Running stitch
A running stitch is a line of single stitches along a path. StitchCraft sews each stroke of an SVG design
with it, unless the stroke’s stroke_method names another stitch. Use it for outlines, fine details and
lettering at small sizes.
The pictures on this page are drawn by StitchCraft’s own engine and renderer, from the designs in
docs/fixtures/. Each dot is a needle point, and orange rings mark the lock stitches at each end. Each
parameter is set per element, and setting parameters says what
stitch plan reads today.
Stitch length
running_stitch_length_mm sets how long each stitch is, 2.5 mm by default. Between 2 corners the stitches
are spread evenly, and none is longer than the stitch length.
1.5 mm
2.5 mm
4 mm
Short stitches follow a curve closely and make more needle holes. Long stitches are quicker to sew and
show more of each stitch. With a list of lengths, such as 2.5 1, the stitches take the lengths one after another along the
path.
Corners and curves
Where the path turns by more than 30°, StitchCraft puts a needle point on the corner, and the line keeps
its shape. Along a curve, a stitch strays from the curve by at most running_stitch_tolerance_mm, 0.2 mm
by default. With a long stitch length the tolerance shows. Here a half disc is sewn in stitches up to 6 mm
long. Both corners of its straight side get a needle point in every panel. The tolerance sets how closely
the stitches follow the curve.
| 0.1 mm | 0.5 mm | 2 mm |
|---|---|---|
At 2 mm the curve is sewn in 3 straight stitches, and the half disc comes out as a trapezoid. At 0.1 mm StitchCraft sews the curve in more stitches, still all of one length, until each keeps within 0.1 mm of it, and the curve comes out round.
Bean stitch and repeats
bean_stitch_repeats sews each stitch more than once, for a bolder line. At 1 each stitch is sewn 3
times, there, back and there again, and at 2 it is sewn 5 times. With a list such as 1 0, the stitches
alternate between bold and plain.
repeats sews the whole path more than once. At 2 the needle goes there and back, and at 3 there, back
and there again. With an even number the stitching ends where it started.
Random stitch length
Rows of running stitch close together line their needle points up across the rows, and the eye sees
stripes. enable_random_stitch_length varies each stitch’s length by up to
random_stitch_length_jitter_percent, 10 % by default, and the stripes go.
even
random
The stitching still ends on each corner. random_seed sets where the random lengths start. The same
element and seed give the same stitches every time, on every computer, and elements alike given the same
seed vary alike. Left empty, each element varies its own way.
Manual stitch
With stroke_method set to manual_stitch, each node of the path is a needle point and nothing else is.
A curve gives only its end node. Use it to place stitches by hand, or to sew a stitch file that was
traced as a path.
| running stitch | manual stitch |
|---|---|
max_stitch_length_mm splits a hand-placed stitch that is longer into equal parts. Bean stitch applies
to manual stitch, and repeats do not.
The shortest stitch
A stitch shorter than the shortest stitch the machine sews well hammers one hole. StitchCraft never sews
one. The shortest stitch is the machine profile’s, 0.3 mm on the reference Brother, or the element’s own
min_stitch_length_mm when that is longer. A part of the path too short for a stitch is left out, and
SC-W0401 names it. A stitch length below twice the shortest stitch is raised to that, and SC-W0402
says so.
Parameters
The reference lists each parameter with its range and default, on a page for each group:
- running stitch
- repeats and bean stitch
- the stroke method
- the settings every stitch type shares, with manual stitch’s longest stitch