Styles
The 4 embroidery styles, and when to choose each
From one upload, Stitch and Threads makes 4 styles. Classic suits most logos. Bold Outline adds a satin outline for a badge look on caps and dark garments. Soft & Light uses fewer stitches for t-shirts and light fabrics. Line Art sews just the outlines, for a light, hand-drawn look.
Last updated · The Stitch and Threads team
Real results, on real products
SampleTiger mascot
Classic
9,273 stitches · 5 threads · 50 mm wide
SampleSurf sunset badge
Bold Outline
14,105 stitches · 5 threads · 90 mm wide
SampleHappy bee
Soft & Light
4,567 stitches · 5 threads · 90 mm wide
SampleRose monogram
Classic
7,515 stitches · 3 threads · 90 mm wide
Mockup: our rendered stitches on a product photo, at true size. Sample designs, not customer work.
Style 1 of 4
What is the Classic style?
Fills for big areas, satin for borders and letters, fine lines as runs.
Choose it for: Most logos.
Classic is the style a careful digitizer reaches for first. Each shape gets the stitch that suits it: large areas become fill (rows of short stitches in a staggered pattern), borders and letters become satin (zig-zag stitches across a narrow column), and fine details become run stitches.
Underlay goes down first, to hold the fabric steady and lift the top stitches. Shapes are made slightly wider, by 0.25 mm, because thread pulls the fabric in as it sews.
- Fill rows
- 0.40 mm
- Satin
- 0.40 mm
- Underlay
- Yes
- Pull comp.
- 0.25 mm
Style 2 of 4
What is the Bold Outline style?
Classic plus a satin outline around every color, for a crisp badge look.
Choose it for: A badge look, caps and dark garments.
Bold Outline starts from Classic and adds a satin outline around every color. The edges read clearly from a distance, which is why it suits caps, badges and dark garments.
The outline adds stitches and a thread change. In our sample badge it adds about 900 stitches and one thread over Classic.
- Fill rows
- 0.40 mm
- Satin
- 0.40 mm
- Underlay
- Yes, + a satin outline around every color
- Pull comp.
- 0.25 mm
Style 3 of 4
What is the Soft & Light style?
Lighter density and fewer stitches. Softer on t-shirts, faster to sew.
Choose it for: T-shirts and light fabrics, and when you want it faster to sew.
Soft & Light opens up the rows: 0.55 mm between fill rows instead of 0.40 mm, and 0.50 mm satin spacing. Density is the spacing between rows of stitches; more space means fewer stitches and a softer, more flexible result.
It sews without underlay, which keeps it light. On our sample badge it uses about 40% fewer stitches than Classic and sews in about 7.6 minutes instead of 11.5. Across our examples, Soft & Light comes out about 30–45% lighter than Classic.
- Fill rows
- 0.55 mm
- Satin
- 0.50 mm
- Underlay
- None (lighter)
- Pull comp.
- 0.20 mm
Style 4 of 4
What is the Line Art style?
Just the outlines, for a light, hand-drawn look.
Choose it for: A light hand-drawn look.
Line Art keeps only the outlines of your art and sews them as a triple run: a line of stitches sewn three times, so it's heavier and bolder than a single run.
There are no fills and no satin, so it's the fastest style to sew. Our sample badge in Line Art has 941 stitches, one thread and takes about 1.5 minutes.
- Fill rows
- —
- Satin
- —
- Underlay
- —
- Pull comp.
- —
Line Art is outlines only, sewn as a triple run.
Side by side
How do the 4 styles compare?
| Style | Best for | Fill rows | Satin | Underlay | Pull comp. | Stitches | Threads | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Most logos. | 0.40 mm | 0.40 mm | Yes | 0.25 mm | 7,019 | 6 | ~11.5 min |
| Bold Outline | A badge look, caps and dark garments. | 0.40 mm | 0.40 mm | Yes, + a satin outline around every color | 0.25 mm | 7,924 | 7 | ~13.0 min |
| Soft & Light | T-shirts and light fabrics, and when you want it faster to sew. | 0.55 mm | 0.50 mm | None (lighter) | 0.20 mm | 4,174 | 6 | ~7.6 min |
| Line Art | A light hand-drawn look. | — | — | — | — | 941 | 1 | ~1.5 min |
Fill stitch angles are fixed today. Choosing your own angles is not a feature yet.
Questions people ask
Which style should I pick?
Classic suits most logos. Bold Outline gives a badge look and suits caps and dark garments. Soft & Light suits t-shirts and light fabrics and is faster to sew. Line Art gives a light, hand-drawn look.
How many stitches will my design have?
Each style shows its stitch count before you download. Our sample badge at 90 mm has 7,019 stitches in Classic, 7,924 in Bold Outline, 4,174 in Soft & Light and 941 in Line Art.
How long will it take to sew?
Each style shows an estimated sewing time. Our sample badge at 90 mm is about 11.5 min in Classic, 13.0 in Bold Outline, 7.6 in Soft & Light and 1.5 in Line Art.
Is the preview exactly how it will sew?
No. The preview is a realistic render, not a photo of a sew-out. Thread, fabric, stabilizer and machine all change the result. Do a test sew-out first.
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