Layers

Layers keep parts of a design apart. A background, a motif and a line of lettering on three layers can each be hidden, moved or redone without touching the others.

The Layers panel is on the right; View > Show layers brings it back if you have closed it. The layer at the top of the list is drawn on top.

Working with layers

• Add New Layer makes an empty layer above the current one.
• Click a layer to make it the current one. Drawing, erasing, filling and pasting all land on the current layer.
• Copy Layer duplicates it, stitches and all.
• Hide Layer and Show Layer toggle whether it is drawn. Isolate Layer hides every layer but that one, and Show All Layers brings them all back.
• Clear All Layers empties the canvas.

Imported pictures and text offer a new layer of their own when you place them, named Image1, Text1 and so on, which keeps them movable afterwards.

What hidden layers do

A hidden layer stays out of everything that reads the canvas: the eyedropper, Colors in use, the palette generator's starting colors, the PNG image and the PDF pattern. Hide a reference layer before exporting and it stays off the chart.