Motif fill allows you to use motifs to create fill for an object. Your embroidery will become even more beautiful using this technique.

What you'll learn
Motif fill allows you to use motifs to create fill for an object. Your embroidery will become even more beautiful using this technique. To show how to use Motif Fill, we will use the Pieces3.2 bitmap from the Embroidery Album.

Select a Hoop

1. We plan to use Hoop ST (Standard Hoop). To choose your hoop, click the down arrow in the Hoop Selection box to see the choices.
2. Click on the hoop you want to use.
3. It will appear in the Hoop Selection box and will show on your design screen.

Note: The MC11000 Hoop ST has the same dimensions as the MC10001 Hoop A.

Open the Image

1. To insert the Pieces3.2 bitmap on the design screen,
Click Image, Insert Image...
2. The Open dialog box will appear.
3. If necessary, change the Look in: box to the Embroidery Album, which was placed on your C: drive when Digitizer Pro was installed.
4. Click Pieces3.2 once to see it in the Preview window.
5. Click Open to bring the bitmap to the design screen.

Note: if you do not see the bitmap on the design screen, click the Display Images icon.

Enlarge the Image

1. Pieces3.2 is a small bitmap. We can enlarge the bitmap to fill the hoop area.
2. If the bitmap is not already selected (having 8 black boxes around it), click on the bitmap to select it.
3. Double-click on the bitmap to bring up its only properties, which are its dimensions. Increase both the width and the height of the bitmap to 500%.
4. Click OK to set the new size.
5. Magnify the screen so you can see the bitmap well.
Note: each time you click on the Zoom In icon, the magnification will double in the Zoom box.

Digitize the Image

1. We are going to digitize the flower shape on the right.
2. If the Parallel Motif Fill icon is not showing on the Digitize toolbar, click the flyout arrow on whichever Parallel tool icon that is currently present to have the flyout tool bar appear.
3. Click the Parallel Motif Fill tool to activate it.
4. To set the parameters for Parallel Motif Fill, click the Object Details icon.
5. The Object Details dialog box will appear.
6. Click the down arrow in the Stitch Type: box. Click Motif Fill.
7. Click the down arrow in the Patterns box.
8. Slide the slider all the way to the bottom.
9. Click Star 10 to highlight and place the motif in the Pattern box.
10. Click the Layout button. The Layout for the Star 10 pattern will show on the screen in yellow and royal blue.
11. If it is difficult to see against your graphic, click the Display Graphic icon to toggle the bitmap off.
12. The three royal blue motifs are called Layout motifs. Each one can be manipulated to change the layout.
13. One motif is selected. This motif is the one you manipulate to change the size of the motifs that will make up the fill. To make the motifs smaller to be more in proportion to the size of the leaf we are filling, slideyour cursor over the upper right sizing box until it becomes a double arrow, then drag in until it is 75% smaller.
14. Note that the motif was made 75% smaller proportionately in both width and height.
We can change the shape of the motif by using the center black boxes on the sides and top and bottom. To make the shape look more round, click the right center box and drag in until it is the shape you like.
15. The rightmost motif indicates how close together the motifs will be side by side. Click on it to select, then drag next to the sizing motif.
16. The uppermost motif indicates how close together the rows of motifs are. Click on it to select, then drag it down and to the left of the sizing motif so that it is offset.
17. The new layout will have rounder motifs that are closer together and offset.
18. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to set the layout. It will disappear from the screen.
19. Click the Display Images icon again to toggle the bitmap back into view.
20. Click the Motif Fill icon so it is activated. Click reference points around the flower on the right side of the bitmap. Don't connect the first and last points.
21. Press the Enter key to generate the embroidery.
You can create motif fill using automatic digitizing, too. Any fill can be changed into a motif fill by selecting it and changing its object properties.