Design settings

In Cross Stitch, design size is controlled by ‘fabric count’. The more stitches per inch, for example, the smaller and more compact the resulting design. You can also adjust the density of individual cross stitches by stitching them once, twice or three times.

A common problem with cross stitch designs is that they ‘pull’, especially with smaller, closely packed stitches. Cross stitch designs tend to pull in a uniform way with gaps usually forming in straight lines. Sometimes holes appear giving the impression of missing stitches.

Click Standard > Crosses to show stitches as colored tiles or cross stitches.

View stitches

  • Click the Crosses icon. Any digitized areas are shown as crosses (or lines for line borders).
  • Click again to show stitches as colored tiles.

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Set design size

You set cross stitch design size by adjusting the ‘fabric count’. This actually changes the scale of your finished design. The more stitches per inch, for example, the smaller and more compact the resulting design. To set the design size...

  • Select Special > Fabric Count.
  • Select the fabric count option - inches or millimeters:
    • Number of stitches per inch: the fewer stitches per inch, the bigger the resulting design.
    • Number of millimeters per number of stitches: because a cross stitch is bigger than a millimeter, you can adjust the mm and stitch settings in relation to each other. The higher the mm value, or smaller the stitch value, the bigger the design.

By clicking Update, you get an immediate conversion of any values you have entered. For example, change the stitches per inch value, click Update, and the corresponding stitches per mm value will be updated. You will see the result onscreen when a hoop is on.

  • Click OK.

Use the Cross Stitch > Threads list to set stitch density. 

Set stitch density

You can adjust the density of a cross stitch by stitching it once, twice or three times. The number of ‘crossovers’ correspond to the values 2, 4 and 6 in the Threads list. You can change these values at any time. To set the stitch density, select a value from the Threads droplist. The value '2' corresponds to a single stitch, '4' is double, while '6' is triple. This is represented on screen by line thickness.

Thread count Thread count 6

Notes:

  • If you make a design smaller to fit inside the hoop, stitches may be stacked on top of each other and pull the fabric. You can avoid this problem by reducing the number of crossovers to single (2 threads) for both fills and outlines. You can also use a thinner weight thread.
  • If you create a design where every square has a stitch, remember to baste and stabilize the fabric.
  • When you move your mouse over the stitch, a tooltip will tell you the type and color of stitch used.