I received this email request recently, but since it is a universal question, I felt that posting it here is a good idea for everyone to read.

Pat , I have a brother PE-770 and need some help.  I have downloaded sever fonts but I can't figure out for the life of me how to get them into my machine to use them like the ones that came on the machine. When I use them I can only do one letter at a time and then I have to line up the next letter to be able to do it. I recently bought a cursive font and I'm not sure I will be able to use it. Can you help???

Here is my response -

I recommend that you first use your lettering from your machine.  You need to walk before you can run.  Create a few words or an entire sentence with those letters.  The 'space' is the icon that looks like an underline.   Play with the large and small lettering.  You will discover things that you will be able to use later on, such as the lower case 'i' is a bit tricky to cut the 'space' below the dot.  You will learn, I promise, and you may find that for a large percentage of your projects, that lettering - precalibrated and spaced - may just work fine for you.
 
You don't mention which letter designs you downloaded and there are some considerations for them.  Some of them may require proprietary software for them to work.  Hopefully, the seller made that clear, and you read the information carefully and don't have one of them.
 
Next, some letters are only appropriate for monogramming, those would have just 26 (or a few more for numbers and punctuation).   Not all monograms will be marked clearly.  To have something to 'write' with, you need a minimum of 52 plus numbers and punctuation.
 
There are multiple methods of transferring lettering (also called alphabets) to your machine.  One is software such as PE-Basic.  You will transfer a single letter at a time to the card and then to the machine.  The others include using a USB (a port is available on your machine) or hook up the computer directly, also via the USB, to your machine.  You still need to select and align letters one at a time.  However, with a little practice, it is not too bad. 
 
For instance, let's use the letters "Thank You."  You need all 8 letters and will place the space yourself.  Don't forget, you have been working with the predesigned letters from your machine to aid your layout.  Take them, in order, and place them on your machine's screen.  Do not move your cursor up and down, only to the left for each letter, and to the right when it is past the half way point.  Remember that each of these letters may well be differing widths, so you are practicing all the time - I still do, after 9 years, I have to adjust all the time.
 
If you have multiple lines, make sure you make a note of where you are moving upward/downward.  It is generally simple math, and frankly, I have become very good at understanding the metric sizing better than the American standard inches.  (If God had meant for us to use metrics, he would have given us 10 fingers and 10 toes. . . . )
 
If you want to avoid all the above, get Alpha Xpress from AnnTheGran.  There are 5 fonts already with the software, and others are available.  The software does the work for you, all you need to do is type.  I personally have Alpha Xpress and other fonts as well.  Frankly, using Alpha Xpress is quick, accurate and simple and the one I use most often.  Other software is available at varying pricing. 
 
You will be learning from this day forward.  Machine embroidery is advancing everyday with new ideas and products.  There are new techniques to learn all the time.  If I did not enjoy learning embroidery so much, my blog would be really dull. 

I hope this helps all the newbies, we love you and understand your frustration because they were there too!

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer