Satin — Width, density and edge behavior
What is the Satin tool for?
Section titled “What is the Satin tool for?”A zigzag column of stitches that fills the width of your stroke — the classic look for letters, borders and thick outlines. Draw a stroke and StitchPencil builds two “rails” (the column’s edges) from it automatically.
What does “Width” control, and is density automatic?
Section titled “What does “Width” control, and is density automatic?”Width is the column’s thickness in millimeters — the distance from one rail (edge) to the other. A narrower column reads as a fine line; a wide one reads as a bold, solid band. Density (how tightly the zigzags are packed along the column’s length) follows the width automatically via auto-spacing — a wider column gets proportionally wider stitch spacing so it doesn’t become absurdly dense, without you having to tune the two independently. In practice this means: change Width, and the column simply looks thicker or thinner while staying visually consistent — you don’t also have to hunt for a matching density value.
What is pull compensation, and why does it scale with width?
Section titled “What is pull compensation, and why does it scale with width?”Stitching pulls fabric in slightly along the direction of the zigzag, which can make a satin column look narrower on fabric than it does on screen. Pull compensation widens the digitized column very slightly to counter that — and it scales proportionally with column width, since a wide column pulls in more than a thin one.
What do the underlay firmness options mean?
Section titled “What do the underlay firmness options mean?”Auto / Light / Standard / Firm — the underlay is a lower stitching pass that stabilizes the fabric before the visible satin top-stitching goes down. Firmer settings add more underlay stitches for stretchier or looser fabrics; Auto follows your project’s Target fabric setting. An Edge run option adds a single run stitch along the column’s outer edge for extra definition.
What does 3D Foam / Puff mode do?
Section titled “What does 3D Foam / Puff mode do?”Available up to 12 mm width. Above the normal satin threshold, wide columns automatically get a staggered split (several narrower passes instead of one very wide one) for stitchability, and Puff mode adds the extra step-up passes used when stitching over 3D foam appliqué.
What happens at a tight curve or sharp corner?
Section titled “What happens at a tight curve or sharp corner?”Two things kick in automatically: short-stitching, which de-stacks the inner edge of a tight curve or cap so stitches don’t pile on top of each other, and a warning (“too narrow for tightest curve” / a “starburst curl” indicator) if the column is simply too wide to bend around a curve that sharp — the fix is usually to reduce width or ease the curve.
How do I control exactly where the satin rails run, point by point?
Section titled “How do I control exactly where the satin rails run, point by point?”Switch to the Points tool and use its Line vs. Pairs chip — Pairs lets you place the two rail edges independently instead of deriving them from a single centerline stroke.
How does Satin relate to Sashiko?
Section titled “How does Satin relate to Sashiko?”A closed satin border can host a Sashiko fill underneath it as one combined action — but an open satin path can’t; you’d convert it to a fill first. See the Sashiko page for the exact rule.