Digitize Your Own Mandala in Hatch: From Artwork to Embroidery

Video reference: “My first ever digitized design with Hatch Embroidery Digitizer” by gentlemancrafter

Digitizing your own artwork is the fastest way to turn a sketch into stitches. In this guide, you’ll take a mandala from image to thread using Hatch Embroidery Digitizer, add texture with ripple stitch, preview the stitch-out, export to multiple formats, and finish the embroidery cleanly on your machine.

What you’ll learn

• How to import artwork, prepare it for digitizing, and keep control of fills and outlines

• When and why to use click-to-fill and click-to-outline for precise results

• How to apply ripple stitch and manage thread colors in the Sequence tab

• How to simulate stitch order, export (EMB, PES, PNG, PDF), and stitch on a machine

Primer: What Digitizing Achieves and When to Use It Digitizing converts artwork into machine-readable stitches. In Hatch, that means tracing shapes, assigning stitch types (like ripple), planning color changes, and sequencing the stitch order. The payoff: repeatable, shareable, editable designs you can re-color, re-sequence, and re-stitch as many times as you like.

Use cases

• Turning a line-based mandala into textured fills and crisp borders

• Preparing a design for a Brother embroidery machine via a PES file

• Creating a reference worksheet (colors, sequence) for consistent results

Constraints and prerequisites

• You’ll need Hatch Embroidery Digitizer installed and an embroidery machine capable of reading your target file format (PES in this walkthrough).

• The walkthrough uses a mandala image and pure cotton backed with two layers of tear-away stabilizer as the software’s auto fabric assumption.

Pro tip: If you digitize from clean, high-contrast artwork, click-to-fill and click-to-outline will “see” edges more reliably. You’ll spend less time undoing and re-clicking.

Prep: Files, Materials, and Workspace You’ll need

• Software: Hatch Embroidery Digitizer

• Artwork: A mandala image (PNG works well)

• Machine: A Brother embroidery machine (PES format)

• Materials: Pure cotton fabric, two layers of tear-away stabilizer, embroidery threads (greens/teals and light blue shown)

• Tools: Embroidery hoop and thread snips

Environment and file prep

• Place your artwork in an easy-to-find folder. Keep a copy of the original image in case you need to reprocess it.

• Clear desk space so you can refer to a printed or on-screen worksheet later.

Decision point: hooping aids

• If you prefer magnetic frames, select an option compatible with your machine. Some stitchers like magnetic embroidery hoops for brother for quick fabric changes and reduced hoop marks. Choose what fits your model and fabric.

Checklist — Prep

• Artwork file saved and accessible

• Fabric and stabilizer on hand

• Threads selected

• Machine ready to accept PES files

Setup: Configure Hatch for Fabric, Stabilizer, and Artwork 1) Set auto fabric and stabilizer In Hatch, set Auto Fabric to Pure Cotton and specify two layers of tear-away stabilizer. This helps the software choose sensible stitch parameters behind the scenes.

Why it matters: The software uses fabric assumptions to balance density and underlay. The right baseline reduces puckering and gives ripple stitch room to “read” on the surface.

2) Import the artwork and prepare for tracing Use Auto Digitize Embroidery to bring in the mandala. Process it as outlines-only: reduce colors and deselect auto-fill so you start with a blank canvas of shapes you control.

Quick check: When you hover over shapes with click-to-fill later, you should see clean boundaries. If crosshatching spills into neighbors, back up and refine the artwork prep.

Checklist — Setup

• Auto Fabric: Pure Cotton

• Stabilizer: Two layers, tear-away

• Artwork imported and visible as outlines-only

Operation: From Artwork to Stitches (Step-by-Step) Step 1 — Convert the artwork to editable outlines

• Use Auto Digitize to trace the image.

• Deselect automatic filling and outlining if you want full manual control.

• Zoom in to inspect accuracy at corners and tight curves.

Expected result: Your canvas shows the mandala shapes as selectable regions without any fill applied.

Watch out: If you leave auto-fill on, the software may flood large areas with stitches. Start blank so you can pick exactly which shapes to fill.

Step 2 — Fill the inner petals (click-to-fill)

• From Auto Digitize, choose Click to Fill.

• Hover on an inner petal; a crosshatch overlay shows the target shape; click to fill.

- Repeat across the inner ring of petals.

Now open the Sequence tab and select the shapes you just filled; change the thread color to a green/teal you have on hand. This makes group edits easier and clarifies stitch order visually.

Pro tip: If you accidentally fill the wrong shape, undo immediately and zoom closer before re-clicking. A small nudge in zoom level often prevents mis-selections. If you work with a smaller hoop or compact machine head, planning your color groups can reduce stops; for multi-needle workflows, some readers also consider options like brother pr680w embroidery machine as they grow their setup.

Step 3 — Add texture with ripple stitch

• With those inner petals still selected in Sequence, open Object Properties.

• Choose Ripple as the stitch type and preview the effect.

Why ripple: Ripple creates flowing, concentric texture that reads beautifully on curvy shapes. You’ll see rings that accent the mandala geometry without needing a dense satin fill.

Quick check: The preview should show an obvious ripple pattern over the selected shapes. If not, confirm the objects are selected and Object Properties is set to Ripple.

Step 4 — Fill the next ring of petals and recolor

• Continue with Click to Fill for the next layer (outer petals).

• In Sequence, select that group and choose a darker green/teal to contrast the inner ring.

- Apply Ripple again in Object Properties.

Outcome: Two concentric bands of filled petals with a tonal shift and the same ripple texture for cohesion.

Step 5 — Add crisp borders (click-to-outline)

• Switch to Click to Outline.

• Click around the outermost shapes to add outline stitches.

- In Sequence, select the new outline objects and recolor using an existing palette shade (light blue).

Why it matters: A simple outline adds definition and helps visually “lock” the fills—especially effective when multiple greens are in play.

Step 6 — Hide artwork and preview the stitch-out

• Hide the bitmap artwork so only stitches remain.

- Use the Player to simulate the stitch sequence. Watch for connectors (travel runs between separate shapes) and note any unexpected directionality.

Observation to expect: You may see some fills working from the center out and others from the outside in. That can be normal; the key is whether the sequence flows without unnecessary jumps.

Optional: If you prefer to reduce trims and jumps, consider consolidating neighboring shapes by color in the Sequence tab. Some hooping workflows also benefit from stable frames; if you use larger designs, a robust frame such as a brother magnetic embroidery frame can make rehooping simpler without over-tightening fabric.

Checklist — Operation

• Inner ring filled and set to Ripple

• Outer ring filled and set to Ripple in a darker tone

• Outlines added and colored

• Player simulation reviewed for connectors and order

Quality Checks: Validate Before You Stitch At this stage, “good” looks like:

• Distinct shape edges with no fill bleeding into neighbors.

• Ripple texture reads clearly on all filled shapes.

• Stitch order flows logically by color, minimizing jump stitches.

• Connectors are visible but not excessive; you’re comfortable trimming a few if needed.

Quick check: Scrub the Player timeline. Do objects of the same color stitch consecutively? If not, regroup in Sequence until they do.

Watch out: Overly dense fills can cause puckering on cotton—even with stabilizer. The fabric preset helps, but if the simulation looks overly tight in small areas, consider simplifying which shapes you fill.

Results & Handoff: Save, Export, and Document Save your master and create machine-ready outputs in this order: 1) Save the editable master

• File > Save as Wilcom (.EMB). This keeps all object intelligence so you can re-color or re-sequence later.

2) Export the stitching file for your machine

• Export as PES. That’s what the Brother machine will read.

3) Capture a design preview

• Save a PNG for quick visual previews in folders that can’t render PES thumbnails.

4) Print a worksheet - Generate a PDF reference sheet that lists color sequence and stitch details—great for repeatability and sharing.

Pro tip: Keep one folder per design with subfolders like /Master_EMB, /Machine_PES, /Previews, and /Docs. If you later switch hoops or fabric types, you can branch new variations without touching the master. Stitchers who favor easy hooping swaps sometimes use tools like a hoop master embroidery hooping station to keep placement consistent across repeats.

Stitching Out Your Masterpiece: From Screen to Fabric Transfer the PES file to your Brother embroidery machine. Hoop your cotton with two layers of tear-away stabilizer. Begin stitching and monitor the order you approved in the Player.

What you’ll see

• The machine will stitch shapes in the sequence you set in Hatch. If you batched by color, you’ll minimize stops.

- Connectors may appear between separated shapes within a color group. That’s normal; plan to trim them at the end.

Finish cleanly - After the last color completes, remove the hoop and trim visible connectors with snips.

- The ripple texture should appear as concentric waves across each filled petal, with crisp outlines framing the motif.

Pro tip: If you regularly stitch larger mandalas, consider stiffer support during hooping to keep fabric flat. Many home embroiderers appreciate magnetic systems; a widely used example is the dime snap hoop, which some prefer for smooth rehooping. Choose a size that matches your design and machine throat.

Optional gear notes

• Some users like modular magnetic systems when switching fabric weights. For instance, compact hoops like mighty hoop 5.5 are popular for small motifs, while others prefer broader frames for larger medallions.

Quick check: The finished piece in-hoop should show even texture without visible puckers. Trim all connectors before unhooping for the neatest edge.

Troubleshooting & Recovery Symptom: Unexpected connectors between many shapes

• Likely cause: Stitch order groups separated shapes of the same color far apart.

• Fix: Reorder objects in the Sequence tab to stitch neighboring shapes consecutively. Consider combining or splitting color groups for shorter travel paths.

Symptom: Ripple looks inconsistent across similar shapes

• Likely cause: Different object directions or start/end points.

• Fix: Review object properties and adjust directions so similar shapes share consistent entry/exit and angle settings.

Symptom: Puckering on cotton

• Likely cause: Fill density too high for the fabric or insufficient stabilization.

• Fix: Ensure Auto Fabric is set to Pure Cotton with two tear-away layers. Reduce filled areas or lighten density where possible.

Symptom: Excessive trimming during stitch-out

• Likely cause: Long travel runs or frequent color changes.

• Fix: Regroup by color, merge adjacent shapes where appropriate, and reduce cross-design jumps.

Decision point: hoop type

• If you struggle with hoop burn or shifting, consider magnetic frames compatible with your model. Options vary by machine, from compact magnets to larger sash frames. For Brother single-needle owners, something like a magnetic hoop for brother se1900 can streamline setup; always verify compatibility with your exact model.

• If you do repeated placements (e.g., multiple towels), a fixture system helps. Some turn to placement fixtures or stations; if your projects scale up, systems marketed as embroidery magnetic hoops or multi-position fixtures can speed batching.

Recovery steps if the stitch-out goes wrong

• Stop the machine and note the point of failure (color number and object).

• In Hatch, tweak sequence or stitch type for that object and re-export the PES.

• Test on a small scrap first. For repeated trials, work with a spare frame to keep production moving—some users keep a dedicated frame like a magnetic hoop for brother se1900 on standby for quick swaps.

Appendix: Why the order in this guide works

• Outlines at the end deliver the crispest edge since they sit atop fills.

• Filling from the center outward visually balances the mandala and helps avoid pushing distortion outward before borders go down.

• Previewing in Player prevents surprises and reveals connector runs to trim after stitching.

From the comments

• While this guide synthesizes the complete workflow, many stitchers report that a simple sequence—fill, fill, outline, then preview—solves most first-project frustrations. If you like large medallions, evaluate frame strength and ease of hooping; larger designs can benefit from stable, easy-to-reseat frames marketed generically as magnetic hoops.

Embed-friendly notes

• Keep your .EMB master safe. It’s your editable source for re-coloring or swapping stitch types later.

• Maintain a project log in your PDF worksheet folder—thread shades used, fabric type, hooping notes, and any deviations during stitch-out.