Split and Colorize a Purchased Embroidery Design in Floriani Total Control (Without Ruining the Original File)

Why Split a Single-Color Design?

Most purchased embroidery files arrive as a single-color block (monochrome) for digital simplicity, but the reality of your creative vision is rarely that flat. You might see a rooster design that screams for a crimson comb and golden feathers, yet the file treats every stitch as one continuous black run.

In this masterclass, we will surgically dismantle a monochrome design (specifically the Urban Threads “Rooster” file) and reconstruct it into a dynamic, multi-color asset. We will isolate specific text elements, split them into independent objects, and assign custom thread colors.

What you will walk away with:

1. A Surgical Workflow: Learn to isolate one word at a time using the Lasso tool without accidentally "nicking" nearby stitches—a precision skill that separates amateurs from pros.
2. Clean Object Architecture: Create a file structure where every element can be manipulated independently, giving you total creative control.
3. Asset Safety: A fail-safe file management habit that ensures you never destroy your original paid assets.

Even if you characterize yourself as an intermediate digitizer, mastering the "Split Join" command is a critical micro-skill. It is the bridge between downloading a generic file and producing a custom piece that looks like it was digitized specifically for your garment.

Opening Your Design and Setting the Hoop

The tutorial begins in Floriani Total Control (though the logic applies to Wilcom, Hatch, or Embrilliance) by opening the design and immediately addressing the hoop setup. Do not treat this as a passive administrative step. It is a control step that dictates how gravity and tension will affect your final stitch-out.

If a text design is wide (stacked horizontally), stitching it in a vertical orientation often fights the grain of the fabric, leading to puckering. We must align the digital environment with physical reality.

Step 1 — Import the design

• Action: Use Open File to navigate to your purchased Urban Threads design.
• Sensory Check: Look at the canvas. Is the design fully contained within the grid? If you see any part of the design crossing the red safety line, you are in the danger zone.
• Metric: Ensure there is at least a 10mm margin between the design edge and the hoop capability.

Step 2 — Change hoop orientation to Horizontal

In the hoop selection dialog, toggle the orientation to Horizontal.

• Action: Select your machine’s largest standard hoop (e.g., 200x300mm) and click "Rotate" or "Horizontal."
• Visual Cue: Watch the hoop boundary physically rotate 90 degrees on the screen. The wide text should now sit comfortably with ample breathing room on the sides.

Why this matters (expert reality check)

In software, a hoop is just a blue rectangle. In the physical world, hoop orientation dictates how you stabilize the fabric. Wide text is notoriously sensitive to "fabric drift"—where the fabric shifts slightly as the heavy needle bar travels back and forth across the X-axis.

The Commercial Insight: If you are struggling to keep wide layouts straight, or if you notice the text starts level but ends up crooked, the issue is often human error during the physical hooping process. This is where the right tools distinguish hobbyists from production shops. An embroidery hooping station is often used here to lock the hoop in place, ensuring that your horizontal alignment on the shirt matches exactly what you set on the screen. It eliminates the "guess-and-check" frustration of manual hooping.

Using the Freehand Select (Lasso) Tool

Now we enter the surgical phase. The core technique is selecting only the stitches you want to recolor—starting with the word “ROOSTER.” We will use the Freehand Select Mode (Lasso), which functions like a digital scalpel.

Step 3 — Activate Freehand Select (Lasso)

• Action: Locate the "Lasso" icon in your toolbar (usually near the standard pointer arrow).
• Expert Tip: Before you start clicking, zoom in to at least 400%. You need to see the individual needle penetration points, not just the general shape of the letters.

Step 4 — Trace around the word “ROOSTER”

• Action: Left-click point-by-point around the exterior of the word “ROOSTER.”
• Tactile Guide: Think of this like sewing a slow running stitch. Click, move, click, move. Do not drag the mouse; precision clicking is more controllable.
• Visual Cue: As you encircle the word, you will see a temporary line following your cursor. When you return to your starting point, press Return (Enter).
• Success Metric: The stitches comprising "ROOSTER" should turn turn red (or your software's selection color), indicating they are "live" and ready for surgery.

Watch out: selection accuracy is everything

When you Lasso-select, you are not selecting "letters" in the semantic sense; you are capturing raw stitch data. If your lasso boundary clips the top of the letter "H" below it, you will rip those stitches away from their original object, creating a "orphan stitches" that will look like lint or a mistake on the final garment.

The "Buffer Zone" Rule: Always leave a tiny buffer of white space between your lasso line and the stitches you want to grab. It is better to capture a little empty space (which contains no data) than to cut too close and miss a tie-in stitch. If you miss, hit Ctrl+Z immediately. Do not try to patch a bad selection; re-do it.

The Magic of the 'Split Join' Command

Once "ROOSTER" is highlighted red, it is still part of the original monochrome block. We must sever the link.

Step 5 — Split the selected stitches into a new object

• Action: Navigate to Edit > Split Join > Split (terminology may vary by software, look for "Split Object").
• Visual Confirmation: Visually, nothing moves. However, look at your Sequence View panel on the right. You should now see two icons instead of one. The red-highlighted "ROOSTER" is now an independent entity.

Why splitting works (and what it doesn’t do)

Understanding the data architecture is crucial for avoiding disasters. Splitting simply reorganizes the existing stitch points into a new container.

• It DOES: Allow you to change color, sequence, and visibility independently.
• It DOES NOT: Add new tie-ins or tie-offs automatically (in some older software).
• It DOES NOT: Change density or pull compensation.

The Risk: If you split a continuous run of satin stitches, you might create a jump stitch where there wasn't one before. If your machine doesn't have auto-trimmers, you will have to hand-trim the connection.

Warning: Mechanical Safety. When testing a newly split file, keep your hands near the Emergency Stop button. If the split created a weird jump code, the machine might accelerate unexpectedly to the next coordinate. Never test a new edit at full speed (1000 SPM); throttle down to 600 SPM for the first run to ensure the needle path is logical.

Assigning Custom Colors with Thread Charts

Now that the objects are separated, we can paint. The instructor uses the Marathon Viscose Rayon chart, a standard industry palette.

Step 6 — Colorize the “ROOSTER” object (red)

• Action: Click the newly split “ROOSTER” object in the Sequence View to select it.
• Action: Open your Thread Catalog (Color Palette).
• Action: Filter for Marathon threads and select a vibrant Red (e.g., Marathon 1045).
• Result: The text on screen changes from black to red.

Step 7 — Repeat for “HEN” (split, then assign a darker yellow/gold)

We rinse and repeat the surgical process:

1. Zoom in on the word "HEN."
2. Lasso carefully, ensuring you don't clip the red "ROOSTER" above or the gray text below.
3. Split the object.
4. Assign a Deep Gold/Yellow from the chart.

Step 8 — Change the bottom text color to Dark Gray

Finally, we address the remaining text: “delivers the GOODS.” Since we have already extracted the top two lines, whatever is left in the original object is this bottom line.

• Action: Select the remaining original object.
• Action: Assign a Dark Gray or Charcoal.

Pro-level color planning (so the stitch-out matches your screen)

Novices obsess over the screen color; Experts obsess over the run sheet. Your embroidery machine does not know "Marathon Gold"; it only knows "Stop #2, Needle #2."

The Production Reality: If you look at the screen and see "Red, Gold, Charcoal," but you load "Red, Pink, Black" on the machine, the machine will happily stitch pink and black.

• Rule: Use screen colors as labels to force the machine to stop.
• Pain Point: On a single-needle home machine, every one of these color changes requires you to stop, cut thread, re-thread, and restart. For a 3-color design, that’s manageable. But for a 15-color design? That is agony.
• The Upgrade Path: This friction is usually the trigger for upgrading to a generic multi-needle machine or a high-performance SEWTECH Multi-needle Machine. These units hold all 3 (or 6, or 10) colors simultaneously, switching automatically in seconds. If you plan to sell these rooster patches, the time saved by a multi-needle machine pays for the equipment in mere months.

If you are running production batches on a multi-needle, consistency is key. Using a dedicated hooping for embroidery machine setup ensures that every single rooster lands on the exact same spot on every shirt, protecting your profit margin from "aligned-wrong" rejects.

Saving Your New Multi-Color Creation

Do not skip this. The "Save" button is dangerous; the "Save As" button is your best friend.

Step 9 — Save As (do not overwrite)

• Action: Go to File > Save As.
• Naming Protocol: Rooster_Split_3Color_v1.pes (or your machine format).
• Why: If you overwrite the original Rooster_Original.pes, and later decide you want it back to single-color, you have to go re-download it. Preservation of raw assets is rule #1 of digital asset management.

Primer (Quick Reference: What You’re Actually Doing)

Let’s cognitive-chunk this workflow so it sticks in your brain:

1. Setup: Rotate hoop to match design aspect ratio (Horizontal).
2. Isolate: Use Lasso to draw a boundary around specific stitches.
3. Separate: Use the Split command to break the data link.
4. Tag: Assign a new thread color code to the separated object.

You are not creating new stitches; you are simply reorganizing the existing ones into new "buckets" (objects).

Prep (Hidden Consumables & Prep Checks)

Software success means nothing if the hardware fails. Before you stitch this edited file, gather your "Hidden Consumables"—the things newbies forget until it's too late.

Hidden consumables you’ll want within reach

• Sharp, Fresh Needles: A 75/11 Embroidery needle is standard. If you are stitching on dense canvas, swap to a 90/14.
• Stabilizer: A medium-weight Cutaway (2.5oz) is your safety net. Tearaway is often too weak for dense text.
• Temporary Spray Adhesive (Example: Odif 505): To bond fabric to stabilizer to prevent shifting.
• Fine-Point Tweezers: Essential for grabbing those short jump threads that appear after splitting objects.

Prep Checklist (do this before editing + before stitch-out)

• Visual Validation: Does the design fit the hoop with a 10mm safety margin?
• Thread Inventory: Do you physically have the Red, Gold, and Gray spools? (Don't trust the screen).
• Bobbin Check: Is your bobbin at least 50% full? running out of bobbin thread in the middle of fine text is a nightmare to fix.
• Machine Hygiene: Listen to your machine. Remove the needle plate and brush out lint. A quiet machine yields smoother text.

Setup (Software Setup That Prevents Rework)

The physical setup is where most "software errors" actually happen. You edited the file to be perfect, but if the fabric moves, the text will look drunk.

Decision tree: choosing stabilization and hooping approach

Use this logic flow to determine your physical setup:

1. Is the item circular or difficult to clamp (like a tote bag or sleeve)?

• YES: Traditional plastic hoops struggle here. They pop off or leave "hoop burn" rings.
  • Solution: Consider an upgrade tool. magnetic embroidery hoops allow you to float the item and clamp it magnetically without forcing it into an inner/outer ring. It saves the fabric fiber from crushing.
• NO: Proceed to question 2.

2. Is the fabric stretchy (T-shirt, Jersey)?

• YES: You must use Cutaway stabilizer and avoid stretching the fabric while hooping.
  • Risk: If you pull the fabric tight like a drum before the hoop clamps, it will snap back after stitching, ruining the text.
  • Solution: Use a magnetic embroidery hoop. The vertical clamping force holds the fabric neutral without the friction drag of standard hoops.
• NO: Use standard Tearaway or Cutaway as preferred.

Warning: Magnet Safety. Powerful magnetic embroidery hoops can pinch fingers severely. Never place your fingers between the magnets. If you have a pacemaker, maintain the safe distance recommended by your medical device manufacturer, as the magnetic field is significant.

Setup Checklist (before you start splitting objects)

• Hoop Alignment: Canvas orientation matches physical machine setup.
• Zoom Level: Zoom is set to 400% or higher for precise selection.
• Safety Buffer: You have a clear plan to leave 1-2mm buffer around letters during selection.
• Backup Plan: You have saved the original file in a separate folder.

Operation (Step-by-Step With Checkpoints & Expected Outcomes)

We will execute the edited file. Here is the operational cadence.

Step A — Split and recolor “ROOSTER”

1. Select: Lasso tool active. Trace carefully.
2. Confirm: Press Enter. Look for the "marching ants" or red highlight.
3. Split: Execute Split command.
4. Tag: Set color to Red.

Checkpoint: Toggle the visibility (Eye icon) of the new Red object. Does "ROOSTER" disappear and reappear cleanly? If sticking parts of "HEN" disappear too, you lassoed too wide. Undo.

Step B — Split and recolor “HEN”

1. Select: Lasso "HEN".
2. Confirm: Highlight is active.
3. Split: Execute Split.
4. Tag: Set color to Gold.

Checkpoint: Look closely at the spacing between "HEN" and the line below. Ensure no gray stitches turned gold.

Step C — Recolor the bottom text to Dark Gray

1. Select: Click the remaining original object.
2. Tag: Set color to Dark Gray.

Expected Outcome: A file with 3 distinct color stops. The machine should stop after Red, and stop after Gold.

Step D — Save safely

1. Archive: Use Save As.

Operation Checklist (end-of-run verification)

• Object Count: You have exactly 3 objects in your sequence view.
• Stop Commands: Your software shows "Color Changes: 3".
• Pathing: When you run the "Slow Redraw" simulator, the needle moves logically from top to bottom.
• File Integrity: The file size is similar to the original (it shouldn't be 0kb or huge).

Quality Checks (What Pros Verify Before Stitching)

Before you commit to your final garment, run these quality gates.

1) Sequence sanity

Did the splitting mess up the order? Verify that the machine stitches the Red object first, then the Gold, then the Gray. If it stitches Red, then Gray, then jumps back up to Gold, you have an inefficient path. Drag and drop the objects in the Sequence View to fix the order (Top -> Down).

2) Hooping consistency (the hidden variable)

You can have the best digitized file in the world, but if your hooping is crooked, the text will be crooked.

• The Symptom: You run 10 shirts. 3 are straight, 7 are slightly tilted.
• The Cause: Manual hooping fatigue.
• The Fix: Professionals use hooping stations to standardize placement. You place the hoop in a jig, lay the shirt over a guide, and press. It guarantees identical placement every time.

3) Tension Calibration

Listen to your machine during the first few stitches of the Red text.

• The Sound: You want a quiet, rhythmic "tick-tick-tick."
• The Noise: If you hear a loud "THUMP-THUMP" or a bird's nest grinding sound, stop immediately. Splitting objects can sometimes create short tie-ins that pull out of the needle eye.
• The Feel: Check the back of the test fabric. You should see 1/3 white bobbin thread in the center of the satin column. If you see only Red thread on the back, your top tension is too loose.

Troubleshooting (Symptom → Likely Cause → Fix)

Use this table to diagnose issues quickly. Start with the "Likely Cause" and move down the list.

Results (What You Should Have When You’re Done)

By following the exact steps shown—horizontal hoop orientation, precise Lasso selection, Edit > Split Join > Split, and thread chart recoloring—you have successfully transmuted a static monochrome design into a vibrant, multi-color asset.

Your deliverables are:

1. Source of Truth: A safe original file (unchanged).
2. Production File: A _v1.pes file with 3 distinct color stops.
3. Confidence: The ability to look at any design and say, "I can change that."

This workflow is the gateway to professional customization. However, remember that software is only half the battle. As your ambitions grow from single pieces to team orders, your bottlenecks will shift from "editing files" to "hooping faster" and "changing threads." When you hit those walls, remember that tools like magnetic embroidery hoops and SEWTECH Multi-Needle Machines exist specifically to turn those production headaches into profit.

Happy stitching! Combine your new digital precision with smart physical setup, and your results will speak for themselves.