How to Create a Curved Neckline Design in Embrilliance Essentials

Watch the video: “How to create a curved neckline design in Embrilliance Essentials” by Machine Embroidery Geek.

If you’ve ever wished your lettering could hug a sweatshirt neckline just so, this tutorial delivers. You’ll go from flat text to a graceful arc that mirrors the collar line, then decorate with daisies and streamline your stitch order for a smooth finish. No guesswork—just smart steps that start on-screen and end picture-perfect on your garment.

What you’ll learn

• How to set up lettering as “Text on a curve” in Embrilliance Essentials

• Ways to resize, rotate, and adjust curvature so the arc follows a neckline

• Tips for tweaking individual letters for a lively, balanced look

• How to merge and arrange additional embroidery files (like daisies)

• Why printing a full-size template is the most important placement step

• How to use Color Sort to reduce thread changes

Introduction: Personalizing Garments with Curved Neckline Designs There’s something magical about curved text that frames a collar—it adds polish and personality in one clever arc. In the video, the design reads “Rowan,” curved to match a sweatshirt neckline and accented with small daisies for a cheerful finish. The method is beginner-friendly, and once you learn it, you can adapt the process to any name or short phrase.

Getting Started: Planning Your Design's Size and Shape Before opening software, measure your garment. The video references an overall target size near four inches by four inches—wide from far left to far right and tall to the top of the arc. This gives you a sizing target to aim for while you experiment.

Measuring your garment

• Measure the width across the area where the curve will sit.

• Consider how high you want the arc to rise above the neckline.

• Jot down those numbers. They’ll guide your scaling and curvature later.

Deciding on overall dimensions If your target is about 4 inches wide (as in the demo), you’ll scale your text to reach that width on screen. Don’t stress if it’s not perfect on the first try—this process benefits from a little trial and error, and the printout step will confirm your choices before you stitch.

Pro tip Keep your design compact and legible. Short names or words with distinctive first letters can be especially charming. If you want a bolder emphasis, consider slightly enlarging the first letter compared to the rest.

Step-by-Step: Creating Curved Text in Embrilliance Essentials Using the Lettering Tool and 'Text on a Curve' - Click the Lettering Tool (“A”) to start a new text object.

- In the properties panel, choose the third icon to set “Text on a curve.”

- Select your typeface; in the video, Holly Marie is used. Type your text (the example uses “Rowan”).

Watch out Fonts and styles vary. If you use a different font than the video, letter spacing and arc feel may differ. That’s okay—plan to nudge things.

Adjusting Curvature, Size, and Rotation - Scale the entire word to your target width (about 4 inches in the example) by dragging a corner handle.

- If desired, enlarge the first letter slightly to create a focal point. In the video, the “R” gets a subtle size boost.

- Rotate the overall word so it echoes the neckline’s slope. This is as much about feel as measurement—use the rotation handle and eyeball it.

- Refine the curve with the Radius control in the properties panel. A tighter radius creates a stronger arc; a larger radius softens it.

Fine-Tuning Individual Letters The designer nudges and resizes individual letters until the arc looks natural and lively. This is especially helpful where letters visually crowd each other or where a capital needs extra breathing room. Once the curve, rotation, and letter scale feel right, you have your core word mark.

Quick check

• Does your curve mimic the garment neckline?

• Is the first letter balanced, not overpowering?

• Do any letters need tiny nudges to even out the rhythm?

From the comments A viewer wondered whether resizing by dragging a corner would adjust stitches automatically. The reply notes that with BX fonts, Embrilliance manages stitch recalculation for you, which is a big convenience for lettering.

Adding Flair: How to Merge and Position Extra Designs Want to add small motifs? In the video, the designer merges tiny daisy designs and places them near the curved name for extra charm.

How to do it - Go to File > Merge Stitch File… and bring in your decorative elements.

- Select each imported element and drag it around the arc until it frames your lettering nicely.

Design notes

• Keep decorative elements smaller than the lettering so they read as accents, not competition.

• Place motifs with a light touch. A couple of small daisies can be more impactful than a crowd.

Watch out When you merge files with multiple colors, your stitch order can jump back and forth. You’ll fix this later with the Color Sort utility so your machine stitches all of one color before moving to the next.

The Most Important Step: Printing a Template for Perfect Placement Screen previews are helpful, but a paper template is your real-world truth. The video emphasizes printing a full-size template, cutting it out, and laying it on the sweatshirt. This confirms size and curve before any fabric meets a needle.

How to do it - Go to File > Print… and print the design at full size.

• Cut around the design and use the printed hash lines as guides.

• Lay the template on your garment to verify that the arc matches the neckline and sits where you want it.

Why it matters A 30-second paper check can save you an entire stitch-out. It also helps you see whether the enlarged first letter and any motifs feel balanced at scale.

Quick check

• Does the template align with the collar’s curve?

• Are motifs placed where they’ll be visible and not swallowed by the seam or ribbing?

• Is there enough breathing room between the top of the arc and the neckline seam?

Optimizing Your Stitch-Out: Using the Color Sort Utility Once your layout is set, make your stitch-out efficient. If your design includes multiple colors (like blue lettering plus white and yellow daisies), you can minimize thread changes with Color Sort.

Why color sorting saves time Without sorting, the machine may alternate colors frequently—blue, white, yellow, white, yellow, and so on. Color Sort restructures the design so all elements of the same color stitch together. In the video’s example, the final order becomes blue, then white, then yellow.

How to run the utility - Open the Utility menu and select Color Sort…

• Review the new, optimized design view to ensure it’s grouped correctly.

- In the video, the result shows three clear steps: all blue, then all white, then all yellow.

Pro tip Color Sort is especially helpful after merging multiple small motifs. It’s a low-effort step with a big payoff in time saved.

Troubleshooting and Fine-Tuning If your printed template looks off:

• Reduce or increase the Radius to adjust the arc intensity.

• Slightly rotate the entire word to better mirror the collar slope.

• Try enlarging or shrinking the first letter a touch for visual balance.

• Nudge individual letters to close gaps or open tight spots.

If placement is close but not perfect, small changes often have a big impact. Reprint and recheck—paper is cheap and stitches are not.

From the comments: Does resizing adjust stitches automatically? A viewer asked whether dragging a corner to resize lettering would automatically adjust the stitches. The reply notes that with BX fonts, Embrilliance handles this for you, which is one of the nice benefits of using that format. If you’re working with BX-based lettering, you can scale the text object and trust the software to update the stitch count accordingly.

Beyond the Basics: Practical Setup Notes While the video focuses on design work inside Embrilliance Essentials, many embroiderers find that garment hooping is easier when the fabric isn’t over-stretched. Consider using a stabilizer appropriate for your sweatshirt and test a small sample if you’re unsure. Some users also prefer magnetic-style solutions for easier hooping on bulky garments.

• If you use magnetic systems, ensure they’re compatible with your machine model. Options in the market include various styles of magnetic embroidery hoops and frame systems; select what suits your machine and project.

• For those starting out and choosing gear, beginner-friendly machines can pair well with simple accessory setups; many crafters research options under topics like best embroidery machine for beginners.

• If you prefer modular frame systems, research and choose only those that match your machine’s brand and model to ensure proper fit. Some embroiderers explore magnetic frames for embroidery machine as an alternative to traditional clamp hoops.

Workflow recap

• Plan the size and curve based on your garment.

• Lettering Tool > Text on a curve.

• Scale overall width; optionally enlarge the first letter.

• Rotate and adjust curvature (Radius).

• Merge small motifs and place them thoughtfully.

• Print a full-size template and test on the garment.

• Run Color Sort and export the optimized design.

Watch out The video uses a specific font (Holly Marie) and daisy files, which you’ll need to have installed or downloaded separately. The demonstration also shows macOS shortcuts; Windows equivalents may differ.

Why this method works Curving, rotating, and letter-level edits give you macro- and micro-control. The paper template then grounds your design choices in reality, and Color Sort ensures you’re not stuck swapping threads more than necessary. It’s a smart combination of creative control and production efficiency.

Placement confidence, every time Use the printed hash lines and your garment’s center/front as anchors. If you’re between sizes, err on the smaller side for necklines—subtle arcs often read more elegantly on the body.

Extra efficiency ideas

• Combine similar accent elements into a single layer when possible.

• Keep motif color palettes tight (two to three colors) for clean color sorting and a cohesive look.

• Duplicate and mirror small motifs for symmetry without extra design work.

Toolbox notes

• Lettering Tool: Start here for curved text.

• Properties panel: Adjust Radius for the arc.

• Rotation handle: Align the word with the neckline’s slope.

• Merge Stitch File: Bring in daisies and other accents.

• Color Sort: Group colors for fewer swaps.

On hooping and handling sweatshirts Heavy knits can be bulky. Many embroiderers appreciate the convenience of a magnetic embroidery hoop when positioning designs on sweatshirts. Others stick with classic two-piece hoops and get great results. Either way, the full-size paper template will be the hero of your placement.

Optional accessories many embroiderers research

• Traditional round or rectangular embroidery machine hoops in sizes that match your design area.

• Alternative solutions like snap hoop monster (brand-specific compatibility varies) or mighty hoops to simplify hooping thicker garments.

Always verify compatibility first. Accessory names can be similar across brands, but fit and limitations depend on your machine model.

Case study: Small changes, big payoff In the tutorial, a slightly enlarged first letter and a bit more curvature give the design personality without overpowering the neckline. The daisies are small and spaced to frame rather than compete. Printing the template catches any spacing concerns before stitching—this is the kind of iterative approach that leads to consistently polished results.

Quick check: Before you stitch

• Template matches the neckline curve

• Word is centered and level to the garment’s front

• Motifs are clear of seams and ribbing

• Color Sort shows grouped color steps in the expected order

Save and export When you’re satisfied with placement and order, save your working file, then export the stitch file format your machine requires. The video shows the concept of creating an optimized file via Color Sort; the specific export format will depend on your machine model (not specified in the video).

Final thoughts Curved neckline lettering is the kind of detail that looks advanced but becomes very doable with Embrilliance Essentials. Use the curve tools for form, the template for reality-checking, and Color Sort to keep your stitch-out efficient. Once you’ve tried it on one sweatshirt, you’ll be tempted to arc every name on every cozy knit you own.

If you’re refining your hooping setup for bulky garments, some embroiderers consider brand-compatible magnetic options or frame systems as they build out their kit. Do your homework, confirm compatibility, and choose what best supports your projects and machine—whether that’s classic hoops, magnetic hoops styles, or other helper tools that keep placement precise and stress-free.