How to trace Satin Stitches

Learn how to trace Satin Stitches in Florian FTCU.

In FTCU, you can trace 3 different kinds of Satin Stitches. Each of the satin tools have a specific purpose. This lesson will show you how to trace a shape with each of them. You will also learn when to use each kind of Satin stitch.

Skill Level: Beginner

There are three kinds of Satin Stitch Tools to use for manual digitizing:

Steil Stitch

• trace a straight line
• no variable width

Classic Satin

• trace side to side (similar to a “ladder” effect)
• variable width

Satin Stitch

• trace around a shape (similar to using the Fill stitch tool)
• variable width

 

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Before you start this lesson, I suggest that you set your FTCU workspace settings to match mine. Then, when you are working through the steps in the lesson, you will see the same view that I am showing you.

I recommend these settings when you are first learning to digitize. Later, you can change your preferences to some of the Advanced settings and give those a try.

 

 

Steil stitch tool:

• the steil stitch is a constant width satin stitch
• it is good to use for borders and outlining an image
• you can change the size of the width, but it will always remain that consistent width while tracing the segment
• the stitches are equal distance apart
• this is the easiest (and most basic) of the satin stitches
• of all the satin stitches, this one is probably used the most when digitizing

For the Steil stitch, you will be using an image from the Backdrop Library in Floriani FTCU.

• click on NEW page icon on the top tool bar (under the word FILE).
• click on the Backdrop Library tool on the top toolbar
• scroll to image FBD099.
• click on the image to open.

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the STEIL stitch tool
• in the properties box, leave the WIDTH of the stitch to 2.5 (default)

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE THREAD COLOR

• left click on any thread color of your choice

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• start on the RIGHT side of the cat and begin left clicking to trace using LEFT clicks to set the anchor points
• RIGHT click when finished.
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those next
• enlarge your screen to 200% or more to see the details

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• In the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on STEIL to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

 

EDIT THE SATIN STITCH WIDTH – AS NEEDED

After seeing your finished trace, you may decide you would like the stitch width to be a different width.

Here is how to adjust the width:

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on STEIL to select the stitch
• In the properties box, the default width is 2.5, but you can adjust to whatever you would like.
• click APPLY when finished.

Note: Most embroidery machines cannot stitch a satin stitch that is wider than 9.0 mm. Check your User’s Manual to see the maximum width for your machine.

Classic Satin stitch tool:

• the classic satin can be a variable width satin stitch
• when tracing the line, you will place anchor points from side to side
• placement of your anchor points will determine the width of the satin stitch as well as the angle lines of the satin stitch. (the angle lines can be adjusted when editing)
• this classic satin is good to use for small fill areas on an image
• this satin stitch is very useful, but it does take some practice to get a smooth satin stitch

For the classic stitch, you will be using an image from the Backdrop Library in Floriani FTCU.

OPEN THE BACKDROP IMAGE

• click on NEW page icon on the top tool bar (under the word FILE).
• click on the Backdrop Library tool on the top toolbar
• scroll to image FBD002 – dragonfly
• click on the dragonfly image and open

Note: This image is being used as a sample to demonstrate the classic satin tool.

You will not be digitizing all of the segments of this image. You will only be doing the 4 wing segments to be able to practice using the classic satin stitch tool.

The other segments of this image require stitch tools that are not being included in this tutorial since the focus is on digitizing satin stitches. Those stitch tools will be explained in later tutorials.

 

First, let’s create a digitizing plan to follow. Here is what you will be doing:

 

DIGITIZING ORDER #1 – RIGHT WING

 

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the CLASSIC SATIN stitch tool in the top row.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE THREAD COLOR

• left click on a dark blue thread color

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• Note: when tracing the shape using the classic satin – you must trace from side to side – (this allows you to vary the size of the satin stitch width)

• start on the inside corner of the #1 dk blue wing – trace the segment side to side using LEFT clicks to set the anchor points •
  enlarge screen to 200% or more, if needed
• RIGHT click when finished.
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those next

Here is a closeup view of how to place the anchor points at the end of the wing. Note how they taper closer to each other to make a curved edge.

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on SATIN PATH to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• adjust the black angle lines as needed
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

 

TWO THINGS TO MAKE NOTE OF AS YOU ARE TRACING:

One:

• notice how in the beginning of tracing the wing, the points are across from each other.
• as you start to trace the curve, the points are closer together on the top tracing line and further apart on the bottom line as you get closer to the curve. This is done to create the angle for the satin stitch. (The white dashed line shows the angle that is being created by the points placed – it is not a stitch.) You will see the results when the satin stitches are generated. See diagram above.

Two:

• when tracing, near the end of the wing, the last points are placed lower and near the middle part of the wing. This is done to narrow the satin stitch to fill in the edge of the wing. See the diagram.

And here is how it looks when the stitches are generated:

DIGITIZING ORDER #2 – LEFT WING

 

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the CLASSIC SATIN stitch tool in the top row.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE THREAD COLOR

• skip this step – you are using the SAME color, you DO NOT need to click on a thread color (the previous color will still be selected)

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• Note: when tracing the shape using the classic satin – you must trace from side to side – (this allows you to vary the size of the satin stitch width)

• starting at inside corner – trace the segment side to side using LEFT clicks to set the anchor points
• enlarge screen to 200% or more, if needed
• RIGHT click when finished.
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those next

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on SATIN PATH to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• adjust the black angle lines as needed
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

And here is how your design should look now:

DIGITIZING ORDER #3 – LT BLUE WING (LEFT)

 

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the CLASSIC SATIN stitch tool in the top row.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE THREAD COLOR

• left click on a light blue thread color on the thread color toolbar

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• Note: when tracing the shape using the classic satin – you must trace from side to side – (this allows you to vary the size of the satin stitch width)

• starting at inside corner – trace the segment side to side using LEFT clicks to set the anchor points
• enlarge screen to 200% or more, if needed
• RIGHT click when finished.
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those next

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on SATIN PATH to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• adjust the black angle lines as needed
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

And, here is how your design should look now:

DIGITIZING ORDER #4 – LT BLUE WING (RIGHT)

 

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the CLASSIC SATIN stitch tool in the top row.

STEP 2: CHOOSE THE THREAD COLOR

• skip this step – you are using the SAME color, you DO NOT need to click on a thread color (the previous color will still be selected)

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• Note: when tracing the shape using the classic satin – you must trace from side to side – (this allows you to vary the size of the satin stitch width)

• starting at inside corner – trace the segment side to side using LEFT clicks to set the anchor points
• enlarge screen to 200% or more, if needed
• RIGHT click when finished.
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those next

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on SATIN PATH to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• adjust the black angle lines as needed
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

Here is what your sequence view will look like now:

You now have practiced using two of the satin stitch tools in FTCU.

Next, you will learn to trace with the Satin Path Tool.

The third type of Satin Stitch tool in FTCU works similar to the fill stitch tool.

Satin Path Stitch Tool

This Satin tool is similar to tracing with the Fill tool

• you will trace AROUND the edge of the shape
• (this allows you to vary the size of the satin stitch width) and then add an angle line.

For the Satin stitch, you will be using an image from the Backdrop Library in Floriani FTCU.

• click on NEW page icon  on the top tool bar (under the word FILE).
• click on the Backdrop Library tool   on the top tool bar
• scroll to image FBD019.
• click on the image to open.

STEP 1: CHOOSE THE STITCH

• left click on the Tool icon on the top toolbar
• left click on the SATIN stitch tool in the top row.

STEP 2: CHOOSE A THREAD COLOR

• left click on a RED thread color on the thread color toolbar

STEP 3: TRACE THE SHAPE

• enlarge the screen to 200% to see the shape
• trace AROUND the EDGE of the shape using LEFT clicks to follow the shape and set the anchor points
• notice that I only placed a few nodes, you will edit those in the next step
• place the final anchor point on top of the first
• RIGHT click on the workspace

SET THE ANGLE LINES

• you will see a BLACK DOT on the end of your cursor
• LEFT click and HOLD DOWN on the outside of the edge of the shape (near the center area)
• drag the angle line ACROSS the center of the shape – from one edge across to the other edge
• LEFT click again and HOLD DOWN to drag the angle line ACROSS at one end of the shape
• LEFT click again and HOLD DOWN to drag the angle line ACROSS the other end of the shape
• (see black nodes and angles line in image below)
• RIGHT click to finish generating the stitches

STEP 4: EDIT THE SHAPE

• in the sequence view, click on the plus sign to open the stitch (if not open)
• click on SATIN PATH to select the stitch
• click on the EDIT SHAPE tool (on the left toolbar)
• hover the cursor over one of the traced lines of the segment
• drag the lines to adjust > drag the nodes to adjust
• adjust the black angle lines as needed
• enlarge the screen to 200% or more to see the details
• RIGHT click when finished to set the changes

Repeat the above steps for each of the red shapes:

Here is how the Satin Stitch will look and the sequence view:

If you would like to digitize the entire fireworks design, then repeat the above satin steps for each of the blue color and the yellow color.

Trace all the shapes of one color before moving to the next color. This will minimize your color stops and thread changes when stitching the design.

I hope you find this tutorial for how to trace Satin Stitches helpful. It is a basic guide to digitizing a design using the Fill Stitch Tool.

You can find more in-depth tutorials and videos showing the exact step-by-step details for using all the Floriani FTCI tools inside the Embroidery Gatherings Membership Club! There are over 75 lessons to help you learn to digitize with Floriani FTCU.

And, you can get one-on-one coaching and guidance on digitizing your own designs, too. You can join HERE!

And, as always, if you have any questions, please send me an email at: paula@embroiderygatherings.com and I will be happy to help!

 

 

If you would like a PDF written copy of this tutorial, fill out the email form below and it will be emailed to you!