Frequently Asked Questions
Define Shapes
Shapes are defining the area of a design which should be outlined or filled with stitches.
- Shapes consist of one or more connected lines or curves, called paths. A "closed" path is ending at its starting point, and can be filled. Parts of a shape which are not connected are called "subpaths".
- While a straight line is defined by a start and end point (called "anchor points"), a curve has two additional "control points" defining the slope at its start and end.By moving these control points the sharpness of a curve can be adjusted.
- Rectangles and circles are predefined shapes which can be easily added and adopted.
- A shape can be saved and reused by importing it into the same or a different design.
How to create / modify shapes
- Use the menu item "Design" > "Add Shape…" or the corresponding toolbar icon: A new window for creating shapes is shown. All stitches in the design view become grayscaled, and the previously created path (if any) is loaded. Use the "Delete" toolbar icon to start from scratch.
- Change the toolbar's mode selector to "Individual Path" to define a shape by adding anchor points in the design view.
- A single-click starts a new subpath.
- An anchor point is placed with every additional click, terminating the current path element and starting a new one.
- By holding the <Option> key a curve is added, starting with the slope of its previous element.
- Right-clicking undos the last anchor point.
- Double-clicking ends the current subpath, which is closed if <Shift> is pressed when clicking.
- Change the toolbar's mode selector to "Rectangular Path" or "Round Path" to create a corresponding shape.
- Click and drag to add the subpath.
- Holding the <Shift> key will restrict the new subpath to a square / circle.
- To edit existing shapes change the toolbar's mode selector to "Adjust Paths" and move the cursor over corresponding items:
- Paths can be moved by dragging, holding the <Option> key will only move the clicked subpath.
- Paths can be rotated by dragging while holding the <Command> key, simultaneously holding the <Option> key will only rotate the clicked subpath.
- An anchor point can be moved by dragging, for curves connected control points are moved accordingly.
- Control points can be dragged, the counterpart control point (if any) is moved accordingly.
Hold the <Option> key to move a single control point. Hold the <Command> key to move a control point while keeping its direction to the anchor point.
- Right-click on a (sub-) path for additional options:
- The complete shape or a single subpath can be cut / copied / deleted, and paths can be pasted from the clipboard.
- An anchor point can be inserted (keeping the current line / curve) or removed.
- Lines can be changed to curves (introducing control points), curves can be changed to straight lines.
- A subpath can be opened or closed (required to apply a fill).
- Save / import shapes:
- A shape can be saved to a file (name extension ".stbpath") by using the corresponding toolbar icon.
- Shapes imported from a saved file will be added, and do not replace an existing path.
All operations can be undone while the "Add Shape…" dialog window is open. Learn in this chapter how to outline or fill a shape.