How to: Complete Design Outline for fleece underlay

[Dorothy Compton]

I seem to remember there was a way to put an outline around a complete design (like a trace) as a simple running stitch that could then be converted to a fill. I'd like to take a design and put a light underlay the same color as a fleece jacket so the stitching won't be buried in the pile. Am I remembering correctly or am I crazy. I could manually do it but thought this might be really good to know and would save time if it's possible. Any ideas?

Dorothy

[Mama Kass]

I know you can do this each element in a design, but, at least with my version of DS, not with an entire design of multiple elements.

[ckramer]

Believe it totally depends on your level of DS. I have had 7,9, and now 10. To change from one style to another either hold control and select the style you now desire, or go to operations, change element type and select fill, replace, and it's done for you. Yes, you can just do a walk stitch around it and use either of these technics. Cannot remember if version 7 allowed me to do this. If your version is older, just do it with a fill and set your density very light, like 40-50, then duplicate it and change your direction to create a crosshatch look which will hold down the fleece very nicely. I do it all the time for small lettering or smaller elements. Good luck

[Mama Kass]

ckramer, but this is changing each element rather than the total design, right? I think she's wanting to outline the entire design in one step, then change the whole thing to fill for an underlay.

[Greenwing]

It takes very little time to use the shape fill tool to make a VERY accurate outline of any design.
then they can do what ever they want with it....

some things you just need to do not look for a short cut that in the long run is more time consuming..

[Mama Kass]

Not trying to correct you - just understand; I greatly appreciate your digitizing answers. Maybe it's my dinosaur version 5, but is the "shape fill tool" the same thing as complex fill. I don't think I have anything that makes an outline of the entire design. If you do, this may be another reason for me to update when $$$ is available..

[ckramer]

To answer your question, yes, you would need to create an outline around the design with say a walk stitch as she suggested, then change it to the style she desired.

[Greenwing]

Yes it is the complex fill tool.
you just need to click around your design using left clicks for straight areas and right clicks for curved.
If I am not mistaken Version 5 you needed to use a left "Straight" click in between every right "Curved" click to form the curve.
They fixed this issue in version 7 but I think it was this way in version 5.

If you want I can put it under your design for you just send it and i will this evening.
have a great day!!

[Mama Kass]

Thank you for the answers. You're right about the alternating straight and curved points for an even curve in version 5. I know how to do this but thought a feature that I did not have was being described. Dorothy, sorry about taking over your posting - I hope you got the answer you needed.