Colors & Threads

Pattern Builder gives you several tools for choosing, applying, and managing thread colors within your pattern.

When coloring Crosspoints, begin by choosing the Color Target. This tells Pattern Builder which thread or threads of the Crosspoint you want your color selection to affect.

This guide explains Color Target, Color Source, Color Palette, Shade, and Fade and how each tool can be used while building or editing your pattern.

Color Target

Where to find it: Color Target is located on the left tool rail.

Color Target determines which thread or threads of a Crosspoint will receive the color you select.

When working with Crosspoints, choose your Color Target first, then select the color you want to apply.

Left

Applies the selected color to the Left thread of the Crosspoint.

Right

Applies the selected color to the Right thread of the Crosspoint.

Both

Applies the selected color to both threads of the Crosspoint at the same time.

Using Left and Right independently allows the two threads of a Crosspoint to have different colors. Choose Both when you want the entire Crosspoint to use the same color.

Color Source

Where to find it: Color Source is located in the right toolbar.

Color Source determines where you choose the thread color you want to apply to your pattern.

After choosing your Color Target, select one of three Color Sources: Custom, Thread Library, or Pack.

Custom

Custom lets you choose any color using the built-in Color Picker.

You can select a color visually with the Color Picker or enter a specific Hex Color value. Once you've chosen your color, click Apply Color to apply it to the selected object.

Thread Library

Thread Library lets you select actual thread colors from the thread manufacturers currently included in Pattern Builder:

Fuji
Madeira
ProWrap

Choose a Brand, then search for a thread by color number or name or select a color from the available thread colors. Click Apply Color to apply your selection to the pattern.

Pack

Pack lets you choose colors from curated thread-color collections available in Pattern Builder.

Packs group colors together for specific purposes, making it easier to find coordinated thread colors without searching for each color individually. Available packs include collections such as Shade Packs, Transition Packs, Color Reveals, Team Packs, and other coordinated color sets.

Choose a Pack Category, find and select the pack you want to use, then add it to your active Pack Library. The colors from the selected pack are displayed together so you can choose individual colors from the collection while building your pattern.

You can add more than one pack to your active Pack Library when you want colors from multiple collections available while you work.

Color Palette

Where to find it: Color Palette is located on the left tool rail.

Color Palette gives you quick access to the colors currently being used in your pattern.

As colors are added to your design, they become available in the Color Palette so you can easily reuse them without returning to the original Color Source each time.

This is especially helpful when a pattern uses several colors repeatedly. Instead of searching the Thread Library, reopening a Pack, or recreating a Custom color, you can select the color directly from the pattern's Color Palette.

Shade

Where to find it: Shade is located in the right toolbar.

Shade creates a gradual color transition across the physical range between two selected endpoints in your pattern.

Choose two or more colors for the shade. Shade colors can be selected from Custom, the Thread Library, or a Pack.

Selecting the Shade Range

Shade requires two selected thread endpoints to define the physical range that will be shaded.

Select the first endpoint, then hold Shift and click the second thread to select the opposite endpoint. The two selected threads define the range Pattern Builder will use for the Shade.

Adding Shade Colors

Add at least two colors to the Shade Colors list. These colors define the progression Pattern Builder will use when creating the shade.

Direction

Choose the direction of the color progression:

Light → Dark — arranges the selected colors from lighter to darker.
Dark → Light — arranges the selected colors from darker to lighter.

Once both endpoints and your Shade colors are selected, click Apply Shade. Pattern Builder applies the selected color progression only within the physical range between those endpoints.

Fade

Where to find it: Fade is located in the right toolbar.

Fade creates a controlled color transition from the outermost selected endpoint inward using a ratio you choose.

Selecting the Fade Range

Fade also requires two selected thread endpoints.

Select the first endpoint, then hold Shift and click the second thread to select the opposite endpoint. Pattern Builder uses these two selected threads to determine the available range for the Fade.

Number of Colors

Choose how many colors you want to include in the fade. Add the same number of colors to the Fade Color Order before applying the fade.

Adding Fade Colors

Fade colors can be selected from Custom, the Thread Library, or a Pack.

The colors in the Fade Color Order are used from top to bottom. Arrange them in the order you want them to appear in the fade, or use Light → Dark or Dark → Light to quickly arrange the colors.

Ratio

Ratio controls how the colors are distributed as the fade progresses inward.

As you adjust the ratio and number of colors, Pattern Builder displays an estimate of the resulting fade, including the approximate number of thread positions and physical distance the fade will require.

Minimum Thread Requirement

Fade requires enough selected threads to build the color progression you have chosen.

If the selected area does not contain enough threads for the current Fade settings, Apply Fade will remain unavailable.

You can adjust the Ratio, change the Number of Colors, or change the number of selected threads until the Fade can be applied.

Once the required colors and threads are selected, click Apply Fade to build the transition.