Flow — Guiding stitch direction along a curve

What problem does Flow solve?

A Fill’s Angle is one fixed direction for every row — great for a straight-edged shape, but visibly wrong on anything that curves: a banana, a wave, hair, a curved letter. Flow replaces that single angle with a guide line you draw by hand, and the stitch rows bend to follow it instead of marching in one compass direction. It’s the difference between rows that look mechanically uniform and rows that look like they were digitized by someone who actually looked at the shape.

The Fill inspector states the distinction directly:

“Unlike the Angle slider (one fixed direction for all rows), a flow line makes the stitch rows follow the curve you draw — perfect for curved letters. Draw several lines to steer different regions.”

How do I add a flow line?

Open the object’s inspector, find the Flow lines section (below the Angle slider), and tap Draw flow line. Draw a stroke across the shape in the direction you want the rows to follow. You can draw more than one flow line on the same shape — each one steers the rows in its own region, so a complex form can have different areas flowing in different directions without needing to be split into separate objects.

Can I edit a flow line after drawing it?

Yes — a drawn flow guide gets draggable handles on the canvas, the same as any other path: drag a handle to reshape the curve, and the fill rows regenerate live to match. This makes Flow an iterative tool — draw a rough guess, then refine it by dragging until the rows actually sit the way you want.

Does Flow work on Blends too?

Yes, and at two levels: each individual color layer in a Blend can have its own flow, or — for a blend made of several fill objects grouped together — flow can be set once at the group level so every member follows the same guide consistently, rather than having to draw and match a separate flow line on each piece by hand.

Does Flow work on Text?

Only after the text has been converted to outlines. Live, still-editable text doesn’t expose Flow — convert the letters to paths first, then apply Flow to the resulting shapes exactly as you would to any other Fill.

What does it mean if I see a flow warning?

If the guide lines you’ve drawn create a field that turns too sharply or contradicts itself in some region (rows would have to bend further than they physically can), the inspector shows a warning caption pointing at the problem area. It’s a diagnostic, not a hard block — but it’s telling you the result in that spot may look strained, and usually the fix is redrawing that particular flow line with a gentler curve.