Text Talk
Are you comfortable with just adding straight text?
You are not limited to the sizes offered in the size list. You can just type in the size and press enter and it will accept it and it will take it.
Or select the closest one, select the text item and then using the corner handles with the shift key pressed down change the size of the text item. When you release the mouse the new size will be displayed.
Although the spacing can be changed using the text attributes it is often easier to select the item and use the width scaling handle to change the spacing. Useful if your text has to fit in a particular spot!
Similarly you can change the height only by using the height scaling handle.
FITTING TEXT TO A PATH
First you’ll need a curve, or other "path" to which to affix your text. Before drawing your path, turn OFF line sewing by clicking on the line sew button so that your path will not become part of the design and stitch out.
Select a text item and while holding down the shift key select the curve. With both selected click on the Fit to Path button .
Your imagination is the only limit to the interesting things you can do by setting text to a path. Isabel Cutler has contributed two wonderful designs to the Design Exchange. Isabel's designs demonstrate the versatility of fitting text to path:
I'm frequently asked how to set text in a circle, with the bottom text right side up, forming a frame. The solution is to draw your circle, then duplicate it. Then type your text in two separate parts, the part that will go on the top of the circle and the part that will go on the bottom of the circle. You'll then attach the top text to the first circle in the usual way:
Now attach the bottom text to the second circle, checking the box for "the other side" (wondered what that was for, didn't you?) and setting the Vertical Alignment to UNDER the line:
Now we're close, but "no cigar!" While the text and circle are still selected, click on the Horizontal Mirror button on the Task Bar (1), and then on the Vertical Mirror button (2). This will place the text on the correct place on the circle. After that, it's a simple task to slide the second circle directly on top of the first circle (3), completing the operation.
The text attributes tell the program how to set up the spacing of the letters.
KERNING sets the space between individual letters. Sometimes most of the letters look fine, but one or two look like they could be a little closer to or farther away from the others. Use KERNING to scoot those letters over a bit without bothering the other letters. When you click on the point edit button, 2nd from the top on the left side of your screen, 2 buttons will appear. Click on the left one and then click on your text. Little squares will appear at the bottom of each letter. If you click on the square of the letter you want to move, it will turn black. Now you can click on the text attributes and change the kerning.
VERTICAL OFFSET moves the text up and down above or below a line.
ROTATE ANGLE changes the direction of the letters as they sit on the page. You can slant them or stack one above the other.
CHARACTER SPACING is different from KERNING in that it will change the space between all the letters in your text the same amount and at the same time.
LINE SPACING sets how much space will appear between lines of text when there are 2 or more lines. It uses a percentage of the height of your letters so if your letters are 1 inch tall and you use 100%, for example, the next line will start 1 inch under the first one.
ALIGNMENT sets how several lines of text line up in relation to one another. It’s the same as the alignment on your word processor; do you want them line up on the right margin, the left margin or in the center.
To use any of these attributes, select your text, change your attribute(s) and apply them to your text. If you do not click on APPLY, the program will ignore your changes.