From Image to Stitch: EmCAD Dahao Digitizing with Tatami Fill (Part 1)

Primer: What this digitizing workflow achieves (and when to use it)

This process converts a flat image into two solid, textured fill regions using Tatami stitch: a circular field and a crescent. It’s ideal for broad, relatively flat areas where you want even coverage and a uniform sheen. You’ll scale the design for a left-chest placement, define stitch parameters that avoid tiny, risky stitches, and use a stabilizing underlay for dependable results.

• You’ll apply Tatami to the wide, flat circle and the adjacent crescent.

• You’ll set a consistent stitch angle (45° is used here) for visual uniformity.

• You’ll preview everything in True View to validate before saving.

Watch out

• Don’t overpack density. Overly tight spacing can cause pull and stiffness. You’ll see why 0.4 mm works well in this case.

Prep: Files, software, and a quick sizing plan

You’ll need EmCAD Dahao Embroidery Software, a mouse and keyboard, and the image you plan to digitize (e.g., “richard002.bmp”). Start in a new design file, then import your image: go to Image > Insert Image and select your file.

Pro tip

• Have a left-chest size in mind (here, about 8.3 cm × 6.2 cm). Planning the target size before setting stitch properties will help you avoid later rework.

Quick check

• After insertion, confirm the image is visible on the canvas and selectable with a bounding box.

Checklist — Prep

• Image file is accessible

• EmCAD Dahao is open

• Image appears on canvas and is selectable

Setup: Stitch strategy that makes Tatami look clean

Before drawing any outline, define your stitch plan. You’ll be using Complex Fill (Tatami) with these key specifications:

• Stitch Distance (density): 0.4 mm

• Stitch Length: 3 mm

• Minimum Stitch: 0.5 mm

• Edge behavior: choose a middle outline edge style suited to using an outline later

• Custom pattern: offset count = 3 with percentages 0, 30, 60

• Underlay: Tatami, 2 mm space, 3 mm length, 90° to the top stitches, edge spaces 0.3, 0.3, 0.2, 0.2

Why these choices work

• Density (0.4 mm) balances coverage and flexibility.

• 3 mm stitch length gives a smooth face without undue bulk at this scale.

• Minimum stitch 0.5 mm prevents micro-stitches that can snag or cause thread breaks.

• The 0/30/60 custom pattern softens the fill, reducing banding or moiré on larger areas.

• A 90° Tatami underlay adds stable support beneath the main fill to improve coverage.

Decision point

• If your shape is broad and flat, Tatami is a strong choice; if it’s narrow or highly contoured, consider a different fill approach for that object.

Pro tip - On complex shapes, the 0/30/60 custom pattern often reads more “textile” and less “mechanical” on True View, while still stitching efficiently.

Quick check

• Confirm Tatami selected, density 0.4 mm, length 3 mm, minimum 0.5 mm

• Confirm custom offsets 0/30/60

• Confirm underlay: Tatami, space 2 mm, length 3 mm, angle 90°

Checklist — Setup

• Complex Fill tool ready

• Fill Stitch: Tatami, values entered and saved

• Underlay enabled and confirmed

Operation: Digitize two filled shapes in sequence

You’ll digitize two areas—the circle first, then the crescent—using identical stitch settings. Each object follows a consistent three-stage interaction: outline, start/end points, then stitch angle.

1) Circle (first color)

• Activate Complex Fill (press Enter). Outline the circle: left-click for straights and right-click to create smooth arcs. Close the shape with a left-click and press Enter to confirm the outline.

• Press Enter again to define the start point, then Enter once more to define the end point.

- Click-drag to set the stitch angle; 45° works well for even texture here. Apply a color (e.g., orange) and preview in True View for a more realistic read of texture.

Quick check

• The circle’s edges are smooth and the fill covers uniformly with no gaps.

• The 45° angle presents consistent diagonal ribbing across the shape.

2) Crescent (second color)

• Press Escape to release the previous selection, then re-enter Complex Fill. Outline the crescent: left-click for straights and right-click on curves, finishing the outline with a left-click. Press Enter to confirm.

• Press Enter to set the start point, Enter to set the end point, then define the fill angle (again, 45° for visual consistency).

- Apply a second color (e.g., brown) and check True View to review the combined effect.

Pro tip

• The Shape tool lets you refine any node or curve after the fact. If an edge looks jagged or a curve feels tight, nudge the anchors and re-preview.

Watch out

• Overlapping fills: If the crescent slightly overlaps the circle, assume one will stitch after the other. Keep your angles consistent unless you intentionally want a contrast at the seam.

Checklist — Operation

• Circle outlined, start/end points set, angle applied, color chosen

• Crescent outlined, start/end points set, angle applied, different color chosen

• True View confirms even coverage and smooth edges

mighty hoop left chest placement can help you visualize scale reliably off the garment’s reference points while you’re deciding whether 8.3 cm × 6.2 cm feels balanced on a typical left chest.

Quality checks: Validate density, angles, and edges

Use these quick validations before committing the file:

• Density pass: At 0.4 mm, your fill should look continuous with no windowing. If fabric color peeks through, consider a slight density decrease (denser) or verify underlay coverage.

• Minimum stitch sanity check: Ensure there are no sub-0.5 mm stitches in tight corners; adjust nodes if needed.

• Angle uniformity: The circle and crescent at 45° should read as coherent parts of one design instead of competing textures.

• Underlay alignment: Confirm the 90° underlay previews beneath the top stitches for a stable base.

Quick check

• Toggle True View off/on and zoom in: edges should remain crisp; texture should stay even across both shapes.

If you expect frequent production hooping, planning for magnetic hoops for embroidery machines can reduce fabric distortion and keep your stitch results consistent from one item to the next.

Results & handoff: Colors, views, and next steps

At this stage, you should have:

• One filled circle in orange at a 45° angle

• One filled crescent in brown, matching stitch settings and angle

• A Tatami underlay supporting both objects

• A True View pass that confirms coverage, texture, and edges

Next steps typically include outlining and small detail work (handled in a follow-up session). Save your work now while the fill and underlay are validated.

Pro tip

• Create a quick production note with the exact parameters (0.4 mm density, 3 mm length, 0.5 mm minimum, 0/30/60 offsets, 90° Tatami underlay). This speeds later edits and helps teammates reproduce your results accurately.

If you digitize for varied garments, using a reliable hooping station for embroidery streamlines alignment and repeatability when you move from test swatches to real placements.

Troubleshooting & recovery: Symptoms, causes, fixes

Use this symptom → cause → fix map to recover quickly:

• Gaps in fill or visible fabric

• Likely cause: Density too open for the fabric, or underlay not giving enough base.

• Fix: Reduce stitch distance slightly (denser), confirm underlay is enabled at 2 mm space, and re-preview.

• Heavy, stiff panel after stitching

• Likely cause: Density too tight or stitch length too short for the area size.

• Fix: Loosen density (e.g., from 0.3 to 0.4 mm), or increase stitch length to 3 mm as used here.

• Jagged edges on curves

• Likely cause: Too many short segments or insufficient right-clicks to form arcs.

• Fix: Edit with the Shape tool, replace excess nodes with clean curves, and ensure you’re using right-clicks for arcs during tracing.

• Bird-nesting or thread breaks on tight corners

• Likely cause: Minimum stitch below 0.5 mm creating micro-stitches.

• Fix: Keep minimum stitch at 0.5 mm and adjust nodes to even out tight turns.

• Texture bands or moiré

• Likely cause: Perfectly uniform rows can visually band on certain fabrics.

• Fix: Use the custom 0/30/60 offset pattern to soften the pattern rhythm.

Quick check

• After any fix, regenerate and re-preview in True View at multiple zoom levels before stitching a test.

For pre-production sampling, a test swatch held in a firm fixture—such as magnetic embroidery hoops—helps you compare small parameter tweaks (density +/- 0.05 mm, angle adjustments) without garment waste.

Extra control: Angle and start/end refinement

You can re-select any filled object later:

• Angle: Select the object and adjust the angle value to re-flow the Tatami direction (45° is a solid baseline). This is helpful if the sheen needs to change relative to neighboring elements.

• Start/End points: Reposition to fine-tune travel paths, especially important once outlines are added in a later stage.

Pro tip

• Keep consistent angles across large neighboring fills unless you deliberately want a visible “panel change.” Consistency generally looks more professional on logos.

If you’re validating multiple garment sizes or placements in sequence, you might appreciate a compact hoop that speeds setup. A product in this category—hoop master embroidery hooping station—is often used to keep placements consistent across runs.

Practical production notes (color and size)

• Colors: The demonstration uses orange for the circle and brown for the crescent. In production, assign thread colors that reflect your brand palette. Color choices in software are primarily for preview and sequencing.

• Size: 8.3 cm × 6.2 cm reads as a balanced left-chest scale for many garments. For large fronts, consider scaling to approximately 20 cm width and retesting density if the fabric changes.

When you transition from tests to runs on a multi-needle environment, accessory planning matters. If you’re outfitting a 6-needle line, verifying accessory compatibility—such as brother pr680w hoops—can smooth your path from digitizing to repeatable production.

Field testing: Underlay and density confirmation

Before stitching on the final garment, run a controlled test using the same fabric category and stabilizer you plan to use. Pay attention to:

• Coverage: Confirm that the Tatami underlay at 90° supports the top stitches without show-through.

• Hand feel: If the panel feels too rigid, loosen density slightly or verify that stitch length is at 3 mm.

• Edge fidelity: Ensure the chosen edge behavior lines up well if you plan to add outlines later.

If you frequently test and change placements, a reusable hoop solution like a dime snap hoop can speed your sampling cycle with fewer hooping marks.

Mini-reference: Exact values used here

• Scale: 120% (final size ~8.3 cm × 6.2 cm)

• Fill: Tatami

• Stitch Distance (density): 0.4 mm

• Stitch Length: 3 mm

• Minimum Stitch: 0.5 mm

• Custom pattern: offsets 0, 30, 60; offset count 3

• Underlay: Tatami (space 2 mm, length 3 mm, angle 90°; edge spaces 0.3, 0.3, 0.2, 0.2)

• Angle: 45° for both objects

• Colors: orange (circle), brown (crescent)

From here, outlining and detail elements will integrate seamlessly once you’re satisfied with coverage and texture.

From the comments

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