{"id":6939,"date":"2024-07-16T00:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/?p=6939"},"modified":"2025-08-30T15:15:15","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T19:15:15","slug":"stitches-contd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/stitches-contd\/","title":{"rendered":"Stitches Cont\u2019d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last week I talked about straight line stitching using hyphens or one of several other characters. But I also showed you how to \u201cstitch\u201d on a path\u2026not as easy as it sounds \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also mentioned in last week\u2019s post about typing stitches<\/a><\/strong> that today I would show you my alternative to creating stitches using Text on Custom Path. If you read that post you know I have a tough time creating a \u201cpretty\u201d path so I almost never do my stitching that way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today is going to be about stitching around a shape. But not in the way you may be expecting. I know that sounds perhaps a bit contrary but you\u2019ll understand as you read on\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text on Shape<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Stitching<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You may very well already know how to use Text on Shape. Especially if you read my post about \u201cUpside Down Text<\/a><\/strong>\u201d. But have you tried creating a custom shape for your \u201ctext\u201d? No, I don\u2019t mean using the shapes available to us in PSE. I\u2019m talking about creating your own special shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do this all the time when I want to write my journaling inside a very specific shape to fit into a particular spot in a layout. I learned how to do that years ago following a tutorial by Vicki Robinson. I referred to that tutorial in a post about camouflaging journaling<\/a><\/strong> back in August off 2023. But you don\u2019t need to go back to that old post to find out about that tutorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re in luck\u2026today I\u2019m going to show you exactly how to do that. I’ll use the same steps I learned years ago to create a custom shape. But this time I’ll use it to \u201ctype\u201d my stitching AROUND the shape rather than in it. And I\u2019m going to use that pesky pocket from last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any time I want to create a custom shape for \u201ctext\u201d purposes it\u2019s really just a simple matter of \u201cdrawing\u201d a combination of random circles, ellipses, rectangles or squares to create the shape I need. I keep all of these shapes on their own layer until I\u2019m completely happy with the final \u201ccomposite\u201d shape. And, I actually don\u2019t have to worry about creating a blank layer before I draw a new shape. PSE automatically places \u201cdrawn\u201d shapes on their own layer!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going back to the original denim paper I used last week (no stitching), I\u2019ll start by using the Rectangle Tool and create a green rectangle shape:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> The color of this rectangle or any of the other shapes that I\u2019ll create is inconsequential. You can make yours any color you choose. The final custom shape will not be visible in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I rotate and reposition it close to the spot along the left side of the pocket where I want my stitching to begin:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can probably already see that I\u2019ll need to create another shape to fill in a bit more along the left side. So, I\u2019ll do that next. Because that side of the pocket has a slight curve to it, I\u2019m going to use the Ellipse tool to try and fill that space:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can see I made this shape initially no taller than the rectangle. If I need to re-size it for any reason\u2026that\u2019s easy enough to do later. Now I\u2019ll just reposition it and see if I can close up that space:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I did make it a bit wider to get closer to the edge but there\u2019s still a bit of a gap left on that edge. Another small ellipse should cover that:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I think that looks pretty good so far. And this was the trickier side of the pocket so the rest should be a bit easier. Since we\u2019re using this shape to have stitching go \u201caround\u201d it, the key when using this method is to avoid jagged edges just as when drawing a custom path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, when I create a custom shape this way, I\u2019m typing my text \u201cinside\u201d the shape. In those cases, there\u2019s not as much concern about trying to keep smooth edges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For simplicity I\u2019m going to duplicate that first rectangle shape and move it to the right side of the pocket, and rotate it just a smidge:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Not perfect but close enough. I won\u2019t bore you with creating the rest of the shapes. Rather, I\u2019m just going to show you my complete custom shape:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In this particular case I won\u2019t be running the stitching around the top edge of this shape, so I didn\u2019t need to be too careful about any jagged edges across the top. And when I drew the shapes to fill in the bottom triangular shaped area, I did switch to using a rounded corner rectangle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since this shape is comprised of multiple layers, I do need to merge all those individual layers into a single layer. But before I do that, I\u2019m going to duplicate the layers that make up this shape. All I have to do is select each layer using the Shift key. Then go to the top tool bar and select Layer->Duplicate Layers (or Ctrl+J). I then hide the original layers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most times it\u2019s not really necessary to go through this step. Unless you\u2019re worried about the possibility of having to make adjustments to the shape once you start \u201cstitching\u201d. But if you\u2019re following along with me, please do duplicate those layers. You\u2019ll see why toward the end of this post \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, using the duplicate layers I\u2019ll merge them into a single layer I do that simply by selecting all of the layers and then Right-Click on any one of the selected layers\u2019 thumbnail and select “Merge Layers”. With the layers merged I now simplify the layer and I\u2019m ready to create the stitching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the shape layer active I select the Text on Selection tool:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Text<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can see that the same options show up here as what I had for Text on Custom Path last week. With one exception, this time I have an Offset option. This is supposed to allow me the ability to change the size of my selection. Honestly, I\u2019ve yet to find this a particularly useful option so I never really mess with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I\u2019m going to keep the font, Color and Size as shown. These are the same as what I used for the stitching last week. Now I can just draw a selection around that green pocket:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Green<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I then click the check-mark to confirm I\u2019ve completed the selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, I just position the cursor over the shape and click where I want to start typing. Just as before the cursor icon changes to depict text mode (the I-Beam). At this point the \u201ctext\u201d options now change just as they did last week so I can set the tracking. I\u2019m once again going to set the tracking at 150.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is one thing this time that\u2019s going to be different than Text on Custom Path. I absolutely need to select a Justification for my text. If I select \u201cLeft align text\u201d then position my cursor at the top left corner of the shape and type my hyphen character, the \u201cstitching\u201d will run across the top of the pocket shape:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Left<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I definitely don\u2019t want that so, I need to try something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think the best option would be to select \u201cCenter align text\u201d. I know that\u2019s what I thought my first time working on something like this. Depending on the shape\u2026this could work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, because this shape is not oriented completely straight\/level across the top if I select \u201cCenter\u201d and position my cursor at the bottom \u201cpoint\u201d of the shape, the \u201cstitching\u201d will run around each side of the pocket shape just fine. But it will end up running around the top right corner and over the top:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Center<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I don\u2019t want that either. Trust me, no amount of fiddling with the number of “stitches” or tracking worked to get the stitching to start\/stop at the desired spots. Now I could fix this later by erasing the unwanted stitches. But quite honestly, it’s just easier to fix this using \u201cRight align text\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I select \u201cRight align text\u201d and position my cursor at the top left corner of the shape, the \u201cstitching\u201d will run around the pocket shape and I can just stop typing when the stitches hit the top right corner of the pocket shape:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Right<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Now I can hide or delete the green pocket layer, add a style to the stitching (like Karen Schulz\u2019s \u201cString Style\u201d or \u201cStitching Style\u201d – now retired) and call it a day! But I did make that custom shape a little too close to the edge of the denim pocket. Not a problem. I just resized it a tiny bit and here\u2019s the finished stitching:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Stitching<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> If like I, you need to re-size your stitches be sure to do that BEFORE you apply any style(s). And remember to duplicate\/simplify the text layer first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would love to tell you that I was going to show you how to save that pocket shape in PSE for future use. Unfortunately, we cannot create a shape in PSE and then “define” it as custom shape (.CSH files) the way we can create custom patterns or brushes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the custom shapes that come with PSE are Smart Objects (vector-based). PSE does not give us the capability to create these types of shapes. If you\u2019re not familiar with Smart Vector objects please refer back to my \u201cFiles Size<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post from July 2023. In that post there is a discussion about those objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It really is such a shame that we can\u2019t save any of the custom shapes for use later within PSE. Oh, but wait\u2026we can! We just can\u2019t save them as a CSH file. But we can save them as a Brush! If you don\u2019t know how to do that, please refer back to my post about \u201cModern Gesso<\/a><\/strong>\u201d from June of this year. With a brush created from that pocket shape it\u2019s just a simple matter of \u201cstamping\u201d the pocket onto a paper in whatever color you choose:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Pocket<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Luckily, sometimes we can get creative and discover alternate paths that will lead to the same end. Take that Adobe \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And since I\u2019m talking about CSH file being saved into PSE\u2026did you know you can download other vector (should be .CSH) files that can be added to the shapes \u201clibrary\u201d in PSE?<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Download<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There are a lot out there but there are two spots I\u2019d recommend. I\u2019m sure you won\u2019t be surprised to hear that one shop is Brusheezy.com<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I love them. If you\u2019ve read some of my recent posts you know I go to them for A LOT!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you have to know where to look if you want to \u201cinstall\u201d new Custom Shapes. The process for adding shapes from a third party is pretty much the same as what I discussed in my \u201cSave That Color<\/a><\/strong>\u201d post back in March of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I download these shape files I first unzip and store them somewhere on my hard drive. I keep all of my brushes, color swatches and shapes in one place (a dedicated folder on my computer\u2019s hard drive) so they\u2019re easy to find when I want to load a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I have the .CSH file(s) unzipped and stored on my hard drive I can \u201cinstall\u201d them in PSE by copying the file into the PSE preset Custom Shapes folder. For me that is in this location: \u201cC:\\Users\\###\\AppData\\Roaming\\Adobe\\Photoshop Elements\\24.0\\Presets\\Custom Shapes where ### is the username that I chose when I set up my PC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exact location of that folder for you is going to be dependent on how your system is configured. But the path should be similar. You just need to find Custom Shapes:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Custom<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Note:<\/strong> I probably should have mentioned this in my posts about saving brushes and color swatches. In that file path above where it says \u201cAppData\u201d\u2026again, depending on how your system is configured, that may be a hidden file. If you can\u2019t find that folder, you\u2019ll need to tell Windows to show hidden files, folders and drives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since not everyone uses the same version of Windows the best I can tell you is to search the internet for \u201cHow to unhide folders in windows ##\u201d where ## represents the version of Windows installed on your system. Once you do that you should be able to find that presets folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I\u2019m going even more off topic here because I want to give you another little bonus!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text In A Shape<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Text<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I wanted to show you how to type some journaling INSIDE that exact same custom shape. The biggest difference is this; I will still merge the individual shape layers I just won’t simplify the \u201cmerged\u201d shape before typing. For some odd reason if I simplify the shape PSE isn\u2019t very cooperative when I try to type in that shape. I don\u2019t know why and I\u2019ve never found anyone that can explain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this time, when I select the green pocket layer it looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Shapes<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Don\u2019t be scared. I know this looks funny. But you can see all the different shapes I created to make this custom pocket shape. I only created 10 shapes but it looks like a lot more \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I double-click on the shape layer thumbnail to ensure it is \u201cactive\u201d \u2013 like I would if I was trying to make sure a layer mask was \u201cactive\u201d. This is a very important step. If I just select the layer, the next part generally won\u2019t work correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I then select the Horizontal Type tool, pick a color (I used white), set the Size, Leading, Tracking and change the justification to \u201cLeft align text\u201d. I then position my cursor inside the top left portion of the shape and just as before the cursor icon changes to depict text mode (the I-Beam).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re following along and you don\u2019t see the I-Beam, then your shape layer isn\u2019t fully active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once I see the correct text mode \u201ccursor\u201d, I just position it inside the shape and insert (or type) my text. It will then conform to the shape::<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Text<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

And when I say it conforms to the shape\u2026you can see that in the image above. Because of the size of the font, there isn\u2019t enough room at the top left (due to the angle of the pocket) for the text to start any closer to the left edge than it did. And the same is true at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text On PSE Shapes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now one last thing about Text on Shape\u2026just in case you don\u2019t already know how to use that with a shape already available in PSE. It\u2019s pretty straight forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I select the Text on Shape tool, I have an extremely limited number of shapes available within the tool:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Text<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Not too many shapes from which to pick. Using actual text, I definitely wouldn\u2019t recommend the butterfly\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Text<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Regardless, I can select a shape from within the Text on Shape tool, draw the shape to whatever size I like, position the cursor at a starting point (watch for that I-Beam) and type! It\u2019s that simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Text on Shape tool open I select the speech bubble shape and draw one out on a white background:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"PS<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I then position my cursor (watching for the I-Beam) at the left side of the bottom \u201cpoint\u201d and type my text. For a change of pace, I\u2019m going to use the = (equal sign) character:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Speech<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Looks like the stitching is \u201cstepping\u201d on itself a bit. So, I\u2019m going to adjust the font size and\/or tracking until it looks better. I ended up using a font Size of 30 and a Tracking value of 140 to smooth it out. I finished my stitching, clicked the check-mark to confirm and this is the result:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Stitching<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You probably see that I couldn\u2019t quite close the gap at the bottom of that speech bubble. Rather than continuing to fiddle with the size\/tracking\u2026there\u2019s another trick to fix that. I just put a new instance of the = character on its own layer using the Horizontal Text tool:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Extra<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I simplify that layer and I can rotate and move that = character to close that gap. I actually had to duplicate that extra = character a couple times to completely close the gap:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Stitching<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This worked out quite nicely! Then I just link those layers together to keep them \u201cattached\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice that the shape itself doesn\u2019t remain\u2026only the \u201ctext\u201d. This comes in real handy if you\u2019re just trying to put some stitching (text) around an existing shape on a layout. But that typically works the best when working with rectangular (square) or elliptical (circle) shapes. And getting the size\/placement of the shape right can be tricky. But most times, that\u2019s easy to fix after the fact simply by moving and\/or resizing it. Just be sure to simplify the layer before doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, if I want to use any one of the hundreds of \u201cstandard\u201d shapes within PSE I can do the exact same thing I did with my custom shape above. I just select\/draw whatever shape I want in whatever color I choose. Like this leaf:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Standard<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Then I use the Text on Selection tool, make the selection around the shape, position the cursor at a starting point (watching for that I-Beam) and type my stitches! This is what it looks like after I hide that original shape:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Stitched<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Is the stitching a little wonky? Yes, but now that you\u2019ve learned the steps to manage the font size and tracking, it really is pretty simple to fix. I\u2019ve found that sometimes adding a style can also help make it less noticeable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with this last example, you\u2019ve also learned how to create some interesting stitched elements \ud83d\ude09 Now go have fun with that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Tips For Stitches On Shapes<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Extra<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If you want to make a custom shape for stitching don\u2019t be afraid to start with an existing shape that you can modify to meet your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re trying to create a very unique custom shape around which to stitch, just take your time assembling all the individual pieces that will make up the finished shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When using text to create stitching be careful what style of font you use. Sans Serif fonts typically will provide the best outcome. That doesn\u2019t mean that a Serif font won\u2019t work. You can try one and see how it looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a good idea to avoid script or overly decorative fonts. Though some could work depending on the character you\u2019re hoping to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that experimentation with font styles, justification and tracking is key in helping you create lovely stitching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And don\u2019t forget\u2026if you keep a single segment of stitching on its own layer you can duplicate it, rotate it and reposition it in any number of ways to help complete certain stitching configurations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As usual, if you have any questions or want to make a suggestion about a topic you\u2019d like me to cover, please don\u2019t ever hesitate to \u201cMessage Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for reading this week\u2019s Tuesday Tip. Watch for my next post about creating stitches on selections in photos or other images. If you want to stay informed about new posts, just click \u201cFollow Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d to stay in touch. I hope you have a wonderful week!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"See<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week I talked about straight line stitching using hyphens or one of several other characters. But I also showed you how to \u201cstitch\u201d on a path\u2026not as easy as it sounds \ud83d\ude09 I also mentioned in last week\u2019s post about typing stitches that today I would show you my alternative to creating stitches using Text on Custom Path. If you read that post you know I have a tough time creating a \u201cpretty\u201d path so I almost never do…<\/p>\n

Read More Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"0","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tuesday-tip-day"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6939\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}