Abstract: There is disclosed a method of converting a bitmap to an object-based embroidery pattern by generating a skeleton from the bitmap and traversing paths and nodes identified in the skeleton, the embroidery pattern objects being generated during the traversal. The outline of the bitmap is used to define parts of the boundaries of the generated objects, which are laid down using a linear stitch type on the first traversal of a skeleton path and a fill stitch type on the second traversal of the skeleton path.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of converting a bitmap to an object-based embroidery pattern by generating a skeleton from the bitmap and traversing paths and nodes identified in the skeleton, the embroidery pattern objects being generated during the traversal. The outline of the bitmap is used to define parts of the boundaries of the generated objects, which are laid down using a linear stitch type on the first traversal of a skeleton path and a fill stitch type on the second traversal of the skeleton path.

Abstract: A computer is operated to produce an object-based design description file for an embroidery pattern from a vector-based stitch file describing the pattern as a sequence of stitches. The stitch file is analyzed to identify the stitch points qualifying as embroidery edge points at which the stitch direction substantially reverses. A list of these edge points is produced and the stitch file is further analyzed to identify groups of successive edge points in the list wherein the edge points of each group define an embroidery region of area filling type stitches. An object describing the respective embroidery region is then generated from the co-ordinate positions of edge points in a group.