Mesh Tool - 5. Crosses Parameters

This is a sub-chapter of the Mesh Parameters chapter.

A favored and quite simple technique within counted-thread embroidery is cross-stitch. Its hallmark is the use of distinctive X-shaped stitches to build up a design.

This page describes the Crosses parameters available within the Mesh tool of Embird Studio NEXT, a software for computerized machine embroidery. It provides a guide to creating cross-stitch style embroidery fills by allowing users to select the cross type, adjust the size of the crosses, control the fill span within object boundaries, align the crosses to a common grid for consistent patterning, and optimize stitch density by merging collinear half lines.

Kind - select the cross type for the mesh fill.

Full Crosses

Size refers to the dimension of individual crosses. All crosses within the object have the same size unless some effect or transformation is used.

Span defines the extent of the cross fill with respect to the object contours. Possible values are Overflow, Cropped, and Interior. In the case of Overflow fill, you may want to exclude object contours from the mesh. This can be done in the Common Settings tab.

Align to Common Grid. This option allows you to align crosses in individual objects to the same grid. For this alignment to work, the objects must have the same size of crosses, and no effects or transformations can be used.

No alignment

Aligned to common grid

Merge Half Lines. Crosses are formed from half lines that meet in the center of the cross. Some half lines are collinear and can be merged to decrease the stitch count. However, this may affect the uniform texture of the stitches.

Separate half stitches

Merged half stitches