Basic Shapes
Basic shapes like rectangle, ellipse, star etc. are available from main menu > Shape
. These shapes are accessible only in the creation/editing
mode, when object's nodes are editable. This mode allows to use shapes for any type of object and to combine several shapes (like ellipses) into a single object.
Example 1 - Star
Let's start with a simple example - a star shape used as a fill object.
1.
Click on the Fill Tool
button in the tool bar at the left side of the screen. This will start the creation/editing mode.
2.
Click on the work area to create the first node. Note that there is a spider leg control on this node. This control indicates angles of underlay and cover stitches of the fill.
3.
4.
Click on the work area
and draw shape with dragging cursor on the work area with primary mouse button depressed. Release the button. Shape is not finished yet. Its size and position is only approximate.
5.
Adjust the shape position and size with use of the nodes 1 and 2.
6.
Click secondary mouse button anywhere on the work area to open the pop-up menu. Select to Elements
option.
7.
Shape is converted into the series of elements and nodes. The series begins and end on a spot nearest to the first node created in step 2.
8.
Click secondary mouse button anywhere on the work area again. Select Generate Stitches
command from the pop-up menu that appears on the screen. Finished object is plain fill object with shape of a 5 point star.
Note
: on device without mouse, instead of a secondary button mouse click you can use a pop-up menu
button to invoke the pop-up menu.
Example 2 - Satin Stitch Ellipse
In creation/editing mode it is easy to combine several shapes into a single object. The most common case is drawing of satin stitch ellipse.
1.
Click on the Column Tool
button in the tool bar at the left side of the screen. This will switch Studio into creation/editing mode.
2.
Click on the work area to place the first node of the object. The first node is marked by a hairline cross.
3.
Click on another place to create a base of the column object. Note that focused node is displayed with thick border. The base is displayed as a dashed line. Both edges will start in this base and end in another base at the opposite end of the column. Basis are always straight lines and they define angle of stitches at beginning and end of the column. Angle of stitches in between is interpolated from these two basis.
4.
Use main menu >Shape >Ellipse (8 Elements)
to select the ellipse shape. Lower number of elements is suitable for small ellipses, because it produces lower number of nodes and is easier to edit. Higher number of elements in this case means smoother shape closer to the ideal ellipse.
5.
Draw ellipse close to the focused point. Use nodes 1 and 2 to adjust ellipse size and position accurately.
6.
Click secondary mouse button anywhere on the work area and select to Elements
command from the pop-up menu.
7.
The first side of column is finished.
8.
Now click on the first node of the second side to focus it.
9.
10.
Draw second ellipse close to focused point.
11.
Click secondary mouse button and select to Elements
command from the pop-up menu.
12.
Both sides of ellipse are drawn.
13.
Click secondary mouse button anywhere on the work area again. Select Generate Stitches
command from the pop-up menu that appears on the screen. Finished object is plain column object with shape of ellipse.
Example 3 - Rounded Rectangle
The principle of rounded rectangle creation is the same as in previous examples. There is only one exception - this shape uses additional controls for curvature of the corners. These controls are located in the tool box
panel and they look like this:
Use the first control to adjust the horizontal curvature of the rectangle corners. Second control affects the vertical curvature. Adjustment of controls of this type is explained in the Parameters chapter.
Rounded rectangles with different amount of curvature.
