How to Use Stitch Flow to Control Stitch Directions and Divide Objects – Level Operator

The Stitch flow mode is a powerful feature in eXPerience 8 designed to give you precise artistic control over your designs. It allows you to adjust the angle of stitches and strategically divide objects into smaller sections, improving the overall embroidery quality and final appearance.

This guide will walk you through how to use the “Directions” and “Divide” tools within Stitch flow.

Part 1: Adjusting Stitch Direction on Step Objects

For Step fill objects, Stitch flow allows you to define a single, uniform direction for the stitches.

1. Activate Stitch Flow: First, select a Step object in your design. Then, start the Stitch flow tool from the toolbar.
2. Apply a Direction Line: With the “Directions” tool automatically active, move your cursor over the object. You will notice the cursor holds a red dot. Click and drag across the object to draw a line that defines the new stitch angle.
3. Confirm the Direction: Release the mouse button. The stitches will immediately regenerate to follow the path of the red direction line you just created.
   • Note: Step objects can only have one direction line. Drawing a new line will automatically replace the previous one.
4. Edit the Direction: To fine-tune the angle, click and drag the small nodes at the ends of the red direction line.
5. Delete the Direction: To remove the custom direction and revert to the software’s default angle, click the ‘X’ icon that appears in the middle of the red line.

![Image placeholder for adjusting direction on a Step object]

Part 2: Dividing and Applying Directions to Satin & Piping Objects

For Satin and Piping objects, Stitch flow offers greater flexibility, allowing you to both divide the object and set unique stitch directions for each new section.

1. Activate Stitch Flow: Select a Satin or Piping object in your design and start the Stitch flow tool.
2. Choose Your Tool: At the top of the design area, you will see two options: Directions and Divide.
3. Divide the Object:
   • Click the “Divide” tool to select it.
   • Move your cursor over the object’s outline. It will now hold a green dot.
   • Click and drag from one side of the object to the other to create a green “divide” line. The object is now split into sections.
   • You can continue adding more divide lines to create as many sections as you need.
4. Apply Directions to New Sections:
   • Click the “Directions” tool to switch modes.
   • Click and drag within any of the newly created sections to apply a specific stitch direction to that area. These will appear as red direction lines.
   • Repeat this process for each section to create dynamic, flowing stitch effects.

![Image placeholder for dividing and adding directions to a Satin object]

Managing Your Direction and Divide Lines

As you work, it’s important to know how to edit your lines and understand which tool is active.

• Editing: You can only edit or delete lines for the currently active tool. For example, if “Directions” is enabled, you can only interact with the red lines. To edit green divide lines, you must first select the “Divide” tool.
• Deleting: Click the ‘X’ icon in the middle of any line to delete it.

Useful Tip: Speed Up Your Workflow

To work more efficiently, you can press the ‘D’ key on your keyboard to quickly toggle between the “Directions” and “Divide” tools. This saves you from having to move your mouse to the top of the screen to switch modes.

By mastering the Stitch flow tools, you can create unique and complex designs, turning simple shapes into intricate objects with multiple sub-sections (like branches or petals), each with its own perfect stitch direction.