{"id":3311,"date":"2026-03-27T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/?post_type=knowledge-base&#038;p=3311"},"modified":"2026-03-27T11:01:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T11:01:53","slug":"how-to-use-piping-stitches","status":"publish","type":"knowledge-base","link":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/knowledge-base\/how-to-use-piping-stitches\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use the Piping Stitch Type in eXPerience 8 -Level Advanced"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><br>The Piping stitch is a specialized fill type available in eXPerience 8. When applied, the software scans the shape of your object and automatically generates inner contour lines. This creates a beautifully natural flow and a lighter texture, making it the perfect choice for digitizing organic shapes such as petals, leaves, and feathers.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><div  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_50455\"  width=\"1290\" height=\"725\"  data-origwidth=\"1290\" data-origheight=\"725\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kzRVJmfrcik?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;rel=0&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;disablekb=0&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade no-lazyload\" data-epautoplay=\"1\" ><img decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\"  alt=\"YouTube player\"  src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/kzRVJmfrcik\/maxresdefault.jpg\"  \/><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Follow this step-by-step guide to learn how to apply, customize, and decorate your designs using the Piping fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Applying the Piping Fill<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two simple ways to apply the Piping stitch type to your designs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Method A (For Existing Objects):<\/strong>\u00a0Select an already digitized object on your workspace, navigate to the\u00a0<strong>Embroidery Properties<\/strong>\u00a0panel, and choose\u00a0<strong>Piping<\/strong>\u00a0from the fill types.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Method B (For New Objects):<\/strong>\u00a0First, select the\u00a0<strong>Piping<\/strong>\u00a0type in the Embroidery Properties panel. Then, use your digitizing tools to draw a new shape or insert a ready-made one.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Customizing Basic Properties (Density &amp; Length)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once applied, you can fine-tune the Piping fill to suit your specific project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Density:<\/strong>\u00a0This defines the distance between two consecutive stitch lines moving in the same direction. A lower Density value results in tighter stitching and fuller coverage, while a higher Density offers lighter coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Length:<\/strong>\u00a0This option dictates the distance between the needle penetration points along each row.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Useful Tip &#8211; Fabric Settings:<\/strong>&nbsp;Your Density and Length defaults are tied to your chosen fabric. If you change the fabric type in eXPerience 8, these properties will adjust automatically to ensure optimal stitch quality!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Useful Tip &#8211; Texture &amp; Stitch Count:<\/strong>&nbsp;Carefully adjusting your Density allows you to create beautiful textures and highlight certain areas of the design while keeping your overall stitch count remarkably low.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Managing Irregular Shapes &amp; Creating 3D Effects<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Piping is incredibly versatile for irregular shapes that feature both wide and narrow sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Using Short\/Long:<\/strong>\u00a0By default, the software adds shorter lines to fill in wider areas. This intelligently prevents excessive, dense stitching from building up in the narrowest parts of your shape.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Creating a 3D Effect:<\/strong>\u00a0If you disable the\u00a0<strong>Short\/Long<\/strong>\u00a0option (allowing stitch lines to run continuously from one side to the other) and purposefully increase your Density value, you can create a highly realistic 3D, raised effect on many shapes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Controlling Stitch Flow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can manipulate exactly how the Piping contours sit inside your shape using the&nbsp;<strong>Stitch Flow<\/strong>&nbsp;tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Divide and Direction Lines:<\/strong>\u00a0Piping objects support multiple divide and direction lines, giving you complete control over how stitches flow through different sections of a single object.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Custom Directions:<\/strong>\u00a0You can assign individual directions to each divided area for highly precise results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spiral Layouts:<\/strong>\u00a0Generate a mesmerizing spiral layout inside a closed shape simply by adding point directions directly at the center of the shape.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5: Decorating with Style Stitches and Patterns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Take your Piping fills to the next level by applying decorative textures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Applying Style Stitches:<\/strong>\u00a0Expand the\u00a0<strong>Stitches<\/strong>\u00a0list in your properties to find a large collection of decorative styles. Apply any style with a single click. (To remove a style, simply press the &#8220;x&#8221; icon).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>How Styles Scale:<\/strong>\u00a0Think of a style as a rectangular block. When a style is applied,\u00a0<strong>Density<\/strong>\u00a0defines the distance between the centers of every two rows of the repeated stitches, and\u00a0<strong>Length<\/strong>\u00a0defines the distance between the first and last needle point of each style in a row. If you adjust the Length, the Density updates automatically to maintain proportions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Applying Patterns:<\/strong>\u00a0Similarly, you can expand the\u00a0<strong>Patterns<\/strong>\u00a0list and click to apply unique pattern layouts. You can even combine different Stitches and Patterns for entirely unique designs!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Useful Tip &#8211; Minimum Lengths:<\/strong>&nbsp;Keep in mind that styles have a minimum length constraint (typically 5 mm). Because of this, reducing the length below this threshold may not visually change the result on your screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Useful Tip &#8211; Resetting Defaults:<\/strong>&nbsp;Made too many adjustments? At any point, you can right-click on the Piping icon and choose&nbsp;<strong>Reset<\/strong>&nbsp;to return all properties to their default settings.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 6: Setting Fixing and Locking Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To ensure your Piping stitches don&#8217;t unravel, you need to manage how the machine secures the thread at the start and end of the object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Auto (Default):<\/strong>\u00a0The software intelligently decides whether fixing\/locking stitches are technically necessary based on the object type, stitch density, and overall sequence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never:<\/strong>\u00a0No fixing stitches will be added. This forces a &#8220;soft start&#8221; which can be useful for certain delicate fabrics or blending techniques.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Always:<\/strong>\u00a0Fixing\/locking stitches will inevitably be forced at the start\/end of the object, ensuring maximum security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Piping stitch is a specialized fill type available in eXPerience 8. When applied, the software scans the shape of your object and automatically generates inner contour lines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3313,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":""},"categories-kb":[333,337],"class_list":["post-3311","knowledge-base","type-knowledge-base","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","categories-kb-how-to-training","categories-kb-how-to-training-advanced"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"categories-kb":[{"value":333,"label":"How to Training"},{"value":337,"label":"How to Training - Advanced"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/understanding-the-piping-stitch-1-1-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"eXPerience embroidery software","author_link":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/author\/experience-embroidery-software\/"},"comment_info":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge-base\/3311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge-base"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge-base"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3313"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"categories-kb","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wingsxp.com\/embroidery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories-kb?post=3311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}