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Fewer colour changes
Why each thread swap costs time, and four ways to cut them.
A single-needle home machine stops at every colour change. You swap the thread by hand, thread the needle and restart. A design with 12 colour changes can take longer to swap than to sew.
The stitch player counts them, and the warnings tray tells you when there are many.
Four ways to cut them#
1. Use fewer colours when you digitize#
In Auto digitize, lower Colours. A logo that looks fine with 4 colours does not need 8.
2. Merge similar colours#
Open the Colours tab in the sequencer. Pick Merge into on a colour that is close to another. Every shape in the first colour joins the second.
3. Group by colour#
If the same thread is used in several places, the machine may swap away and back. Press Group by colour in the Colours tab. Lilo reorders the objects so each colour is sewn in one block.
Check the new order in the stitch player. Sewing order affects what covers what.
4. Reuse a thread#
Use one thread for two roles. For a garment-bag crest, sew the outline and the lettering in the same gold. That is one swap saved.
What counts as many#
Lilo's tray suggests a look at your colours when a design has more than 8 colour changes. That is a guide, not a rule. A rich crest may need more.