Radial Fill in Wilcom Hatch: Turning Flat Tatami into 3D, Directional Stitch Effects (and a Practical Flower Project)

What is the Radial Fill Effect?

In the world of machine embroidery, "flatness" is the enemy of realism. The Radial Fill effect in Wilcom Hatch is a specialized tool that manipulates light and depth, transforming a standard, flat fill into dynamic "turning stitches" that radiate from a definable center point.

In the tutorial video, Sue demonstrates how a basic Tatami fill—which usually looks like a flat woven mat—can instantly gain the visual properties of a 3D cone or a sweeping organic petal.

The Physics of Thread Luster: To understand why this works, you must understand the material you are working with. Embroidery thread (especially Rayon or Polyester) creates sheen by reflecting light. A standard fill runs stitches in parallel lines (e.g., all 45 degrees), reflecting light uniformly. Radial Fill forces the stitch angles to travel around a geometric point. As the light hits the curve, different sectors reflect differently, creating an optical illusion of depth and motion without actually adding foam or padding.

Expert Note: The video highlights an important limitation: Radial Fill functions specifically with Tatami and Satin stitch types. It cannot be applied to generic motif fills.

Step 1: Applying Radial Fill to Tatami Shapes

Primer: what you’ll do in this step

You will create a closed geometric shape (a circle) using Hatch’s digitizing tools. You will identify it as a Tatami fill, optionally select a decorative pattern to add texture, and then activate the Radial Fill from the Effects panel to shift the stitch angles.

Prep (Hidden consumables & prep checks)

Digital perfection means nothing if the physical stitch-out fails. Turning stitches exert localized stress on fabric in multiple directions, unlike a standard fill which pulls in one direction. You must prepare your physical environment before you click the mouse.

Hidden consumables & prep checks (production-minded):

• Fabric/Stabilizer Pairing: If you are stitching on knits (loopback jersey, pique), turning stitches can twist the fabric. Start with a Cutaway stabilizer (2.5oz or 3.0oz). If stablizers are too light, the "center" of your radial fill will bulge like a volcano.
• Needle Check: Use a fresh 75/11 needle. A burred needle combined with the dense center point of a radial fill can chew a hole in your garment.
• Top Thread Tension: Turning stitches are unforgiving of loose tension.
  • Sensory Check: Pull your top thread before threading the needle. You should feel smooth, consistent resistance—like pulling dental floss between tight teeth—not a loose glide.
• Consumables: Have temporary spray adhesive (e.g., 505) ready to bond your fabric to the stabilizer, preventing shifting during the complex stitch turns.

If you’re digitizing specifically for fast, repeatable production, think about your hooping strategy now. On slippery blanks (like performance wear), standard friction hoops often slip as the radial fill spirals inward.

Step-by-step: create the circle and apply the effect

1. Digitize a circle/oval base shape.
   • Navigate to the Digitize toolbox on the left interface.
   • Select the Circle/Oval tool.
   • Click to mark your center point, drag outward to define the radius, and press Enter.
   • Success Metric: You should see a blue circle with a standard, flat Tatami fill.
2. (Optional) Choose a more decorative Tatami pattern.
   • Before applying the effect, select the object and browse the Object Properties.
   • Swap the default Tatami for a textured pattern.
   • Visual Check: The fill should still look flat, but the internal texture will change from a smooth weave to something more like woodgrain or feathers.
3. Enable Radial Fill in the Effects panel.
   • Open the Effects panel (usually on the right).
   • Scroll to the "Stitch Effects" section.
   • Check the box for Radial Fill.
   • Sensory Check (Visual): The "shine" of the object on screen should immediately change. The stitch lines will no longer be parallel; they will look like bicycle spokes radiating from the exact center.

Why this works (expert clarity)

The software re-calculates entry and exit points for every needle penetration. By forcing stitches to turn, it creates a "conical" structure.

Critical Safety Note: Radial fills concentrate needle penetrations at the center point. If you scale this design down too small (under 1-2cm), you risk "birdnesting" (a thread jam) or breaking a needle because the density at the center becomes solid thread.

Step 2: Reshaping the Center Point for 3D Effects

What you’ll learn here

You will use the Reshape tool to physically move the Radial Fill center point (represented by an "X" or diamond marker). This changes the focal point of the "cone," allowing you to simulate off-center highlights on a fruit, a ball, or a jewel.

Step-by-step: move the center point inside the shape

1. Select the object and choose Reshape.
   • With the circle selected, click the Reshape icon (or press H shortcut in many configurations).
2. Grab the center “X” and drag it.
   • Locate the center marker.
   • Drag it off-center—perhaps to the top-left quadrant.
   • Visual Check: The stitch angles will redraw instantly. The "highlight" of the thread sheen will follow the X, making the circle look like a domed sphere lit from that direction.

Checkpoints (so you know you’re doing it right)

• Object Integrity: The outline of the circle must not change. You are only moving the internal focal point.
• Marker Visibility: The "X" marker is only visible when the Reshape tool is active.
• Latency: The effect should be immediate. If the stitches don't move, check that the object is still a Tatami/Satin type.

Comment-based “watch out” (common confusion)

Beginners often panic when they cannot find the specific toolboxes shown in tutorials. If you do not see the Digitize or Effects panels, it is likely a workspace configuration issue.

Step 3: Creating Directional Texture by Moving Centers Outside

What this does visually

Sue demonstrates a master-class technique: dragging the center point completely outside the boundary of the object. This removes the "conical" look and replaces it with a sweeping, fan-like flow. This is the industry standard technique for creating realistic flower petals, animal fur, or flowing water.

Step-by-step: move the center outside the object

1. With Reshape active, grab the center “X.”
   • Click and hold the center marker.
2. Drag it beyond the boundary of the shape.
   • Pull it far outside the circle (e.g., 2 inches away).
   • Visual Check: The stitches will no longer look like a cone. They will look like a "sweep" or a "grain," curving gently across the object.

Expert guidance: when outside-centers help (and when they bite)

This technique creates clearer, longer stitches, which reflect more light—making your embroidery look luxurious. However, it introduces physical risks.

• The Benefit: Ideal for organic shapes. A petal naturally flows from the flower's center, not its own center. By placing the "X" where the flower stem would be, all petals will flow naturally toward the stem.
• The Risk (The "Hoop Burn" Trap): Directional fills pull fabric toward the center point. If you are stitching a large design on a hoodie or t-shirt, this pull can distort the fabric. You will see ripples or waves around the edge of the embroidery.

The Commercial Upgrade Path: If you see ripples in your test sew-out, your fabric is moving inside the hoop. Traditional screw-tightened hoops struggle to hold thick or slippery fabrics evenly. This is often where hobbyists hit a ceiling.

• Level 1 Fix: Use a heavier Cutaway stabilizer and spray adhesive.
• Level 2 Fix (Tool Upgrade): Many professionals switch to magnetic embroidery hoops. These use magnets to clamp the fabric with uniform vertical pressure rather than the "pull and screw" method. This minimizes "hoop burn" (the permanent ring left on fabric) and holds the material tighter against the stabilizer, reducing the distortion caused by directional fills.

Warning: Magnet Safety. If you upgrade to magnetic frames, be aware they are powerful industrial tools. Keep them away from pacemakers and implanted medical devices. Watch your fingers—the magnets can snap together with enough force to cause a serious pinch injury (blood blister hazard).

Advanced Technique: Breaking Apart and Editing Angle Lines

What you’ll do in this section

Sometimes the automatic "math" of the software isn't artistic enough. Sue shows how to manually override the stitch angles by breaking the effect apart into editable components.

Step-by-step: Break Apart and reshape angle lines

1. Select the radial-fill object.
   • Ensure it is selected in the Sequence docker.
2. Go to Edit Objects → Break Apart.
   • This command "bakes" the effect into the object.
   • Visual Check: You will see yellow lines appear inside the shape, resembling bicycle spokes. These are the specific angle guides the machine follows.
3. Use Reshape to move individual spokes.
   • Click and drag the end of a yellow line to change the stitch direction only in that specific pie-slice of the design.

The big “no-no” from the tutorial

Sue explicitly warns against crossing angle lines over each other.

• Symptom: If you drag one spoke past another, the software gets confused about which way the thread should travel.
• Visual Failure: You will see a "jagged" or "messy" texture on screen.

Why crossing lines is risky (expert explanation)

Think of angle lines like traffic lanes on a highway. If two lanes cross abruptly, traffic (stitches) crashes. The machine will attempt to make the turn, often resulting in extremely short stitches or "micro-jumps" that slow the machine down and look like a knot on the fabric.

Expert Habit: Edit slowly. Move one line, release the mouse, and let the screen refresh. Verify the "flow" is smooth before moving the next line.

Practical Project: Designing a Radial Fill Flower

What Sue builds

We will now apply these theories to build a 5-petal flower. This exercise demonstrates the power of the "Outside Center" technique.

Project Spec:

• Shape: Oval (Petal).
• Fill: Radial Tatami.
• Center Point: Moved outside the oval (to the flower center).

Step-by-step: petal → flower

1. Digitize an oval.
   • Select the Circle/Oval tool. Drag a long, thin oval shape.
   • Press Enter.
2. Confirm you’re getting the fill you expect.
   • Hatch has a "memory." If your last object had Radial Fill, this new one might too.
   • Action: If it's a standard fill, enable Radial Fill in Effects.
3. Reshape the center for flow.
   • Click Reshape. Drag the center "X" down and outside the oval.
   • Visual Check: The stitches should curve effectively "downward" toward where the stem mimics a natural petal.
4. Use Layout to build the flower.
   • Open the Layout toolbox. Select Circle Layout.
   • Set the number of petals to 5.
   • Action: Drag the layout center anchor to match the "X" position of your radial fill.
   • Success Metric: You now have 5 petals, and because of the radial fill, the sheen on every petal flows toward the center of the flower. A standard fill would have some petals looking vertical and others horizontal—which looks fake.
5. Adjust color and add the center circle.
   • Select the flower group and choose a color (e.g., Deep Blue) from the palette.
   • Digitize a small circle in the gap at the center. Change it to Purple.

Production-minded note (so the flower stitches like it looks)

You have created a design where 5 petals all pull toward the center. On a t-shirt, this will create a "pucker star" in the middle if the stabilization is weak.

Commercial Reality: If you are doing this as a hobby, you can struggle with hand-hooping each shirt. But if you are doing a run of 20 team shirts with this logo, standard hooping is slow and inconsistent.

• The Bottleneck: Getting the logo exactly straight and tensioned correctly on 20 different shirts takes hours with manual hoops.
• The Professional Fix: This is when a shop invests in a hooping station for machine embroidery. A station allows you to place the magnetic hoop in a fixed jig. You slide the shirt over, align it to laser markings or a grid, and snap the magnet down. This guarantees the "flow" of your radial flower is oriented exactly the same way on every single garment, drastically reducing rejects.

Decision Tree: Stabilizer & Hooping Choices

Use this logic to determine your setup before you press start.

1. Is the fabric stable? (Denim, Canvas, Twill)

• Yes: Use Tearaway (2 layers) or medium Cutaway. Standard hooping is usually fine.
• No (T-shirt, Pique, Hoodie): Use Cutaway (Fusible Mesh or 2.5oz). You must bond the fabric to stabilizers.

2. Is the Radial Fill density high? (Does it look solid?)

• Yes: High density = High visual distortion possibility. Upgrade to embroidery magnetic hoop to prevent hoop burn from the necessary tight clamping.
• No: Low density designs are more forgiving.

3. Are you stitching more than 10 items?

• Yes: Fatigue sets in. Use a machine embroidery hooping station to ensure placement consistency and save your wrists.
• No: Manual measuring is acceptable.

Warning: Mechanical Safety. When test-stitching a new radial design, keep your speed moderate (600-700 SPM). Watch the center of the flower. If the density is too high, the needle can deflect and strike the needle plate. Keep your face away from the machine during the first run in case a needle shatters.

Prep

What to prepare before you digitize “for real”

Radial Fill is deceptively simple. To ensure your digital file translates to a physical product, run this prep sequence.

Prep Checklist (end-of-section)

• Shape Closure: confirm your object is a fully closed shape (circle/oval). Open shapes cannot calculate radial fills.
• Stitch Type: Confirm you are using Tatami or Satin. Change this before enabling the effect.
• Size Reality: Is the shape at least 2cm wide? (Smaller shapes with radial fill create dangerous density knobs).
• Consumables: Fresh 75/11 Ballpoint needle (for knits) or Sharp (for wovens). Cutaway stabilizer on hand.

Setup

Software setup checkpoints (Hatch)

Ensure your digital workspace mirrors the tutorial for a frustration-free experience.

• Toolboxes: Ensure "Digitize" and "Layout" are expanded on the left.
• Dockers: Ensure "Object Properties" and "Effects" are docked on the right.
• Visual Aids: Turn on "Show Stitches" (Shortcut S) and "Show Needle Points" (Shortcut .) to see the density on screen.

Setup Checklist (end-of-section)

• Panel Visibility: Effects panel is open; Radial Fill checkbox is located.
• Reshape Active: You can see the angle lines and center "X" when selecting an object.
• Undo Ready: You are comfortable using Ctrl+Z if an angle edit creates a mess.

Operation

Operation = your repeatable workflow

Once you move to production, follow this strict operational loop to minimize errors.

1. Digitize Base: Create your shape with the correct stitch type.
2. Apply Effect: Enable Radial Fill.
3. Tweak Center: Move the "X" to define your light source or flow direction.
4. Hoop: Load fabric. If using a machine embroidery hooping station, verify your grid alignment.
5. Trace: Run a trace on your machine to ensure the "Outside Center" fill doesn't push the needle bar past the limit.
6. Stitch: Run the design.

Operation Checklist (end-of-section)

• Visual Flow: Does the stitch direction radiate correctly from your chosen center?
• Spoke Integrity: If you used Break Apart, verify no yellow angle lines are crossed.
• Version Control: Save your file as "Design_Radial_v1" before making destructive edits like Break Apart.

Quality Checks

On-screen checks (before you ever stitch)

• Density Check: Zoom in to the center point. Is it a solid blob of color? If so, increase the "Hole Size" in settings or lower density to prevent needle breaks.
• Flow Logic: Does the light reflection make sense? (e.g., all petals flowing to center).

Real-world checks (when you test stitch)

• Pucker Test: Run your hand over the finished embroidery. It should feel flat, not "hilly." If it's puckered, your hooping was too loose.
• Hoop Burn: Check the fabric around the design. Is there a shiny "crushed" ring?
  • Upgrade Path: If you constantly battle hoop burn on delicate items, searching for how to use magnetic embroidery hoop tutorials or products can solve this by changing how the fabric is gripped. Magnetic hoops grip flatly, preserving the fabric texture.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Angle lines get crossed after Break Apart

Symptom: The fill looks jagged, chaotic, or has gaps. The machine sound changes from a hum to a erratic "chug-chug." Likely cause: You dragged an angle spoke past its neighbor, confusing the software's algorithm.

Problem: “What happened? My new shape looks wrong.”

Symptom: You draw a simple square, but it creates a weird, distorted radial fill immediately. Likely cause: Hatch retains the properties of the last selected object to save time.

Problem: Cannot find Digitize toolbox

Symptom: The left sidebar seems empty or missing tools. Likely cause: You are in "Essentials" mode or a different workspace layout.

Results

You have now mastered the Radial Fill technique in Wilcom Hatch. You can take a flat circle and turn it into a 3D sphere, or drag the center point outward to create sweeping, organic textures for flowers and artistic shapes.

The Final 1%: The difference between a "home-made" look and a "boutique" look often isn't the file—it's the execution. A radial fill design demands precise tension and stability.

• Use the right stabilizer (Cutaway for knits).
• Use the right needle (Fresh 75/11).
• Use the right tools to hold it. If you are serious about production efficiency, using a hooping station for embroidery along with magnetic frames provides the mechanical consistency needed to handle directional stresses without ruining the garment.

Master the software, but respect the physics of the fabric. Happy stitching