Digitizing Basics: How to Customize the Running Stitches, Properties and Styles – Level Advanced

The Running stitch is one of the primary and most essential stitch types in embroidery digitizing. Consisting of a single line of stitching where the needle follows a path with penetration points at regular intervals, it is the ideal choice for creating crisp outlines or intricate decorative details.

Here is a step-by-step guide to applying and fully customizing the Running stitch in your eXPerience 8 embroidery software.

Part 1: Applying the Running Stitch

There are two simple ways to apply a Running stitch to your design:

1. Apply to an existing object: Select a previously digitized part on your workspace, then select the Running type from your stitch properties.
2. Digitize from scratch: Select the Running tool first, and then digitize the path or shape you want to create.

Part 2: Customizing Basic Properties

Once your Running stitch is applied, you can fine-tune its appearance using the Object Properties panel.

1. Stitch Length

The Length option defines the exact distance between the stitch penetration points.

💡 Useful Tip: To get a better view of how this setting affects your design, make sure the View of the stitch points is enabled in your workspace. Simply type a new value and press Enter; the changes will instantly preview on the design area.

2. Outline Width

For outline types, the Width is one of the most important settings.

• Default Width: The standard outline width is 0.4mm, which represents the actual width of a single thread.
• Automatic Thickening: If you increase the outline width, eXPerience 8 automatically applies a double or triple pass style to make the running line look thicker.
  • Example: Changing the width to 0.8mm adds a double-pass style.
  • Example: Changing the width to 1mm (or more) adds a triple-pass style.

Part 3: Adding Decorative Styles

Instead of a simple straight line, you can apply intricate patterns to your running stitch.

1. Choose a Style: Expand the stitches list in your properties panel to reveal a large collection of decorative styles. Click one to apply it instantly.
2. Adjust the Style Height: When applied, the style uses a default size. You can easily adjust the height of the style frame by changing the Outline Width. If you increase the width, the style is proportionally enlarged (the length automatically adjusts to match the new height).
3. Adjust the Style Length: You can also manually adjust the Length of a style (the distance between the first and last stitch of each repetition). Setting a specific length value overrides the proportional scaling, allowing you to stretch or compress the style’s length-to-width ratio.

💡 Useful Tip for Complex Styles: Some larger, more complex decorative styles have a built-in MINIMUM length. If you change the width and it doesn’t seem to affect the design, it is because of this minimum threshold. To change the height of these specific styles, you must enter a Width value that is greater than the current Length value.

Part 4: Advanced Style Options (Mirroring and Frames)

When a decorative style is applied, you unlock additional creative controls:

• Mirror Stitches: Use this option to mirror the style’s stitches horizontally or vertically in various ways.
• Frames: Some stitch styles are built using multiple frames (indicated by a film icon around them in the menu). Using the Frames dropdown, you can select exactly how these frames repeat:
  • All: Repeats all frames in sequence.
  • Middle: Repeats only the middle frames.
  • Random: Opts for a random repeat, ensuring each repetition creates a unique, organic result.

Part 5: Offsets, Passes, and Randomness

1. Offset

You can move the running line away from the original digitized shape by defining an Offset distance.

• Note: Entering a negative value will offset the stitch line to the inside of the shape.

2. Passes and Repeat Offset

You can add more Passes to make the line thicker by having the running line go around the shape 2 or more times.

💡 Useful Tip: When the Passes value is set to 2 or higher, you unlock the Repeat Offset option. By setting a percentage here, you specify a slight distance between the needle penetration points on the subsequent passes. This prevents the needle from piercing the exact same hole multiple times, which significantly reduces fabric stress and prevents tearing!

3. Random Length Variance

The Random field introduces a natural-looking variance to your running stitch lengths. The percentage you enter defines the absolute maximum amount a single stitch can be shortened.

• Example: If your baseline Stitch Length is set to 4mm and you apply a 20% Random factor, the software will generate stitches that vary in length between 3.2mm and 4mm. The randomizer will never exceed your primary length setting.

Part 6: Fixing and Locking Stitches

Finally, you can ensure your running stitch is secured properly using the Fixing (start of the object) and Locking (end of the object) options.

• Auto (Default): The software intelligently decides if fixing/locking stitches are technically necessary based on the object type, density, and overall stitch sequence.
• Never: No fixing/locking stitches will be added. This forces a “soft start,” which is sometimes preferred for delicate fabrics or specific manual digitizing techniques.
• Always: Forces the software to inevitably add fixing/locking stitches, ensuring the thread is secured.