Custom Outline Samples

Samples are simple stitch formations used to create fancy outlines. They are aligned along the outline in a continuous sewing pattern.

Samples are designed to allow seamless, continuous connection.

Sample aligned continuously along the outline.

There are a number of pre-defined stitch samples included with Studio, but users can also create up to five custom outline samples that are saved with the design. Studio contains a built-in sample editor that facilitates this task.

Sample Editor

Use the main menu > Gadgets > Fragment Editors command to open the window with available editors. Switch to the Sample Editor.

The meaning of the controls in this window is as follows:

Controls

While the meaning of many controls in the editor window is self-explanatory, some require further clarification:

Start Simulation: Use this command from the pop-up menu to run a slow simulation of how the sample stitches will be sewn.

Save Sample: Use this command from the pop-up menu to store the sample on the disk in order to transfer it to another design.

Open Sample: Use this command from the pop-up menu to load a sample saved previously from another design.

Clear: Use this command from the pop-up menu to reset the selected custom sample to a single stitch.

Import Image: Use this command from the pop-up menu to open an image and use it as the template when drawing the sample.

Snap to Grid: Switch this option ON in the pop-up menu if you want to nudge nodes and align them to the grid when moving them in the work area.

How to Draw a New Sample

Samples are small formations of stitches. They are created from a single stitch by inserting nodes (needle points) between the first and last point and moving them within the work area.

To examine pre-defined Studio samples, Open Sample from the PATTERNS subfolder of the main EMBIRD folder.

To make a new sample, use the combo box (C) to select a custom sample to edit. The initial form of a custom sample is a single stitch.

Preserving the position of the first (S) and last (E) points ensures seamless connection of samples.

New sample - initial stitch.

Insert a new node by clicking in the work area.

A node inserted between the first and last point.

Insert another new node by clicking in the work area. The new node is added after the focused node.

Another node inserted. The sample is finished.

The new sample is finished. When you close the editor window, the new sample will appear in the list of available samples in the parameters window for outlines. It will look like shown in the picture below.

How to delete a node? A node can be deleted with a long click or tap (about 1 second), by right-clicking the mouse button, by hitting the Delete key on the keyboard, or by clicking the Delete Node button on the vertical splitter. The first and the last node cannot be deleted, as a sample must consist of at least one stitch.

Continuous formation of samples projected along the line.

This sample is saved with the current design. If you need to copy it to another design, use the Save Sample command from the pop-up menu to store it. When you open another design in Studio, you can load this sample from the storage.

Parameters

Samples are used by Studio such that they are projected into virtual cells along the outline or inside the fill. The size of these cells is defined by the Min. Length, Length, and Width parameters.

Samples are projected into virtual cells of constant width and constant or variable length. Variable length allows a better fit to the arc of the outline.

Length is the normal length of the sample.

Min. Length defines the smallest cell length in curves. Set the minimum length to the same value as Length if you want a constant length for the samples.

Width is the width of the sample.

Projection: When Studio projects samples into virtual cells, the sample is adjusted to place the first and last sample point exactly onto the cell's front and back edges. There are multiple ways to perform this adjustment. Users can select which method will be used:

1. Stretch - the whole sample is deformed (stretched) to fit into the cell.
2. Add Jump - the sample is not deformed, but a jump stitch is added to its end.
3. Add Stitch - the sample is not deformed, but a running stitch is added to its end.

Stretch, Add Jump, and Add Stitch methods to fit a sample into a cell.

Most outline samples use the Stretch method. Special outlines like "Candlewick" that should be composed of undeformed objects connected by jumps or running stitches use the Add Jump or Add Stitch methods.