Table of Contents
Primer (What & When)
This design combines a ripple spiral with the word JOURNAL and the year 2021. The spiral provides visual energy; the bold word anchors the composition; the slimmer year adds hierarchy and detail. You’ll start in Hatch Embroidery Digitizer, create the spiral with a Ripple fill, add lettered elements with specific fonts, and optimize the design for clean stitch transitions.
Use this approach whenever a text-forward design needs a geometric accent. The spiral’s ripple fill is ideal for tone and texture without heavy density, while satin outlines sharpen letter edges for better legibility and a more dimensional look.
Quick check
- Design intent: Modern, legible, minimal jump threads
- Software: Hatch Embroidery Digitizer
- Output: Suitable for export to PES and stitching on a Brother machine
Watch out
- Dark-on-dark choices can obscure lettering on fabric; aim for contrast.
Prep
Tools and software
- Computer with Hatch Embroidery Digitizer installed
- Input devices: mouse and keyboard
Materials
- Fabric and thread of your choice for stitch-out (choose contrasting colors for clarity)
Skills assumed
- Familiarity with Hatch’s interface
- Basic text entry, font selection, and object resizing
Before you begin
- Decide on the final placement (journal cover, notebook sleeve, or similar). The tutorial builds a landscape-oriented layout.
- Confirm you’ll export to a format your machine reads; the walkthrough demonstrates PES for a Brother machine. If you’re using another format, follow your machine’s requirements. For general context, whether you use a standard hoop or a magnetic alternative, these digitizing steps remain the same for planning density, sequence, and travel paths. brother embroidery machine
Prep checklist
- Hatch is open and responsive
- You can locate the Digitize tab, Lettering tools, and Object Properties
- You can open Software Settings > Embroidery Settings
Setup
Hoop selection and orientation
- Start a new design and set your hoop to a large size.
- Rotate to landscape orientation to give horizontal room for the word JOURNAL.
Understanding hoop centering - In Software Settings > Embroidery Settings > Machine & Hoop, set Hoop Position to Manual. This keeps the hoop fixed as you move the design, preventing automatic re-centering that can throw off placement decisions.
Pro tip
- Switch to Manual hoop positioning before moving or scaling objects. That single choice removes a lot of “why did my hoop just move?” headaches.
Decision point
- If your composition is wider than tall, choose landscape orientation.
- If your composition is taller than wide, choose portrait orientation.
Setup checklist
- Large hoop selected and rotated to landscape
- Hoop Position set to Manual
- Canvas visible with room for spiral and text
Operation / Steps
1) Create the ripple spiral background
- Go to the Digitize tab and choose the Circle tool.
- In Object Properties, set Fill type to Ripple.
- Set Stitch spacing to 3 mm and Stitch length to 3 mm.
- Click once to set the circle center, drag the radius, and press Enter twice to commit.
Outcome expectation
- You should see a ripple-filled circle—clean, evenly spaced concentric stitching.
Quick check
- Zoom in: are ripples consistent and smooth? If not, undo and redraw.
Watch out
- Selecting the wrong fill type leads to dense fills or unexpected textures. Ensure Ripple is selected.
2) Refine size and color of the spiral
- Select the spiral and set diameter to about 67.5 mm.
- Open the thread palette and choose a dark pink/fuchsia.
Outcome expectation - The spiral is sized to balance the O in JOURNAL and has a clear accent color.
Pro tip
- Color matters for visual hierarchy. Keep the spiral’s color distinct from your letter outlines so nothing blends unintentionally. When testing on specialty hoops or frames, the digitizing remains identical; only physical hooping differs. magnetic embroidery hoop
3) Add the main ‘JOURNAL’ text
- Open the Lettering tools; type JOURNAL in uppercase.
- Choose the Art Block font.
- Set height to 40 mm and apply a dark fuchsia color.
Outcome expectation
- A bold wordmark that stands out against the ripple spiral.
Quick check - Confirm the font reads as blocky, solid strokes with uniform weight.
Watch out
- A mismatched font can feel too light; stick with Art Block as shown to retain the intended contrast with the thinner year.
4) Add the year ‘2021’
- Create a second letter object: 2021.
- Filter to Embroidery fonts and select Slim Block.
- Increase height slightly to 20.25 mm.
- Set color to dark gray to differentiate from the main word.
Outcome expectation - A slimmer, smaller year that complements the main word with a subtle, readable tone.
Pro tip
- Whenever you mix type weights, keep the secondary element slightly smaller and in a calmer color so it supports, not competes.
5) Align and position elements
- Select the spiral and the 2021 object; Align centers.
- Group them (Ctrl+G) and position roughly into the center of the O in JOURNAL.
- Select all, then Align centers horizontally to lock the composition together.
- Ungroup the spiral and the year for later fine-tuning.
Outcome expectation
- ‘2021’ sits cleanly inside the spiral, and the overall layout is horizontally centered.
Quick check
- Toggle selection boxes on/off to ensure the year is truly centered in the spiral.
6) Generate satin outlines around ‘JOURNAL’
- Select the JOURNAL text.
- Go to Create Layouts > Create Outlines.
- Choose Object outline, Satin stitch type, and dark gray color.
- Ensure Individual outlines and Sharp corners are enabled; click OK.
Outcome expectation - A crisp satin outline per letter, improving clarity and edge definition.
Watch out
- If you see only a single combined outline, you likely didn’t select Individual outlines—re-run the dialog with that option.
7) Re-sequence for an efficient stitch path
- Group inner parts with their letters (for example, the A and its center, O and its center).
- In the Sequencing panel, order the letters logically J–O–U–R–N–A–L.
- Move ‘2021’ to stitch between O and U.
Outcome expectation
- The order now reflects an efficient path that sets you up to minimize travel.
Pro tip
- Re-sequencing now pays dividends later: fewer jumps to hide, fewer trims, cleaner results. If your physical hooping setup changes—say you’re using a station or frame—the stitch logic here doesn’t change. hoopmaster
8) Adjust start/end points to reduce jumps
- Switch off TrueView.
- Use the Reshape tool to adjust in- and out-points on each letter and its outline. Start with J. Align exits so the next letter’s entry is nearby.
- For O: bring its in-point to the right side and out-point to near where the next object begins; align the inner O’s start to follow seamlessly.
- Continue this logic for U and R, then N, A (outer and inner), and L.
Outcome expectation
- Travel paths become short and often tuck beneath stitching, reducing visible jump threads.
Watch out
- Don’t drag letter nodes when you intend to move start/end points. If you accidentally shift a node, undo and try again.
Quick check
- After each pair of letters, trace the pink travel path (as shown in Hatch) to confirm it’s short and logical relative to the next start point.
Pro tip
- When a trail from the spiral’s “tail” is visible, rotate the spiral so the tail hides behind a letter. This is a fast, visual fix to conceal small thread paths in the composition.
9) Simulate the run and confirm sequencing
- Turn TrueView back on.
- Zoom out to inspect the full design.
- Run Stitch Player to visualize the complete embroidery process. Verify that the order is correct and jump threads are minimized.
Outcome expectation
- A clean, predictable stitch sequence without surprises.
Operation checklist
- Spiral: Ripple fill, 3 mm spacing and length
- Text: Art Block (JOURNAL) at 40 mm; Slim Block (2021) at 20.25 mm
- Outlines: Satin, Individual outlines, Sharp corners
- Sequencing: JOURNAL ordered, 2021 between O and U
- Start/End points: Adjusted to minimize travel
- Stitch Player: Run without unexpected jumps
Quality Checks
At key milestones, confirm the following:
After creating the spiral - Ripples are consistent with no distortion, spacing and length set to 3 mm.
After adding text - JOURNAL reads bold and even; 2021 is slim, smaller, and clearly legible.
After alignment - The year is perfectly centered within the spiral; the overall design is horizontally centered.
After outlining - Satin outlines are per-letter, dark gray, and corners remain sharp.
After re-sequencing - Order in the Sequencing panel is logical; 2021 sits between O and U.
After point edits - Entry/exit points keep travel short, often tucked under subsequent stitching.
After simulation - The run shows minimal jump threads and no odd backtracking.
Pro tip
- When testing on different fabrics, color contrast is your friend. The author notes that dark text on dark fabric reduces legibility; swap to a lighter letter color if your fabric is deep-toned. If you change hoop hardware—such as switching to a magnetic option—the digitizing remains identical; it’s only the physical hooping that changes. embroidery machine hoops
Results & Handoff
Export
- Export to PES for compatibility with a Brother machine.
Stitch-out
- The final embroidered result mirrors the digital preview: crisp spiral texture, strong letter shapes, and clean outlines. The creator was happy with the outcome, with the exception of the dark-on-dark color choice.
Handoff tips
- Keep your final file and a test-stitch photo for reference.
- Note what thread colors and sizes you used so you can replicate the result later or tweak for contrast. If you plan to hoop differently (standard or magnetic), the digitized logic stays solid; ensure your physical hoop choice matches your fabric stabilization needs. magnetic hoops
Troubleshooting & Recovery
Symptom: Hoop shifts position when you move the design
- Likely cause: Automatic centering is on.
- Fix: Set Hoop Position to Manual in Embroidery Settings.
Symptom: Spiral looks dense or not as expected
- Likely cause: Wrong fill type or spacing/length values.
- Fix: Select Ripple fill; set spacing and length to 3 mm; redraw if needed.
Symptom: ‘2021’ isn’t perfectly centered in the spiral
- Likely cause: Alignment step skipped or grouping misapplied.
- Fix: Align centers with the spiral selected; group; position; then ungroup.
Symptom: A single outline wraps the entire word
- Likely cause: Individual outlines not selected.
- Fix: Re-run Create Outlines with Individual outlines and Sharp corners enabled.
Symptom: Excessive jump stitches between letters
- Likely cause: Unoptimized sequencing or start/end points.
- Fix: Re-sequence letters; adjust in/out points using Reshape with TrueView off; re-simulate.
Symptom: Letter edges look soft or blend into fabric
- Likely cause: Low color contrast with the fabric.
- Fix: Change letter or outline color for higher contrast.
Quick tests to isolate issues
- Toggle TrueView off to see the actual stitch travel lines.
- Run Stitch Player and pause at transitions between letters to confirm entry and exit point placement.
Pro tip
- If you physically hoop with a magnetic frame, it won’t change the digitized stitch order. It can, however, speed up fabric handling. Keep your focus on digitizing logic; then choose the hoop that best suits the fabric and project size. brother magnetic embroidery hoop
From the comments
A viewer praised the finished look. Positive reactions often hinge on color clarity and the balanced composition of the spiral with bold-and-slim text. If you receive feedback that letters are hard to read, revisit contrast choices before production runs. If you regularly switch hoops or frames, remember that the digitizing guidance here works regardless of the hardware—adapt your hooping method to your machine and project needs. embroidery hoop machine
Pro tip
- When outfitting your workspace, choose hooping tools that match your machine and project flow. The digitized logic in this tutorial remains valid whether you use standard hoops or third-party options that simplify placement. brother hoops
Additional note
- If you’re experimenting with alternative frames, ensure your machine supports them. The export and stitch logic demonstrated here remains the same; only the physical setup changes. magnetic embroidery hoops