Category: Monograms

Whether you are creating Monogramed Wedding Candles or stitching monogrammed towels, it helps to know the traditional (and not so traditional) rules.

These suggestions are simply a guideline. You can create a monogram however it pleases you or the recipient.

We already covered single-letter monogram rules. Three-letter monograms are very popular for singles, married couples, and partners.  Traditionally, the  surname (last name) initial is in the middle and larger than the other two. The other initials consist of the first names of the couple (usually the bride’s first name initial comes first), or the first name initial and middle initial of a single person.

As single people, Carlie Marie Jones and Bryan Thomas Woods would use the first initials of their first, middle, and last names. Carlie’s monogram would be CMJ and Bryan’s would be BTW, all the same size.

If Carlie  marries Bryan, their monogram would be CWB and the W would be larger than the C and the B.

Bryan’s individual monogram as a married person would be BWT, with a larger W.

Carlie’s individual monogram as a married person could be CWM or she could use the first initial of her maiden name where the middle initial goes, as in CWJ, with a larger W.

If both are keeping their last names, the first initial of the last names can both be used, and larger than the rest, as in CJWB (the J and W would be larger than the C and B). The same concept would apply to married partners.

Check back and we will discuss tricky monogram issues like hyphenated names or surnames with a prefix.

Love Rose Alphabet 04 by One by One Embroidery

Monograms are a favorite design among machine embroiderers. Here are some tips for stitching single-letter monograms on your next custom project.

Single letters are one of the most common monogram styles, but what are the rules? These tips are traditional, but modern-day monograms are more relaxed.

Creative Monograms 3 by Creative Design

Single letters are most often used for the first name initial (children and single women) or the initial of the last name of single men and married couples/partners.

Crystal Butterfly Monograms by Ace Points Embroidery

Because these monograms stand alone, there is more room for embellishments, like crystals, and accents, like the butterfly.

Breath of Spring Monogram by A Stitch and a Half

Decorative frames are also quite popular and elegant.

Cutwork Monograms by Creative Design

Frames set off monograms, especially on table linens.

Samantha Monogam by Oma’s Place

When using decorative frames, simple alphabets should be chosen so they do not compete with the frame and are easy to read.

FSL Monogram Box by Dainty Stitches

This freestanding lace design is actually part of a pretty lace box. By itself, it makes a very elegant monogram and would look beautiful on an LED candle.

In cases when the married couple each keeps their last name, a double-letter monogram can be used.

 

Ever wish you could just type in text instead of placing each letter separately and then moving them, one at a time, to line them up? You can if you use BX fonts with compatible design editing software.

More and more digitizers, including Oma’s Place and Stitch Delight, are offering BX format. BX fonts can be used on any embroidery machine if you have the proper design editing software. They are special fonts much like a keyboard, meaning that you can type out text just as if you were writing an email or posting to social media.

Regular fonts, on the other hand, are digitized as images. They need to be placed in machine embroidery designs one at a time, then moved so that they are centered and spaced properly.

It is not difficult, but it is tedious.  If you are creating a single or multiple letter monogram, that is not so bad. But if you are stitching out more than one word it can be a nightmare to line everything up.

Check to see if your design editing software can use BX fonts. If so, it will save you a lot of time (and frustration).