Add a Fancy Frame to a Purchased Embroidery Design (Hatch Tutorial)

Video reference: “Add a Fancy Frame to a Purchased Embroidery Library Design - Gentleman Crafter” by Gentleman Crafter

Turn a good purchased design into a stunning, display-ready piece. In this guide, we’ll frame a delightful “Storytime Bird” motif with clean rectangular borders and elegant swirls—sequenced to stitch efficiently and look impeccably tidy when finished.

What you’ll learn

• How to import, rotate, resize, group, and lock a purchased design in Hatch Embroidery

• How to build triple-run rectangular frames with exact dimensions

• How to digitize swirl details with open shapes and copy them symmetrically

• How to use Branching to reduce jump stitches and stitch your frame first for a crisp outcome

Introduction to Customizing Embroidery Designs Why personalize purchased designs? A purchased motif can be the hero of your project. Add a custom frame and it becomes wall-worthy artwork—balanced, contained, and visually complete. This approach keeps the original design intact while adding your signature style.

Overview of the “Storytime Bird” project Our base motif is the “Storytime Bird” from Embroidery Library. We’ll bring it into Hatch Embroidery, set up two precise rectangular outlines, digitize decorative swirls across the edges, mirror-copy for symmetry, and branch the frame elements so they stitch first and cleanly.

Pro tip: Purchased designs often come in multiple sizes and formats. Choose the one that sits comfortably inside your chosen hoop and leaves space for the frame. magnetic frames for embroidery machine

Getting Started: Importing and Preparing Your Design Sourcing your base design

• Base motif: Storytime Bird (purchased). Use any compatible size that suits your hoop.

• The method works well on designs that leave some margin for frames.

Initial setup in Hatch Embroidery 1) Open your workspace: Start a new document. 2) Import the motif: Open the Storytime Bird from your design library. Copy the design and paste it into your new document. 3) Rotate the hoop 90°: This sets the stage for a landscape layout that suits the frame plan.

4) Rotate the design 90°: Match the motif’s orientation to the hoop.

5) Resize by -10%: Because the source is a Grade B design, keep changes within about ±10% to preserve stitch quality. Use the handy -10% button.

6) Group and lock: Group the design and lock it. This protects it while you build the frame, preventing accidental nudges.

Quick check

• The bird sits comfortably inside your hoop preview.

• Orientation: bird and hoop both rotated 90°.

• Group and lock confirmed.

Decision point

• If your motif is right at the hoop’s edge, downsize slightly (within that safe 10% window).

• If you have ample margin, maintain size—more breathing room for the frame.

Prep checklist

• Storytime Bird design opened, rotated, resized

• Motif grouped and locked

• Hoop orientation set to 90°

already illustrated the resize control; refer to your Object Properties to confirm the final size.

Building the Foundation: Adding Rectangular Frames Using the Rectangle tool for borders 1) Select the Rectangle tool from the Digitize toolbox.

2) Set stitch type to Triple Run for a clean, bold outline.

3) Draw a rectangle with two clicks to create a starting frame.

Setting stitch types and dimensions

• Unlock the aspect ratio and type exact sizes for the inner frame:

• Inner rectangle: 4.93" W × 2.65" H.

• Duplicate the rectangle (Ctrl+D) and set the outer frame:

- Outer rectangle: 5.61" W × 3.23" H.

- Select both rectangles and the locked bird group; use Align Centers to perfectly center everything.

• Send the frames to the back so they stitch before the bird.

Watch out: Incorrect dimensions will throw off the visual balance. Double-check width and height entries before moving on. magnetic hoops

Outcome expectation You should see two nested rectangular outlines, centered around the bird, sitting in the background of your stitch order.

Setup checklist

• Two rectangles created as Triple Run outlines

• Precise dimensions applied

• Frames aligned to the motif

• Frames moved to the back of the stitch sequence

Adding Flair: Digitizing and Duplicating Swirls Importing custom artwork - Import the custom “Swells” artwork.

• Turn on the aspect ratio lock.

- Resize the swirls to 0.5" tall for scale consistency.

• Position the artwork in the top region of the frame and lock it. This locks your reference while you digitize.

Digitizing open shapes for decorative elements 1) Select Digitize Open Shape and choose Single Run stitch.

2) Choose a different color for the swirls to keep them visually and logically separate from the frames. 3) Digitizing technique:

• Left-click for straight nodes.

• Right-click for curved nodes.

• Backspace to undo a misplaced point.

4) Trace the swirl path across the top region, confirming when a segment is complete. Repeat to capture all the top-edge swirl elements.

Pro tip: Digitize in logical sections (e.g., left-top, center-top, right-top) so mirror-copying yields clean, predictable results without distortions. hooping stations

Outcome expectation You’ll see a tidy run of swirl stitches aligned to the artwork along the top edge. The artwork remains a locked reference.

Advanced Techniques: Mirror Copy and Branching Leveraging Mirror Copy for symmetry - Select the completed top swirls and use Mirror Copy Horizontal to generate the bottom swirls. They’ll mirror perfectly.

- Select both top and bottom sets; use Mirror Copy Vertical to create the side swirls.

• If selections keep deselecting, group logically (e.g., group left and right sides) so you can move and position them together without losing your selection.

• Position the vertical swirls so they meet the corners neatly. Small nudges help the corners read as continuous design.

Watch out: Misaligned copies at the corners will read as “broken.” After mirroring, zoom in and check that endpoints land cleanly where you expect. magnetic hoops for brother

Optimizing stitch paths with the Branching tool

• Remove the original “Swells” artwork now; you have stitches.

• Recolor the rectangular frames to match the swirl color so they stitch as one unified element.

- Select the frames and all swirls, then apply the Branching tool to optimize the stitch path and minimize jump stitches.

• Move this branched frame/swirl group to the top of the stitch order so the frame stitches first.

Quick check

• Artwork deleted; only stitches remain.

• Frame and swirls share the same color.

• Branching applied with a sensible travel path and few (or no) jump stitches.

• Frame/swirl elements at the top of the sequence.

Operation checklist

• Mirror copies created horizontally and vertically

• Side swirls grouped and positioned

• Branching applied

• Stitch order: frame/swirl first, bird second

The Grand Reveal: Your Finished Stitched Design Reviewing the embroidered result The stitched piece displays a tidy, triple-run frame accented with mirrored swirls that visually cradle the Storytime Bird. The stitch order keeps everything crisp: the frame lays down first, and the bird reads cleanly inside it.

Tips for your next custom project

• Recolor layers of the base motif (as demonstrated with the bird and book) to harmonize with your frame color.

• Keep resizing conservative (around ±10% for similar purchased designs) to preserve stitch quality.

• Save key stages under new filenames: base import, framed outlines, finished swirls, and branched version.

From the comments: display ideas A common question was how to use the finished piece (someone suggested a tray cloth or T-shirt). The creator’s answer: frame it. This design reads beautifully as wall art—your custom frame turns a purchased motif into décor. embroidery magnetic hoops

Troubleshooting & Recovery Symptom → likely cause → fix

• Swirls look uneven after mirroring

• Cause: Original top swirls weren’t digitized symmetrically

• Fix: Re-digitize the top with careful node placement; then re-run Mirror Copy Horizontal and Vertical.

• Frames don’t look centered around the bird

• Cause: Alignment skipped or wrong selection order

• Fix: Select both rectangles and the (grouped) bird design; use Align Centers again. Ensure the motif was grouped and not partially selected.

• Unexpected jump stitches between swirls

• Cause: Branching was applied to an incomplete selection or conflicting colors

• Fix: Recolor the frames to match the swirls, select all relevant objects, re-apply Branching, and confirm the new stitch order.

• Corners don’t connect cleanly

• Cause: Vertical swirls not nudged into position after mirroring

• Fix: Zoom in and use small nudges until endpoints meet visually; regroup if your software keeps deselecting.

Quick isolation tests

• Toggle object visibility to confirm you’ve selected all frame elements before Branching.

• Temporarily change colors to spot stray elements that didn’t join the group.

• Preview stitch sequence: the frame/swirl set should stitch first.

Pro tip: Build symmetry once, then reuse. When you’ve digitized one clean side, mirror rather than redrawing. This locks in proportional elegance and reduces errors. dime snap hoop

Quality Checks (at key milestones)

• After import/rotate/resize: The motif sits comfortably within the hoop; grouped and locked.

• After frames: Exact dimensions match 4.93" × 2.65" (inner) and 5.61" × 3.23" (outer); frames centered and behind the motif in sequence.

• After digitizing swirls: Single-run swirls accurately trace the artwork with smooth curves and consistent scale (0.5" height reference).

• After mirroring: Swirls meet at corners with clean joins; no obvious gaps.

• After Branching: Minimal jumps in the frame/swirl set; it sits first in the stitch order.

Results & Handoff Deliverables you should have

• Final branched design file with the frame/swirl group color-matched and first in sequence

• The original purchased motif preserved

• Optional interim saves for easy backtracking

Display and gift ideas

• Frame it as wall art (as the creator plans). The custom border makes the bird motif feel contained and gallery-ready.

• Consider soft-goods only if your fabric and placement suit borders; the rectangular frame reads especially well on flat, non-stretch applications.

Pro tip: If you plan to stitch this on different substrates, duplicate the file and tweak frame scale for each size so spacing around the motif remains balanced. mighty hoops

Optional hooping notes This tutorial focuses on digitizing. When you move to the machine, choose a hoop that provides sufficient margin around the outer frame and stabilizes your fabric well, whether standard hoops or alternatives. brother magnetic hoop

From the comments

• Q: What would you put this design on?

• A: The creator plans to frame it—an elegant choice for this bordered layout.

Workspace recap (tools and settings used)

• Software: Hatch Embroidery

• Tools: Rectangle tool; Digitize Open Shape; Mirror Copy Horizontal; Mirror Copy Vertical; Group; Branching; Sequence Manager (move to top)

• Key sizes and settings:

• Hoop rotation: 90°

• Design rotation: 90°

• Design resize: −10%

• Frames: Triple Run

• Inner rectangle: 4.93" W × 2.65" H

• Outer rectangle: 5.61" W × 3.23" H

• Swirl artwork height: 0.5"

• Swirl stitch type: Single Run

Checklists roundup Prep

• Base design opened, rotated, resized

• Motif grouped and locked

• Hoop rotated 90°

Setup

• Two rectangles (Triple Run) sized precisely

• Centered to motif

• Frames sent to back of sequence

Operation

• Swirls digitized as Single Run

• Mirror copies created (horizontal and vertical)

• Branching applied to full frame set

• Frame first in stitch sequence

Pro tip: Keep your frame elements a single color to unify the look and unlock smarter Branching across the whole set. embroidery magnetic hoops for brother

Watch out: If your software keeps deselecting grouped elements mid-move, pause and regroup before mirroring again. It’s faster to regroup than to chase partial selections later. hoopmaster

Final thought A purchased motif plus a purposeful frame equals a polished finish. These steps—precise rectangles, graceful swirls, symmetry through mirroring, and clever Branching—turn a simple design into something showcase-ready.