From Free Floriani Monthly Designs to a Clean PES on USB: The “Save to Sew” Workflow That Actually Stitches Well on a Knit T-Shirt

If you have ever downloaded "free designs" and then spent 30 minutes clicking through empty folders hunting for them—or worse, stitched a file onto a knit T-shirt only for it to pucker into a crater—you are not alone. Machine embroidery is an experience-based science, and software is only half the battle.

The good news: The workflow Brad demonstrates in Floriani Total Control is fast, repeatable, and capable of professional results. However, simply clicking the buttons isn't enough. You need to understand the why behind the clicks and lock in the physical safeguards that software can’t provide.

This guide reconstructs the workflow into a "Zero-Friction" routine: Download → Library Management → Targeted Ungrouping → "Save to Sew" Optimization → PES Export. We will also add the critical physical checks that ensure your T-shirt survives the needle.

Calm the Panic: When “My Floriani Today” Doesn’t Pop Up, You’re Still Fine (Floriani Total Control)

Beginners often experience immediate anxiety when their screen doesn't match the tutorial. A common panic point: "That startup screen didn't pop up—did I break it?"

Here is the reality: Software layouts change based on version and user settings. Brad begins by using the My Floriani Today window to access the monthly free designs. If yours is missing, breathe. You haven't lost the designs; you just lack the shortcut.

The Pro Recovery Protocol:

1. Verify the Launch: Ensure you opened "Floriani Total Control" (the digitizing suite) and not a peripheral utility.
2. Visual Scan: Look for a "Home" icon or a "Star" icon in your toolbar, or check the View menu for "My Floriani Today."
3. Browser Variance: When you click the link, your default browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) will open. It may look slightly different than Brad's Firefox window. This is normal.

Sensory Check: You are looking for a pop-up window within the software that looks like a news feed. If you don't see it, the functionality still exists manually via the Floriani website, but restoring the window via your specific version's "Preferences" is the long-term fix.

The Fast Download Move: Install All Designs Once, Then Only Install Current Month (My Floriani Today)

Brad’s method follows a "clean bench" philosophy: Get everything organized first so you aren't hunting later.

1. Open Floriani Total Control.
2. Click the free design offer in the My Floriani Today window.
3. Choose between:
   • Install Current Month Designs
   • Install All Designs (The "Catch-Up" Button).
4. Execute: In the video, Brad chooses Install All Designs.
   

Why this matters in a real shop

If this is your first time, Install All Designs builds your foundational library. Think of it as stocking your pantry. For all future months, you only need to click "Current Month."

Pro Tip: Set a recurring calendar reminder for the 1st of every month labeled "Download Floriani Assets." Consistency prevents the "missing file" panic later.

The Install Clicks That Matter: “Run” the File and Finish the Wizard (Browser Download Prompt)

This step scares people because "running executables" feels risky. In this specific context—provided you are clicking the official link generated by the software—it is the correct procedure.

The Action Sequence:

1. Brad clicks Install All Designs.
2. The browser asks what to do with the file. Select Run (or "Open").
3. Sensory Check: You will see a rapid progress bar, followed by a standard installation wizard. You should hear the Windows "chiming" sound indicating a permission request or completion.
4. The installer will close automatically.

Critical Context: If you run multiple computers (e.g., a design station in the office and a laptop by the machine), you must perform this installation on the computer running the software. Installing it on your office PC does not magically transport the files to your embroidery laptop.

Warning: Cyber-safety is paramount. Only click "Run" on installers initiated directly from the legitimate Floriani software interface. If a random pop-up asks you to install a "downloader," cancel immediately.

The “Where Did My Designs Go?” Fix: Find Free Monthly Designs in Floriani Design Library (Sequence View)

Installation is useless if you can't find the asset. Brad navigates to the Design Library, a step many beginners drift past.

The Pathfinder Protocol:

1. Click Create a New Design (Start with a blank slate).
2. Look to the bottom right of your screen. Locate the tab labeled Design Library (usually nested near Sequence View).
3. The Visual Anchor: Look for the folder named Free Monthly Designs.
4. Click the + sign (or arrow) to expand the tree. You will see the hierarchy: Year -> Month -> Designs.
   
   
   
   
   

The Shop-Floor Habit

Do not manually move these folders using Windows Explorer. Let the software manage its own index. If you start dragging folders around on your desktop, you will break the link inside Floriani Total Control, leading to empty library errors.

Drag-and-Drop Like a Pro: Import a Design Thumbnail into the Workspace Grid (Floriani Design Library)

This is the bridge between storage and creation.

Video-Accurate Action:

• Left-Click and Hold the desired thumbail (the yellow sun).
• Drag it into the center of the grid.
• Release.
  

Prep Checklist (Pre-Flight Safety Check)

Before you edit a single stitch, confirm the following:

• Grid Check: Is the design roughly the size you expected? (Use the ruler on screen).
• Fabric Plan: Have you decided exactly what fabric this is for? (Brad uses a Knit T-shirt). This decision dictates the next steps.
• Machine Limits: Does the design size fit your actual physical hoop? (e.g., Don't design a 6x6 file for a 4x4 hoop).

The One Right-Click That Unlocks Real Editing: Ungroup in Floriani Total Control (Change One Color Without Wrecking the Whole Design)

Beginners often struggle here: "I clicked the sun to change the yellow to orange, but it selected the text too!" This happens because the design is Grouped.

The Fix:

1. Right-Click directly on the design in the workspace.
2. Select Ungroup.
   

Sensory Feedback:

• Before: Clicking the sun puts a box around the entire design (sun + text).
• After: Clicking the sun puts a box only around the sun.
  

Risk Control: Once ungrouped, it is dangerously easy to accidentally drag the text out of alignment with the sun. If you are doing production work (like team logos), make your color edits and then immediately select all and Group them again to lock the alignment.

Save to Sew for a Knit T-Shirt: The Settings Brad Uses (Density + Pull Compensation Without Guesswork)

This is the most critical section for quality control. "Save to Sew" is an optimization engine that adjusts stitch physics based on fabric properties.

The Workflow:

1. Insert your USB drive.
2. Go to File > Save to Sew.
   
   
   

Brad’s Knit T-Shirt Formula:

• Digitizing Source: "I didn’t digitize" (Tells software this is a stock file).
• Fabric Choice: "Knit T-shirt" (Crucial).
• Style: "Open and Closed Design."
• Density: "Medium Density."
• Action: When prompted to apply new density, click Yes.
  
  
  
  
  

Expert Insight: Why "Knit T-Shirt" Settings Matter

Knit fabrics are unstable; they stretch. Standard designs will pull the fabric inward, causing puckering (the fabric ripples around the design) or bulletproof patches (too much thread in one spot).

By selecting "Knit T-shirt," the software automatically:

1. Increases Pull Compensation: It makes stitches slightly wider to account for the fabric squeezing in.
2. Adjusts Underlay: It builds a stronger foundation to stabilize the knit.

The Physical Counterpart: Software is only 50% of the solution. If you use the perfect software settings but hoop the shirt poorly (stretching it), you will still get puckered results. This is where tools like hooping for embroidery machine become vital skill sets to master alongside the software.

Warning: Mechanical Hazard. Always keep hands, scissors, and loose clothing/jewelry away from the needle bar while the machine is running. A generic T-shirt sleeve can easily get caught in the moving hoop arm.

Export a Baby Lock PES Version 9 to USB: The “Save As” Choices That Prevent Machine Errors

A common frustration: "I saved the file, but my machine says 'Cannot Read File'." This is usually a version conflict.

The Safe Export Steps:

1. In the "Save to Sew" dialog, browse to your USB Drive.
2. File Name: Keep it short (e.g., "Sun_Tee"). Avoid special characters (&, %, #).
3. Save as Type: Brad selects Baby Lock PES Version 9.
   
   
   

Compatibility Check: If you have an older machine, "Version 9" might be too new. If your machine fails to see the file, try saving as an older version (e.g., PES v6 or v5).

Setup Checklist (Ready for Machine)

• USB Check: Is the drive formatted to FAT32 (standard for most machines)?
• File Logic: Did you save the edited version to the USB, not the generic source file?
• Bobbin Check: Do you have enough bobbin thread to finish the job without a mid-stitch stop?

A Simple Decision Tree: Pick Stabilizer + Hooping Strategy for Knit T-Shirts (So Save to Sew Can Actually Do Its Job)

The software assumes you will stabilize the fabric correctly. If you use the wrong backing, the software's adjustments won't be enough.

Decision Tree for Knit T-Shirts:

1. What Stabilizer?
   • Rule: If it stretches (Knits/Tees), it needs Cutaway (specifically No Show Mesh).
   • Avoid: Tearaway stabilizer on T-shirts. It will eventually disintegrate, leaving the embroidery to distort in the wash.
2. How to adhere?
   • Use temporary spray adhesive (like 505 spray) to bond the shirt to the stabilizer before hooping. This prevents shifting.
3. Hooping Strategy:
   • Friction Hoops (Traditional): You must avoid "drumming" (stretching) the knit. It should lay neutral.
   • Production/Ease: If you struggle with hoop burn (shiny rings) or hand fatigue, consider upgrading to magnetic embroidery hoops. These hold knits firmly without the "friction burn" of traditional rings.
4. Scaling Up?
   • If you are doing a run of 20 shirts, consistency is key. Using babylock hoops that come with the machine is fine, but for speed, magnetic frames significantly reduce the time between loads.

The “JPEG to Stitches” Question: What This Video Covers (and What It Doesn’t)

A brief expectation management note: This tutorial covers managing existing embroidery files. It does not cover converting a JPEG logo into stitches (Auto-Digitizing).

Expert Note: Converting an image to stitches is a complex process. While Floriani has tools for this, simply "saving a JPEG as PES" usually results in poor quality. For beginners, stick to the cleaned-up library designs Brad demonstrates until you are ready to learn manual digitizing.

The Real Reason Save to Sew Helps: Density, Pull, and the Physics of Fabric in the Hoop

Let's look at the physics. A needle enters fabric thousands of times a minute. On a knit T-shirt, every needle penetration pushes fibers apart and pulls threads tight.

"Save to Sew" reduces the trauma by ensuring the stitch density isn't too high. You reduce the trauma by ensuring the fabric doesn't move.

This is why many advanced hobbyists and commercial shops standardize on babylock magnetic hoops. The vertical clamping force secures the fabric without the need to tug and pull, preserving the fabric's grain. If you see waves around your design, your software settings are likely fine—your hooping is likely the culprit.

Warning: Magnetic Safety. High-strength magnets can pinch fingers severely. Keep them away from pacemakers, credit cards, and computerized machine screens.

Troubleshooting the Common “It Didn’t Work Like the Video” Moments (Floriani + USB + Knit Tee Reality)

If you follow the steps and fail, check this diagnostic table.

The Upgrade Path That Actually Saves Time: From “One-Off Hobby” to Repeatable Production

If you are stitching one shirt for a grandchild, this workflow is perfect. But if you are stitching 50 shirts for a local team, you will quickly find that "clicking buttons" isn't the slow part—hooping and thread changes are.

The Productivity Ladder:

1. Level 1: Tool Upgrade. If you fight with hoops, magnetic hoops for babylock embroidery machines are the single fastest way to improve consistency on knits.
2. Level 2: Station Upgrade. Use a hooping station for machine embroidery to ensure every shirt is hooped in the exact same spot (e.g., 4 inches down from the collar).
3. Level 3: Machine Upgrade. If you are tired of stopping to change threads for every color, a single-needle machine is your bottleneck. Moving to a multi-needle machine (like the SEWTECH commercial line) allows you to set up 15 colors at once and finish jobs in half the time.

Operation Checklist (Final Confirmation)

• Stabilizer Match: Cutaway (Mesh) for Knits; Tearaway for Wovens/Hats.
• Topper: Are you using water-soluble topping? (Recommended for knits to keep stitches floating on top).
• Needle Check: Is a fresh Ballpoint needle (75/11) installed? (Sharps cut knit fibers; Ballpoints slide between them).
• Trace: Did you run a trace/border check on the machine to ensure the needle won't hit the hoop?

By combining Brad's software precision with these physical safeguards, you turn "hoping for the best" into "knowing it will work."

FAQ

• Q: In Floriani Total Control, how can Floriani Total Control users restore the “My Floriani Today” window when the startup screen does not appear?
  A: This is common—Floriani Total Control usually still has the feature; the shortcut panel is just hidden by version/layout settings.
  • Verify: Launch Floriani Total Control (the main suite), not a separate utility.
  • Check: Look for a Home icon or Star icon, or open the View menu and look for My Floriani Today.
  • Re-open: Enable the panel again via your version’s Preferences if it was disabled.
  • Success check: A news-feed-style panel appears inside Floriani Total Control and the free design link opens in the default browser.
  • If it still fails: Use the Floriani website to access the monthly designs, then revisit Preferences/View settings to restore the in-software shortcut.
• Q: In Floriani Total Control, where can Floriani Total Control users find the installed “Free Monthly Designs” after clicking “Install All Designs” in My Floriani Today?
  A: Go to Floriani Total Control Design Library and expand the Free Monthly Designs folder tree (Year → Month → Designs).
  • Click: Create a New Design to open a blank workspace.
  • Locate: Bottom-right area for Design Library (often near Sequence View).
  • Expand: Open Free Monthly Designs using the + or arrow.
  • Success check: Design thumbnails appear under the correct Year/Month folders and can be dragged into the grid.
  • If it still fails: Do not move folders in Windows Explorer; let Floriani manage its library index to avoid empty-library issues.
• Q: In Floriani Total Control, how can Floriani Total Control users ungroup a design so changing one color does not select the entire grouped artwork?
  A: Right-click the artwork in the Floriani Total Control workspace and choose Ungroup so elements (like the sun vs. text) can be edited separately.
  • Right-click: Directly on the design in the workspace (not just the color palette).
  • Select: Ungroup, then click the specific element you want to recolor.
  • Re-lock: After the color edit, select all and Group again if alignment must stay fixed for production.
  • Success check: Clicking the sun shows a selection box around only the sun, not the sun + text together.
  • If it still fails: Use Floriani alignment tools to re-center elements before saving if anything shifted during ungrouped editing.
• Q: In Floriani Total Control “Save to Sew,” what Floriani Total Control settings should be used for a Knit T-shirt to reduce puckering (density + pull compensation workflow)?
  A: Use File > Save to Sew and select Knit T-shirt with Medium Density, then accept the density change when prompted.
  • Insert: Plug in the USB drive first, then open File > Save to Sew.
  • Choose: Digitizing Source: “I didn’t digitize” and Fabric Choice: “Knit T-shirt” with Style: “Open and Closed Design”.
  • Set: Density: “Medium Density”, then click Yes when asked to apply new density.
  • Success check: The Save to Sew dialog confirms the knit preset was applied and the file exports cleanly for stitching.
  • If it still fails: Treat hooping and stabilization as the next diagnostic step—software cannot overcome stretched hooping or the wrong stabilizer on knits.
• Q: When exporting from Floriani Total Control to a Baby Lock machine, how can Floriani Total Control users prevent the embroidery machine error “Cannot Read File” caused by PES version mismatch?
  A: Export from Floriani Total Control using Save to Sew and pick a PES version your Baby Lock machine supports; if PES v9 fails, re-export to an older PES version.
  • Save: In Save to Sew, browse directly to the USB drive destination.
  • Name: Use a short filename (example: Sun_Tee) and avoid special characters like &, %, #.
  • Version: Choose Baby Lock PES Version 9 first, then try an older PES version if the machine cannot read it.
  • Success check: The Baby Lock machine displays the design on-screen and allows a trace/border check without a file error.
  • If it still fails: Confirm the USB is FAT32 formatted and that the exported file is the edited Save-to-Sew output (not the original source file).
• Q: For knit T-shirts, what stabilizer and hooping method should machine embroidery users choose so Floriani Total Control “Save to Sew” Knit T-shirt settings actually work on fabric?
  A: Pair the knit preset with cutaway (No Show Mesh) stabilizer and neutral hooping (do not stretch the knit), otherwise puckering is likely.
  • Choose: Use Cutaway (No Show Mesh) for knit T-shirts; avoid tearaway on tees because it can break down and distort after washing.
  • Adhere: Use temporary spray adhesive to bond the shirt to the stabilizer before hooping to reduce shifting.
  • Hoop: Hoop the shirt without “drumming” or stretching; the fabric should lie neutral in the hoop.
  • Success check: After stitching, the design area stays flat (no ripples/waves) and the shirt does not look pulled into a crater.
  • If it still fails: Float/clamp the fabric instead of stretching it in a traditional hoop; magnetic frames are often easier on knits and reduce hoop burn.
• Q: What machine embroidery safety rules should be followed when running an embroidery machine and when using high-strength magnetic embroidery hoops on knit T-shirts?
  A: Keep hands, tools, and loose items away from the moving needle/hoop, and treat magnetic embroidery hoops as pinch hazards that must be kept away from sensitive items.
  • Keep clear: Remove scissors and keep hands away from the needle bar and moving hoop arm while stitching.
  • Control clothing: Secure sleeves, jewelry, and loose fabric so nothing can get caught by the hoop movement.
  • Handle magnets safely: Keep fingers out of clamp points and keep strong magnets away from pacemakers, credit cards, and computerized screens.
  • Success check: The hoop runs a trace/border check without contacting the hoop, and loading/unloading happens without pinched fingers or snagged fabric.
  • If it still fails: Stop the machine immediately, clear the workspace, and restart only after verifying the hoop path and that nothing can be pulled into motion.