How to Digitize a Complex Fill in Embroidery Software

In this video, we demonstrate how to digitize a complex fill in embroidery software. A complex fill uses rows of running stitches that are placed very close together and evenly spaced, making it a quick and effective way to cover a large or irregular area with stitches. We also review five key rules to remember: create the outline shape first, place the exit point outside the shape, add two slope points to set stitch direction, never place two points on top of each other, and never overlap the lines.

We begin by selecting the complex fill tool and using the straight line tool to trace the object point by point. As we close the shape, we click next to the first point rather than directly on top of it, then end the object. After that, we place the exit point directly opposite the starting point and add two slope points to define the stitch direction. The same process is shown with the arc line tool and the Bézier tool, allowing us to create curved complex fill shapes while still following the same rules for closing the object, placing the exit point, and setting the slope direction.

We also show how to edit a completed shape in wireframe view using the point selector. Once the shape is adjusted, we can change the starting point by right-clicking a point and setting it as the complex fill start point. The exit point can also be dragged to a new location, and the slope direction can be changed to alter the way the fill stitches run. In addition to manually drawn shapes, we demonstrate how to create a complex fill from a preset shape by clicking and dragging, then placing the exit point and slope direction as usual.

Finally, we cover how to add a hole inside a preset shape by selecting the object, choosing add a hole, drawing the internal shape, and ending the object before using the keyboard command to create the hole. We then open the complex fill settings from the system menu, where we can adjust the fill pattern, density, stitch length, automatic fill completion, auto border, graduated fill, automatic underlay, and pull compensation. After making the desired changes, we click OK to apply the settings.