Ripple Stitch

What it is

Ripple stitch is part running stitch and part filling: it behaves like a running stitch (it can be done in triple stitch for example), it is defined from a stroke, but the embroidery result stretches over a surface. Used loosely, the result looks like ripples, hence the name.

Closed shapes will be filled with a spiral (circular ripples). Open shapes will be stitched back and forth (linear ripples). Let’s have a closer look at both.

Circular Ripples

Create one closed path with a stroke color (no combined paths, such has holes)
Create target point or guides (optional)
Open params dialog (Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params) and set the method to Ripple.
Set params to your liking and apply

Circular ripple examples

Download examples

Linear Ripples

Linear ripples can be created in various ways. It can be a simple curve or it can be constructed like a satin column.

Create a open shape (simple stroke, two combined strokes or even a satin column)
Create target point or guides (optional)
Open params dialog (Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params) and set the method to Ripple.
Set params to your liking and apply

Linear ripple examples

Download examples

Looping ripples

Loops are allowed and welcomed in any ripple path. Use loops to achieve special nice effects.

Looping ripple stitches

Download examples

Guiding ripples

Ripples with only one subpath (closed shape or a simple bezier curve) can be guided in either of the three following methods.

Target point

Define a ripple target position with [visual command] (/docs/commands/):

Open Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Commands > Attach Commands to selected objects ...
Select Target position and apply
Select the symbol and move it to the desired position

If no guiding information is provided, the center of the path is used as the target.

Guide line

In the very same group (no subgroup) of the ripple stitch object create a stroke curve with the bezier tool, starting close to the ripple curve, leading away from it.
Select that curve and run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Edit > Selection to guide line.
Select the ripple curve and run params. Adapt the parameters to your liking.

Satin guide

With satin guides you will have the ability to lead the ripples precisely using the satin rung method. The width of the satin guide will also have an effect on the ripple width. The positioning of the original ripple shape will be ignored and it will start where the satin begins.

In the very same group of the ripple stitch object create a satin column like object with rails and rungs.
Select the newly created object and run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Edit > Selection to guide line.
Select the ripple object and run params. Adapt parameters to your liking.

Params

Params		Description
Running stitch along paths	☑	Must be enabled for these settings to take effect.
Method		Chose Ripple stitch
Repeats		◦ Defines how many times to run down and back along the final embroidery path ◦ Default: 1 (traveling once from the start to the end of the path) ◦ Odd number: stitches will end at the end of the path ◦ Even number: stitching will return to the start of the path
Bean stitch number of repeats		◦ Enable Bean Stitch Mode which also applies to ripple stitching ◦ Backtrack each stitch this many times. ◦ A value of 1 would triple each stitch (forward, back, forward). ◦ A value of 2 would quintuple each stitch, etc. ◦ It is possible to define a repeat pattern by entering multiple values separated by a space.
Running stitch length		Length of stitches in Running Stitch Mode
Running stitch tolerance		All stitches must be within this distance of the path. A lower tolerance means stitches will be closer together. A higher tolerance means sharp corners may be rounded.
Randomize stitch length	Randomize stitch length and phase instead of dividing evenly or staggering. This is recommended for closely-spaced curved fills to avoid Moiré artefacts.
Random stitch length jitter	Amount to vary the length of each stitch by when randomizing. Randomize stitch length must be activated.
Number of lines		Chose how many times the ripple replicates. Default value is 10.
Minimum line distance		Overwrites the number of lines setting.
Stagger rows this many times before repeating		Length of the cycle by which successive stitch lines are staggered. Fractional values are allowed and can have less visible diagonals than integer values. For linear ripples only.
◦Skip first lines ◦Skip last lines		Skip (do not embroider) that number of replications at start and/or end of the embroidery.
Line distance exponent		◦ With default value of 1 space between replications is constant ◦ With a value greater than 1, the space between two consecutive replications increases as one moves away from the original ripple ◦ With a value smaller than 1, the space between two consecutive replications decreases as one moves away from the original ripple.
Flip exponent	☑ or ▢	exchange role of first and last line in the computation of line distance
Reverse	☑ or ▢	Reverse the final embroidery path. Has no effect on the other parameters.
Reverse rails		Reverse satin ripple rails. Default: automatically detect and fix a reversed rail.
Grid size		If the size is strictly positive a grid effect is added. The grid size controls how far apart the new lines are.
Scale axes	XY or X or Y or None	for guided ripple only
Starting scale	for guided ripple only	How big the first copy of the line should be, in percent.
Ending scale	for guided ripple only	How big the last copy of the line should be, in percent.
Rotate	☑ or ▢	for guided ripple only
Join Style		for non circular ripple, how the ripples are joined : Flat(top) or Point(bottom)
Minimum stitch length		Overwrite global minimum stitch length setting. Shorter stitches than that will be removed.
Minimum jump stitch length		Overwrite global minimum jump stitch length setting. Shorter distances to the next object will have no lock stitches.
Allow lock stitches	☑ or ▢	Enables lock stitches in only desired positions
Force lock stitches	☑ or ▢	Sew lock stitches after sewing this element, even if the distance to the next object is shorter than defined by the collapse length value in the Ink/Stitch preferences.
Tack stitch		Chose your favorite style
Lock stitch		Chose your favorite style
Trim After	☑	Trim the thread after sewing this object.
Stop After	☑	Stop the machine after sewing this object. Before stopping it will jump to the stop position (frame out) if defined.