Table of Contents
Watch the video: “How to Combine and Scale Embroidery Designs on SmartStitch” by All My Ancestors
If you’ve ever combined a few cute motifs on your SmartStitch, only to be told you can’t resize them, you’re not alone. This tutorial shows the exact menu path that turns a multi-element mashup into a “normal design” you can scale up or down. Follow it once and you’ll never get stuck at “Not a normal design” again.
What you’ll learn
- Why combined designs on SmartStitch can’t be scaled right away
- How to pick a base motif, add text, and doodle details
- The one menu option that converts a combined file into a normal design
- How to scale up to 110% and back to 100% with confidence
- Simple checkpoints to avoid losing work along the way
Understanding Design Limitations on SmartStitch Combined designs look complete on the screen—but until you convert them, SmartStitch treats them as a special case that can’t be scaled like a standard, single embroidery file. That’s why the dimension controls are disabled.
When you try to resize a freshly combined file, you’ll see a prompt that reads “Not a normal design.” That message is the machine’s way of saying, “Convert me first.”
Quick check - Try the size controls on a combined design. If you see “Not a normal design,” you’re in the right place—conversion will fix it.
Watch out
- Don’t spend time fine-tuning scale values before conversion. They won’t apply yet.
Building Your Combined Design Selecting your base design The tutorial picks a seasonal ghost from the design library. Using the on-screen controls and a stylus, the ghost is positioned where it belongs on the canvas. If you need precision, a small movement increment (e.g., 1.0 mm) keeps nudge moves predictable.
Pro tip - Place the base motif first and leave room above it for lettering. It’s easier to align type to an anchored visual than the other way around.
Adding and customizing text (e.g., 'BOO!') Next comes the text. The creator types “BOO!” (yes, with the exclamation mark) using the on-screen keyboard and places it above the ghost. Getting the word roughly into position now makes later adjustments more intuitive.
With the text selected, height and width are increased for boldness, and the letter spacing is opened up so it reads clearly. Small changes to size and spacing can dramatically alter balance—aim for a proportion that feels anchored to the ghost below.
The video also explores font options, picking one that fits the playful vibe. Remember: the clearest font isn’t always the most decorative—choose what stitches legibly at your target size.
Color can add punch. In the tutorial, each letter in “BOO!” can be assigned its own color, offering flexibility if you plan to stitch with multiple thread changes.
Quick check - Confirm “BOO!” is spelled correctly (including the exclamation mark) and sits above the ghost in a way that looks balanced on-screen.
Enhancing with doodled elements Once the ghost and text are in place, the video adds freehand doodles—“wisps” that frame the scene. On the drawing canvas, the settings shown include a 300.0 mm width and 200.0 mm height, with a pen strike width of 4.0 and density at 0.4. The instructor initially rejects a wobbly first attempt and switches to a firmer stylus, then draws smooth, airy lines around the design.
Watch out
- If a doodle looks messy, undo and redraw. Keep lines light and purposeful so they enhance rather than clutter the composition.
Pro tip
- Move drawn elements slightly after placing them to integrate with the design—just avoid overlapping in ways that obscure text or the focal motif.
Saving your initial combined design With the base and text set, the instructor saves the combined design. This is an important checkpoint: it captures your progress before doodles, and again after doodles. Saving in stages means you can roll back if needed.
After doodling, the design is saved again—this time choosing “Create New Design” so all additions are included. Assigning a new design number prevents overwriting earlier versions.
Quick check - After saving, confirm the design appears in your list with the new number or entry name. Then, if you try to scale now, you’ll still see “Not a normal design”—that’s expected and confirms the next step is needed.
The Crucial Step: Converting to a Normal Design Accessing advanced menu options Open the design, tap the “three dots” menu, and head into the advanced options. This is where SmartStitch hides the feature that makes multi-part creations behave like any other standard file.
Using the 'Change combined design to normal emb. design' feature In the menu, choose “6: Change combined design to normal embroidery design.” The machine will prompt you to assign a new design number; confirm to create the converted file. From this moment on, the file is a “normal” design—scaling and other options become available.
Watch out
- Selecting the wrong menu option or skipping the new design number prompt will prevent conversion. If you don’t see scaling controls afterward, repeat this step.
Unlocking Scaling Freedom Demonstrating increased design size With the converted design selected, scaling is now unlocked. In the tutorial, the instructor inputs 110% for both X Scale and Y Scale, immediately enlarging the design preview on-screen. This quick bump is a safe way to confirm conversion succeeded.
Pro tip
- Scale in modest steps first—like 110%—so you can spot proportional issues before committing to larger changes.
Demonstrating decreased design size To show full control, the design is returned to 100% on both axes, bringing it back to the original proportions. That round-trip is your simple proof that the design is now fully editable.
Tips for SmartStitch Design Workflow
- Save early, save often: Save when you’ve placed the base design, again after adding text, and once more after doodles. Creating a new design entry protects your milestones.
- Keep movement increments small: A 1.0 mm movement setting helps you fine-tune placement without overshooting.
- Balance type to motif: Increase height and width of text in small steps, then adjust letter spacing to avoid crowding.
- Test color strategy on-screen: Assign colors by element so you can change thread plans later without redrawing.
- Doodle last, then save: Add freehand embellishments after your major elements are positioned. Undo and refine as needed.
From the comments A viewer using an S1201 mentioned they couldn’t find an option to combine files. Model-specific menus can vary, and the video focuses on SmartStitch. If your screen differs or lacks the same labels, look for an advanced or “more options” menu and a wording similar to “Change combined design to normal embroidery design.” If that’s not present, it’s not specified whether your model supports the same workflow.
Troubleshooting Common Design Issues “I still see ‘Not a normal design’ after saving.”
- Saving alone doesn’t convert the file type. Ensure you opened the advanced menu and selected the feature labeled “Change combined design to normal embroidery design.”
“I converted it, but I can’t scale.”
- Reopen the converted entry (the one that received the new design number) and try again. If you edited an older, pre-conversion entry by mistake, scaling will still be disabled.
“My doodles look jagged.”
- Try a firmer stylus and smoother strokes. The instructor switched tools when the first doodles looked wobbly.
“My text looks cramped above the motif.”
- Increase letter spacing slightly and widen the text. Reposition so there’s breathing room between lettering and the motif’s highest point.
Quick reference: values shown in the video
- Canvas Width: 300.0 mm
- Canvas Height: 200.0 mm
- Pen strike width: 4.0
- Pen density: 0.4
- Movement increment (during placement): 1.0 mm
- Scaling demo: 110% up, then back to 100%
Ideas for expanding the technique
- Seasonal sets: Build a base motif (like the ghost) and swap themed words—“BOO!”, “CHEER!”, or “JOY!”—then convert each combo and keep them ready in your design list.
- Light frames with doodles: Use wisps and lines to create subtle frames around short words—a great way to unify small motifs on a larger canvas.
From the studio bench: accessory talk If your creative flow includes frequent rehooping or you juggle multiple fabric weights, you may find it helpful to research different hoop systems on the market. While the video doesn’t cover hoop hardware, exploring options can improve your setup. For example, some crafters prefer systems marketed as lightweight or quick-change to reduce fabric handling. magnetic embroidery hoops
If you frequently switch between sizes for samplers or logos, organizing by size can speed your day. Keep a small, medium, and large set within reach so you can iterate your layout quickly without digging through storage. embroidery machine hoops
Working with bulky blanks like sweatshirts? Some makers experiment with systems that emphasize clamp-style hold and strong alignment—useful when you want to minimize fabric distortion on thick layers. magnetic embroidery frame
If you’re reading reviews, you’ll see makers discuss options designed for fast, repeatable placements on common garment zones. These can be handy when you’re producing multiples and want consistent alignment. mighty hoop
Others gravitate to frames that open and close quickly to speed testing. Rapid swap-outs can be especially helpful when you’re dialing in letter spacing and density across variations of the same design. snap hoop monster
If you stitch on a range of home and semi-pro machines, you’ll encounter many brand-specific frame families—plan your kit around what you actually own so your workflow stays smooth. babylock hoops
And if your household has multiple machines, keeping a simple label on each frame helps you avoid mid-project confusion when moving from one station to another. brother embroidery machine
Wrap-up The SmartStitch breakthrough is simple: combine your elements, save your progress, then convert the file to a normal design before you try to resize it. Once converted, scaling up to 110% or back to 100% works exactly as you’d expect. With a steady doodle hand, thoughtful text spacing, and timely saves, your custom creations will be ready to stitch at any size.