply. 

Now the letters almost touch – perfect for stitching on organza. 

But the overall width of the design is still way too big for one hooping.  Let’s breakup the text. Right now, the color sequence box shows the text is all one color and one unit. 

Select the text and right mouse click. Select Break Up Text from the drop down menu. 

Now the color sequence shows each individual element (underlay, satins, and runs) of the design.  Don’t fret. 

Click on the Hoop tool and select the hoop you plan on using. 

Move the text so that the beginning of the message is at the edge of the hoop. Select a logical group of letters. Copy, open a new file and paste.  Save that design as Hoop1. 

Go back to the original file and select the next group. Use natural breaks (between words) to your advantage. 

Save each hooping as a new file and then print templates of each one to help with placement.  See how easy that was?