Use satin stitch for narrow shapes, roughly 1 to 7 mm (about 0.04 to 0.28 in) wide, such as lettering, borders and thin lines. Use fill stitch (tatami) for anything wider, such as backgrounds and large shapes. Satin is smooth and shiny, but its stitches get long and loose when a shape is too wide. Fill is flat and durable at any size. Most designs use both, plus running stitch for fine detail.
The three basic embroidery stitches
Running stitch
A single line of stitches, one after another, like a pencil line. Running stitch is used for fine outlines, small details, underlay and for traveling from one part of a design to another. A common stitch length is around 2 to 3 mm (0.08 to 0.12 in), shorter on tight curves. A triple or bean stitch, which sews over the same line three times, gives a bolder line.
Satin stitch
Satin stitches zigzag from one side of a column to the other, lying close together with no needle points in the middle. Because each stitch spans the whole width, the thread lies long and flat and catches the light. That's what gives satin lettering and borders their shine.
Fill (tatami) stitch
A fill, usually called tatami, covers an area with rows of short running stitches laid back and forth. The needle points in each row are offset from the row next to it, so the stitch ends don't line up into visible lines. The result is a flat, slightly woven-looking surface that's durable and covers large areas well. It's less shiny than satin because the stitches are short.
| Running | Satin | Fill (tatami) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Looks | A thin line | Smooth and shiny | Flat, lightly textured |
| Typical width | A single thread line | About 1 to 7 mm (0.04 to 0.28 in) | Anything wider than a satin can handle |
| Best for | Fine detail, outlines, underlay, travel | Lettering, borders, narrow shapes | Large shapes, backgrounds, big letters |
| Watch out for | Sinks into towels and fleece | Snags if too wide, looks thin if too narrow | Puckers if too dense, looks messy in very narrow shapes |
How wide can a satin stitch be?
As a rule of thumb, a satin column works best somewhere between about 1 and 7 mm (0.04 and 0.28 in) wide. Exact limits depend on the fabric, the thread and how hard the item will be worn and washed, but the problems at each end are the same:
- Too narrow, under about 1 mm. Stitches pile into a tiny space, the column looks thin or broken, and the needle keeps hitting nearly the same spot. Very short stitches can shred thread or break needles. A line that thin is usually better as a running or triple stitch.
- Too wide, over about 7 mm. Each stitch becomes a long float of thread that can catch on buttons, zips and fingernails, and the column can look loose. SatinSmith's Checks tab flags stitches over 7 mm for this reason, and anything over 12.1 mm is beyond what the DST format allows.
Pull matters too. Thread tension pulls a satin column in across its width, so a column drawn at 3 mm can sew narrower. Digitizers add pull compensation to keep it at the size you drew. See pull compensation explained for how much and why.
Split satin: the satin look on wider shapes
When a shape is a bit too wide for a normal satin but you still want the satin look, digitizers use a split satin. Long stitches are broken into shorter ones, with the needle points staggered so they don't form a visible line down the column. You keep most of the sheen, and the stitches stay short enough not to snag. It's common on wide letters and borders.
Split satin has a cost: more needle points mean more stitches and a little less shine. For a really large area, a proper fill is usually the cleaner choice.
Fill angle and density
Two settings decide how a tatami fill looks and sews.
- Fill angle is the direction the rows run. Thread reflects light differently depending on its direction, so two neighboring shapes with different angles read as separate pieces, even in the same color. The angle also affects distortion: a shape tends to pull in along the stitch direction and push out at right angles to it. Many digitizers vary the angle from shape to shape rather than running everything the same way.
- Density is the spacing between rows. A common starting point is around 0.4 mm (about 0.016 in) between rows for standard 40 weight thread. Closer rows cover better but add stitches and stiffness and can pucker the fabric. Wider spacing is softer but can let the fabric show through. Light fabrics such as linen and silk usually need a lighter fill.
Underlay sits underneath both stitch types. It holds the fabric still and lifts the top stitches so they cover cleanly, which is why a fill with good underlay can often run a little lighter. Our underlay guide covers the types.
When to use satin, fill or running stitch
- Lettering: satin for most text. Very large letters with strokes wider than about 7 mm usually switch to fill, often with a satin edge.
- Borders and outlines: satin for a clean, bold edge; running or triple stitch for a fine outline.
- Large shapes and backgrounds: fill. Satin can't cover them without long, loose stitches.
- Thin lines and small details: running stitch, or a narrow satin if the line is at least about 1 mm wide.
- Patches: fill for the background and a satin border around the edge. See how to make a patch file.
- Towels and fleece: favor fill and bold satin. A single running stitch sinks into the pile.
The choice also changes the stitch count. Each satin stitch crosses the whole column, so a satin's count depends mostly on its length, not its width, while a fill's count grows with its area. That's one reason the same logo can vary a lot in stitch count depending on how it's digitized. Our guide to estimating stitch count shows how that turns into run time and price.
How SatinSmith chooses the stitch
SatinSmith makes these choices shape by shape. Narrow shapes, borders and lettering become satin columns, and in script letters the satin follows the stroke so curves stay smooth. Large areas become tatami fill, with the fill direction chosen for each shape. Underlay goes under everything, pull compensation keeps shapes at size, and a filled badge or patch shape behind the whole design gets a satin border automatically.
If you want a different look, open the Advanced panel and set the Fill direction (0 to 180°). Then press play in Watch it sew to see every stitch in order, and open Details for the stitch count and the stitch types used. In the studio, previews are free, so you can compare a few settings before you download.
For logos, badges and lettering with a few solid colors, that gives you a clean, sewable file in minutes. A professional digitizer still does better on very complex artwork, such as tiny text or detailed crests, where every stitch choice is made by hand. Whichever route you take, test-sew before a big run. Already have a DST from somewhere else? Open it in the free DST viewer to watch it sew and check stitch length and density.
Questions
What is the difference between satin stitch and fill stitch?
Satin stitch zigzags across a narrow column with long, shiny stitches and no needle points in the middle. Fill (tatami) stitch covers an area with rows of short stitches in an offset pattern. Satin suits lettering and borders; fill suits large shapes.
What is the maximum width for a satin stitch?
A common rule of thumb is about 7 mm (0.28 in). Wider than that, the stitches get long enough to snag and look loose, so digitizers switch to a split satin or a fill.
What is a tatami stitch?
Tatami is the most common fill stitch: rows of running stitches sewn back and forth, with the needle points offset from row to row. It covers large areas with a flat, durable surface. The name is usually said to come from its likeness to the woven texture of Japanese tatami mats.
Is satin or fill stitch more durable?
Fill is generally more hard-wearing on items that get heavy use, because its stitches are short and well anchored. Satin is durable too when it stays within its width limit. It's the long satin stitches that snag.