Use the Choose Thread Colors page to match thread colors to colors in the picture and choose the color order. Select whether or not to keep the background and, if desired, pick a different background color. Optionally, choose whether or not to expand thin lines and set the sensitivity to small areas in the picture.
Color Selection
: Set the number of thread colors used in the embroidery. The number of colors is initially set to the recommended number for the picture. The maximum Number of Colors is 256.
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Click the Number of Colors up and down arrows or enter a number to change the number of colors.
Apply: Update the list of threads and the thread color preview.
Reset: Return the thread list to the initial (recommended) set of threads.
Note: When Reset is used, any custom thread matches that were made must be re-selected with Edit Selected Color.
Change All Threads To
Change the thread range. When a thread range is chosen, each color in the picture is assigned the nearest matching thread color from the chosen thread range.
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Choose a thread range from the pop-up menu.
Note: When a new thread range is chosen, all custom thread matches set by Edit Selected Color are lost.
Thread Color List
The list shows a thread color for each color currently selected from the picture. The color order can be changed. This affects the order that threads are used in the final design.
Note: The basic color order is set by this list. However, the order for stitch types is satin, then fill, then outlines (running stitch or satin). Hence, if black is moved so that it is first in this list, it will still be last in the final design if it is only used for outlining.
The same thread color may be matched to two or more colors in the picture. Each thread color can be individually changed with Edit Selected Color. When thread colors are changed in the list, the Thread Color Preview is updated.
Note: When more than one color in the picture is matched to the same thread color, the number of color changes in the final embroidery is reduced.
Change Colors
Pick New Colors
Use Pick New Colors
to add thread colors to the list by selecting them from the source picture.
Note: The thread color is picked for the clicked color according to the RGB (red, green, blue) value at the point clicked. If there is already a thread color assigned to that exact RGB value, it is highlighted in the list instead of adding a thread color to the list.
Pick a New Thread Color
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Click Pick New Colors
.
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Move the pointer over the Source Picture. The pointer changes to an eye-dropper
.
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Click the picture to pick up the color under the tip of the eye-dropper.
The nearest matching thread color from the selected Thread Range is automatically selected and added to the thread color list, and the Thread Color Preview is updated to show any other areas that can use the selected thread color.
Delete Selected Color
Use Delete Selected Color
to remove the highlighted color from the list.
The deleted color is replaced with the nearest remaining picture color in the list. The Thread Color Preview is re-displayed, with the reduced set of thread colors.
Edit Selected Color
Use Edit Selected Color
to change a thread color.
Note: It is recommended only to use Edit Selected Color after the main thread range has been selected.
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Click a color in the list, then click Edit Selected Color. The Color Selection dialog appears so that a different thread color can be chosen. See Color Selection Dialog.
Move Earlier and Move Later
Use Move Color Earlier in the Stitch Order
and Move Color Later in the Stitch Order
to change the order of colors in the list.
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Click Move Color Earlier in the Stitch Order to move the color up the list, and stitch it out earlier in the embroidery.
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Click Move Color Later in the Stitch Order to move the color down the list, and stitch it out later in the embroidery.
Delete All Colors
Use Delete All Colors
to remove all the thread colors from the list.
Note: Delete All Colors can be used to clear all colors before using Pick New Colors to choose colors from the Source Picture.
Background Color
The background color is automatically determined. It is the color which is used the most along the edges of the picture. You can select a different background color.
Apply Selected as Background Color
Use Apply Selected as Background Color 
to change the background color for the embroidery.
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Click a color in the list, then click Apply Selected as Background Color. The background color for the embroidery changes.
Remove Background Color
When this is selected, the Thread Color Preview shows any areas that will be removed as a checkerboard pattern.
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Select the Remove Background Color checkbox, then select Main Background Only or All Background Areas from the pop-up menu:
Main Background Only: Any areas of the background color that are connected to the edges of the picture are not used in the final design. Use this option when significant parts of the picture use the same color as the background.
All Background Areas: All areas using the background color are omitted from the final design. Use this option when the background shows through gaps in the composition. Also choose this if you wish to remove a background color that is not connected to the edges of the picture.
Current Background Color
The large color square shows the current background color.
Removing Multiple Background Colors
Some pictures may have more than one background color, even after color reduction. These colors can be removed.
Note: If the thread color used for the background color is the same as for a color area that you wish to keep, change the background thread color to a 'false color' that is not needed for this design.
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Change the thread color so that all the background colors use the same thread color.
Picture Options
Use Picture Options to set the Black Lines option and the Area Sensitivity.
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Click the Picture Options button. The Picture Options dialog opens. See Picture Options.
Previews
Source Picture: This shows the original picture, after being rotated and cropped, in full color.
Thread Color Preview: This shows how the thread colors have been chosen to replace colors in the picture. This gives an approximate indication of where thread blocks will be in the final design.
Note: If variegated threads have been selected, only the first color is shown in the preview.
Zoom
Use the Zoom bar to change the view of the picture. Zoom in (drag the slider to the right) to magnify the view. Zoom out (drag the slider to the left) to shrink the view.
When zoomed in, use the scroll bars or swipe to move around.
Go Back
Return to the Design Size page.
Continue
Go to the Fabric and Stitch Type Options page.