Digitize appliqué

Automatically create all the stitching you need for appliqué using the Digitize Appliqué tool. Up to three types of ‘secondary objects’ can be generated together with a frame-out position.

ElementPurpose
Placement lines

These are the first appliqué layer to be stitched. Optionally, they are used to position pre-cut appliqué patches on the background material.

Cutting lines

Cutting lines form a guide for trimming the fabric of an appliqué patch when using the "Trim-in-place" style.

Tackdown

This is a zigzag or run stitch placed after placement and cutting lines, and used to fix appliqué patches to the background fabric before cover stitching is applied.

Frame outA ‘frame out’ is automatically set. During stitchout, it causes the hoop to shift out from beneath the needle, making it easier to place and trim appliqué shapes.

When you stitch out an appliqué object, the machine stops between layers. Before you start, lay the fabric over the design and start the machine. When the guideline has been stitched, trim the excess appliqué material and start the machine again for the tackdown and cover stitch. If you are using a cutting line, place the fabric patch after the placement line has been stitched, then trim in position after the cutting line has been stitched.


 

Use Appliqué > Digitize Appliqué to create closed appliqué objects with up to four layers of stitching – guide runs, cutting lines, tack stitches, and cover stitches.

Create appliqué objects

Use Digitize Appliqué to generate all the stitching you require for normal appliqué. The digitizing method is the same as for normal closed shapes. Up to four layers of stitching – placement line, cutting line, tackdown and cover stitch – are generated. Options determining single or multiple boundaries as well as frame-out position can be pre-set. To create appliqué objects:

  • Insert an image for use as a digitizing backdrop and click Digitize Appliqué. The Object Properties > Appliqué docker opens.
  • Digitize the boundary of the appliqué, marking reference points around the perimeter - left-click for corner points, right-click for curve points.
  • If you make a mistake, press <Backspace> to delete the last reference point. Press <Enter> to close the shape.
  • Mark stitch entry and exit points or press <Enter> to accept the defaults. Up to four layers of stitching – placement line, cutting line, tackdown and cover stitch – are generated according to current settings. This object in this image has been broken apart to show the four layers...

 

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Appliqué styles

You can specify whether to pre-cut your appliqué or trim it in place.

  • Select and double-click the appliqué object. The Appliqué docker tab is divided into five functional areas - fabric, style, tackdown stitch, cover stitch, and offset.

  • Use 'pre-cut' if the appliqué shape has already been cut out on an appliqué cutter or by some other means. This option includes a placement line as a guide to position pre-cut fabric patches prior to tack down. Check it using the Stitch Player. Note that 'pre-cut' includes three appliqué elements - placement line, tackdown stitch, cover stitch...

  • In addition to a placement line, the trim-in-place option adds a cutting line to hold fabric in place and provide a cutting guide. Use this option if you want to cut the appliqué fabric in place.


 

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Appliqué stitch settings

The cover stitch is the border around an appliqué shape. You can control various cover settings including stitch type – Satin, Blanket or Zigzag – width, stitch spacing, as well as offset. Tack stitch, as the name suggests, is used to hold down the appliqué piece after it has been placed in position.

  • Select a tack stitch type from the droplist - Single Run, Blanket, or Zigzag - and adjust width and/or spacing as needed. The choice of tack stitch will be determined by the roughness of the fabric edge and possibly the weight of fabric used. Width is constrained by the width of cover stitch.
  • Select a cover stitch from the droplist – Satin, Blanket, or Zigzag. Similarly, you have control over cover stitch width and spacing.

  • Use the slider to offset the cover stitch relative to – inside or outside – the placement line. The offset can be inside or outside the appliqué boundary. Satin defaults to none while Blanket is always 100% inside.


 

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Appliqué fabrics

The Object Properties > Appliqué docker contains a Fabric panel which allows you to choose a fabric or plain color to assign to your appliqué patches. Each appliqué object in a design can have a different fabric. Choose from amongst the included ‘factory’ swatches or choose a scanned sample of the fabric you want to use. To place a fabric...

  • Double-click or right-click an appliqué object.
  • Click Appliqué Fabric. The Appliqué Fabric dialog opens. Choose a fabric or plain color in the dialog to assign to your appliqué patch. The Fabric/Color/None options allow you to select between fabrics or plain colors.
  • Use the Appliqué Fabric toggle to turn appliqué fabrics/colors display on/off.