PE Design 10: Split Stitches vs. Divide by Color (and How to Make Big Designs Stitch Out Cleanly)

Introduction to Splitting Designs in PE Design 10: The "Digital Scapel" Method

If you’ve ever imported a design, clicked furiously, and still couldn’t move “just the petals” to create a split monogram, you have encountered the difference between visual intent and digitized reality. In PE Design 10, a design can look like it has multiple parts, yet the software treats it as a single, fused object until you surgically intervene.

For the novice, this is frustrating. For the seasoned embroiderer, this is a daily workflow. Whether you are limited by a small hoop size or need to customize a design, mastering the split is essential.

In this whitepaper-style guide, we will cover two repeatable, industry-standard workflows:

1. Manual Splitting (The "Physical Cut"): Using Split Stitches to slice through data, creating independent halves.
2. Layer Separation (The "Un-grouping"): Using Divide by Color to break a grouped design into selectable objects for isolation or deletion.

We will also address the elephant in the room: The Physical Reality. Splitting a design is easy; aligning two separated halves on a t-shirt so they look seamless is where 90% of beginners fail. We will discuss how tool upgrades—specifically terms you might see like a magnetic embroidery hoop—bridge the gap between software precision and fabric instability.

Method 1: Manual Splitting with the Split Stitches Tool

Manual splitting is the digital equivalent of taking a pair of scissors to your design. It is the method of choice when you need a clean physical break through stitch data—such as creating a "Split Monogram" where you slice a floral motif in half to insert a name.

Step 1 — Import a built-in design from the Design Library

Navigate to the right-side panel and open the Import function tab. Select Design Library, then locate category Floral1. Drag the sunflower icon onto the main white grid workspace.

Sensory Check: When you release the mouse, the design should "snap" to the center. Visually, it looks like a flower; to the machine, it is currently just a block of coordinates.

Step 2 — Select the design so the Stitches tools appear

Click the design directly. You must see the bounding handles (black squares around the perimeter). This visual cue tells you the object is active.

Launch the Stitches tab on the top ribbon. If this tab is grayed out, your design is not selected properly.

Why this matters: In PE Design, tools are "context-sensitive." The software hides tools you can't use. If you don't select the object, the software assumes you don't need the knife.

Step 3 — Use Split Stitches (not Split at Point)

In the Stitches tab, select Split Stitches. Your cursor will transform into a scissors icon with a crosshair.

Warning — Safety First: Software habits bleed into physical habits. When you eventually stitch this split file, you will likely be re-hooping fabric mid-project. Always keep fingers clear of the needle bar and trimming blades. Rushed re-hooping is the #1 cause of needle-through-finger accidents in commercial shops.

Perform the digital cut with this specific cadence:

1. Click Once (Left-click): Sets the anchor point for your cut (start).
2. Click Again (Left-click): Sets the end point of your cut line.
3. Drag Outward: You are pulling a "curtain" (a dotted box) over the area you want to separate.
4. Double-Click: This is the execution command. It finalizes the cut.

Success Metric: You should see a distinct dotted-line box during the drag. After the double-click, click off the design, then click one half. It should move independently of the other.

What “housekeeping” means after a manual split

Splitting is violent. You have severed stitch paths that were meant to be continuous. "Housekeeping" is the professional term for cleaning up the mess so your machine doesn't choke.

After a manual split, zoom in to 400%. Look for:

• Tiny Stitches: Micro-stitches under 0.5mm can cause thread nests (bird's nests).
• Jump Stitches: The machine may now try to jump from one half to the other if the color sort isn't fixed.
• Registration Strategy: How will you align Part B to Part A? Professional digitizers add "basting boxes" or alignment crosses to both files to ensure physical accuracy during re-hooping.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Split Monogram Base

A split monogram is the classic use case: slicing a decorative element to place a name in the center gap. This requires not just breaking the design, but managing the "Gap Physics."

A practical workflow that stays clean on fabric

1. Execute the Split: Use the Split Stitches tool as defined above.
2. Create the Gap: Move the top half up and the bottom half down.
   
   Pro tip

   Hold the Shift key (or Ctrl depending on settings) while dragging to constrain movement to the vertical axis. This prevents the halves from shifting left or right, maintaining vertical alignment.
3. Insert Text: Use the Text tool to type the name in the gap.
4. Check for "Hoop Burn":
   If this layout requires re-hooping (because the split design is now too tall for one hoop), you risk "hoop burn"—the shiny, crushed ring left by standard hoops. This is a major pain point when doing multi-position workflows.

The Commercial Solution: If you find yourself constantly battling alignment drift or hoop marks on delicate items like performance polos, this is where hardware outweighs software. A hooping station for machine embroidery allows you to pre-measure and mark placement without guessing. Furthermore, standard hoops rely on friction and muscle power, which leads to slippage. Upgrading to magnetic frames can eliminate this variable.

Why big, complex designs sometimes “won’t calculate” (and why splitting helps)

In the comment section of the source video, a user noted their software crashed when editing nodes on a complex file. This is a memory management issue.

Satin stitches are mathematically expensive. If you try to reshape a massive floral border as one object, the CPU struggles because it recalculates every single stitch with every mouse move. By splitting the design into 2–3 logical chunks using Split Stitches, you "quarantine" the calculations. The software only has to recalculate the chunk you are touching.

The Rule of Thumb: If the design exceeds 20,000 stitches or has complex underlay, split it before doing heavy node editing.

Method 2: Using 'Divide by Color' to Separate Layers

Sometimes you don't want to cut the design; you want to explode it. This is used when a design behaves like a flattened sticker, but you want to peel off the layers (e.g., removing a background fill but keeping the outline).

Step 1 — Understand the “marching ants” problem

When you click an imported design (especially DST or PES files), you often see a "marching ants" selection line around the entire perimeter. Even if you see yellow, blue, and red segments, clicking the yellow selects everything. This indicates the design is Grouped or treated as a Whole Pattern.

Step 2 — Run Divide by Color

With the design selected, navigate to the Stitches tab and click Divide by Color.

The "Silent" Action: Unlike the Split Stitches tool, this command often gives no visual feedback. No bells, no whistles. The change is internal.

The Validation Test:

1. Click on the white canvas to Deselect All. (Crucial step).
2. Click on a specific color element (e.g., just the yellow petal).
3. Visual Check: The bounding box should now hug only that petal, not the whole flower.

Pro tip from the comments: “But my sewing order already shows colors!”

Novices confuse "Sewing Order" with "Object Independence." Just because the list on the left shows "Color 1, Color 2, Color 3" does not mean they are independent objects in the workspace. They are often chained together in a block. Divide by Color breaks that chain, converting the "Stitch Block" into "Shapes."

How to Isolate and Delete Specific Design Elements

Once the chain is broken via Divide by Color, you gain granular control.

Example: Keep only the outline

1. Isolate: After running Divide by Color, click the area you want to remove (e.g., a dense fill stitch that makes the T-shirt too stiff).
2. Verify: Check the status bar at the bottom. Does it say "Region" or "Fill"?
3. Delete: Press the Delete key.

Expected Outcome: You are left with a lighter, outline-only design. This is a common technique for converting "Patch" designs (heavy coverage) into "Direct-to-Garment" designs (lighter usage).

Can you “re-combine” after dividing?

Yes, but proceed with caution. You can select multiple objects and use the Group command (Ctrl+G) or Combine function. However, once you separate them, the software may recalculate the entry and exit points of the stitches.

Expert Advice: If you split a design to edit it, do not merely "Group" it back together. Verify the Order of Sewing manually. Ensure the machine isn't jumping from the top left to the bottom right and back again. Efficient pathing saves thread and time.

Troubleshooting Common Selection Issues

When the software fights you, check this diagnostic table naturally derived from common user errors.

1) “I can’t select individual parts to move them.”

• The Diagnostic: The software sees one "Stitch Block."
• The Fix: Select Design > Stitches Tab > Divide by Color. Remember to deselect before trying to grab a specific part.

2) “I need to cut a design in half, but selection tools only grab everything.”

• The Diagnostic: You are trying to use object selection on a single object.
• The Fix: You need a knife, not a selector. Use Split Stitches. Remember the "Click, Click, Drag, Double-Click" cadence.

3) “The Stitches menu doesn’t show up for my design.”

• The Diagnostic: No Context. The object isn't highlighted.
• The Fix: Click the design body. Ensure black "handles" appear. If it still fails, the design might be locked in the "Sewing Order" panel.

4) “My design is one color, so I still can’t split it by color.”

• The Diagnostic: Logic error. You can't divide by color if there is only one color.
• The Fix: Use Split Stitches to manually carve the single-color object into new sections.

5) “My multi-hoop stitch-out is misaligned by about 1/8 inch.”

• The Diagnostic: This is rarely software; this is physics. Fabric stretches.
• The Fix: Upgrade your stabilization. Use a "Cutaway" stabilizer for knits, not Tearaway. Furthermore, explore multi hooping machine embroidery techniques, such as using printed templates or referencing cross-hairs drawn on the stabilizer.

Prep

Before you click "Export," you must prepare for the physical reality of the stitch-out. A split file is 50% digital, 50% mechanical.

Hidden consumables & prep checks (The Expert's Kit)

Novices buy thread and hoops. Pros buy "insurance" in the form of prep tools.

• Temporary Spray Adhesive (e.g., 505 / KK100): Essential for holding stabilizer to fabric during multi-hooping to prevent "micro-shifts."
• Water Soluble Pen: For drawing registration crosshairs on the fabric that link Part A to Part B.
• Titanium Needles (Size 75/11): Sharp needles reduce drag specifically on dense, split designs.
• USB Hygiene: Ensure your USB stick is formatted (FAT32 for most machines) and contains only the files needed. Cluttered drives can cause machine lag.

When splitting files to bypass hoop limits, verify your machine's actual maximum field, not just what the box says. Many users search for brother se700 hoop size thinking software can override the hard limit of 4x4 inches. It cannot. The software prepares the file; the hardware dictates the boundary.

Prep Checklist (Pre-flight)

• Source file is clean (imported correctly from Library).
• Object selected (Handles visible).
• Stitches Tab is active (not grayed out).
• Strategic Decision: Do I need a Knife (Split Stitches) or a Sorter (Divide by Color)?
• Safety Net: Save the file as Design_Name_SPLIT_v1.pes before editing. Never overwrite the original.

Setup

Setup is the bridge between your computer screen and your embroidery machine.

Decision tree: Which splitting method should you use?

Start here: What is your ultimate goal?

1. "I need to put a name inside a flower."
   • Method: Split Stitches. You need to create a physical gap.
2. "I need to remove the ugly background fill."
   • Method: Divide by Color. You need to select and delete a specific layer.
3. "I am trying to stitch a 5x7 design on a 4x4 machine."
   • Method: Split Stitches + Multi-Hooping Protocol. The software helps you slice the design into A and B files. However, know that this requires high skill in re-hooping. If you own a brother 4x4 embroidery hoop machine, the frustration of aligning split files often triggers users to eventually upgrade to a larger reliable hoop system or machine.

Setup Checklist (Software Configuration)

• Grid is turned ON (View Tab) to verify alignment.
• For Split Stitches: Tool selected is definitely Split Stitches, NOT Split at Point (common error).
• For Divide by Color: Entire pattern is selected before clicking the button.
• Verification: Click off, then re-click parts to prove they are separated.
• Format Check: Export to the verified machine format (.PES for Brother/Baby Lock, .DST for Commercial).

Operation

This is the execution phase. Follow these steps meticulously.

Operation A — Manual split (Split Stitches)

1. Import Floral1.
2. Select Design.
3. Tab: Stitches > Split Stitches.
4. Action: Click Start -> Click End -> Drag Box -> Double-Click.
5. Sensory Check: You should see the selection box clearly appear. Upon double-clicking, the "marching ants" should shift to surround only the divided segment.

Operation B — Separate layers (Divide by Color)

1. Select Design.
2. Tab: Stitches > Divide by Color.
3. Action: Click the button.
4. Crucial Step: Click white space (Deselect).
5. Test: Click the red part. Does it move alone? If yes, success.

Operation Checklist (The "Do It" List)

• Move parts physically on screen to allow "seam allowance" (coverage overlap).
• Zoom to 400% to check for "phantom stitches" along the cut line.
• Delete unwanted layers only after verifying the Status Bar description.
• Check Sewing Order: Ensure colors are grouped logically to prevent 50 thread changes.

Warning — Magnet Safety: If you decide to upgrade your workflow with magnetic hoops to solve alignment issues, be aware of Pinch Hazards. Commercial-grade magnets used in magnetic embroidery hoops for brother machines are incredibly powerful. They can snap together instantly, pinching fingers/skin painfully. Keep them away from pacemakers.

Quality Checks

The file isn't "done" until it is stitched. Use these checks to predict failure before ruining a garment.

On-screen checks (Virtual Proofing)

• The "Gap" Check: If manual splitting, did you leave a 1mm overlap between the halves? If you butt them up perfectly on screen, fabric pull will create a visible gap on the shirt. Always add 1mm overlap.
• The "Travel" Check: Use the Simulator (Play button). Watch how the machine travels. Does it jump wildly? If so, reorder your sewing sequence.

Stitch-out checks (Physical Proofing)

• The "Tension" Test: When stitching Part A and Part B, did the fabric puck? If yes, your stabilizer is too light.
• The "Drift" Metric: If Part B is misaligned by >2mm, your hooping technique is the culprit.

Many users struggle with large formats on mid-range machines, leading to questions about brother se1900 hoops. While 5x7 is a generous field, splitting jumbo designs for it requires perfect friction in the hoop. If you cannot get the standard hoop to hold tension (it feels spongy like a trampoline rather than tight like a drum), alignment will fail.

Troubleshooting

Symptom: “I split it, but it won’t align when I stitch.”

The "Experience" Verdict: This is almost always a stabilization issue, not a software issue.

• The Fix: Use a "Sticky" stabilizer or a temporary adhesive spray. This prevents the fabric from creeping while you change hoops.

Symptom: “I want to stitch bigger than 5x7 (or use a jumbo hoop) on my SE1900.”

The Hard Truth: You cannot cheat physics. The machine's pantograph arm has a physical limit.

• The Option: You can buy "Multi-Position Hoops" (often called 5x12 hoops), but they simply allow you to stitch a split file without removing the fabric. The machine still sees it as two 5x7 files.
• The Upgrade: If you are doing this for production (50+ shirts), the time cost of splitting files is massive. Consider if a brother 5x7 magnetic hoop will speed up your re-hooping enough, or if it is time to move to a machine with a naturally larger field.

Symptom: “I have a PE800 and want to stitch 9x14—can I divide into four parts?”

Can you? Yes. Should you? Only if you have high tolerance for pain. Business Insight: Aligning a 4-way split perfectly is difficult even for masters. If you are building a business, this workflow is a bottleneck. Efficient shops use machines that fit the design size.

Results

You now possess the "Digital Scalpel" (Split Stitches) and the "Un-grouper" (Divide by Color).

• Split Stitches gives you geometry control—creating gaps and breaking limits.
• Divide by Color gives you object control—cleaning up files and isolating elements.

However, remember this industry maxim: Software prepares the file; Hooping determines the quality.

If you master splitting files but your embroidery still looks misaligned, stop fighting the software. Look at your tools.

• If your hands hurt from tightening screws, or if hoop burn is ruining your fabric, standard hoops are the bottleneck.
• If you lose 20 minutes per shirt re-hooping split designs, your process is the bottleneck.

Tools like magnetic hoops or upgraded multi-needle machines are not just "nice to haves"—they are the answer to the physical instability that software cannot fix. Start with the correct split, but finish with the correct tool.