Last updated: October 2026
A satin column in Ink/Stitch is one path made of two “rails” (the edges of the column) plus optional “rungs” that set the stitch direction. The quickest way to make one is to draw a line, give it a stroke width, and run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Tools: Satin > Stroke to Satin. You then tune it in Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params, where zig-zag spacing, pull compensation and underlay live.
This tutorial follows the current inkstitch.org documentation and the Ink/Stitch v3.3.0 release (July 31, 2026). Menu names have changed over the years, so if your menus look different, check your version first.
How a satin column is built
Ink/Stitch’s satin column docs describe the manual setup like this:
- Two rails. Two separate strokes, combined into one path with Path > Combine (Ctrl+K). These become the two edges of the column.
- Same direction. Both rails must run the same direction. If one runs backward, select it with the Node tool (N) and use Path > Reverse.
- Rungs. Short lines that cross both rails. Each rung tells Ink/Stitch which point on one rail pairs with which point on the other, which controls the angle of the stitches.
If you leave out rungs, Ink/Stitch pairs up the nodes on each rail instead, which only works when both rails have the same number of points. The docs recommend using at least three rungs. Exactly two rungs on a two-rail path is ambiguous, because Ink/Stitch may mistake the rungs for rails.
Method 1: Stroke to Satin (fastest)
This is the tool older tutorials call “Convert Line to Satin” (a 2022 Ink/Stitch discussion uses Tools: Satin > Convert Line to Satin). In the current docs it is named Stroke to Satin and lives under Tools: Satin.
- Draw a path with the Bezier or Pencil tool.
- Open Fill and Stroke (Shift+Ctrl+F) and set a stroke color and a stroke width equal to the column width you want.
- With the path selected, run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Tools: Satin > Stroke to Satin.
- Ink/Stitch generates the two rails and the rungs for you.
- Open Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params to adjust the satin settings and see a preview.
Ink/Stitch’s validation message recommends staying above 1 mm in width. Below 0.3 mm, Ink/Stitch will not register the element as a satin at all.
Simple satin without converting
In v3.3.0, the release notes say simple strokes can be used as satin columns directly, without converting them first. Ink/Stitch flags these with a “Simple Satin” warning, which tells you to run Stroke to Satin if you want more control over stitch direction. For anything with curves or corners, converting is worth the extra click.
Method 2: Draw rails and rungs by hand
Use this when you need full control, such as a column that changes width or turns sharply.
- Draw the first edge of the column as one stroke.
- Draw the second edge as another stroke, in the same direction.
- Select both and press Ctrl+K (Path > Combine).
- Check the path outlines and confirm both rails run the same way. Reverse one with the Node tool and Path > Reverse if not.
- With the combined path selected in the Node tool (N), press P for the Pencil tool.
- Hold Shift and click once on one side of the column, then once on the other side, to add a rung that crosses both rails.
- Add rungs wherever the stitch angle should change, especially at curves. Use at least three.
- Open Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params, tick Custom satin column if needed, and check the preview.
Holding Shift is what adds the rung to the same path instead of creating a new object. Ink/Stitch’s “Satin has no rungs” warning gives the same keystrokes as its fix.
Other satin tools in v3.3
All of these are under Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Tools: Satin, per the satin tools page:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Auto-Route Satin Columns | Rebuilds selected satins in a logical stitching order with underpaths and jumps |
| Stroke to Satin | Converts a stroke to a two-rail satin with rungs |
| Stroke to Live Path Effect Satin | Makes an adjustable satin using a live path effect; the docs warn to avoid sharp corners |
| Zigzag Line to Satin | Turns a hand-drawn zigzag or square wave into a satin |
| Fill to Satin | Semi-automatic conversion of a fill shape; you supply the rungs |
| Split Satin Column | Cuts a satin into two at a chosen point |
| Flip Satin Columns | Swaps rail direction to improve how satins connect |
| Multicolor Satin | Makes color-blending copies of a satin |
The satin settings that matter
Open Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Params with the satin selected. The defaults below come from the Ink/Stitch source code, and the descriptions from the satin column docs.
Main satin settings
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Zig-zag spacing (peak-to-peak) | 0.4 mm | Distance between zigzag peaks; controls density. Ink/Stitch notes this is double the mm per stitch figure many mechanical machines use |
| Pull compensation percentage | 0 | Widens the column by a percentage of its width, each side |
| Pull compensation | 0 mm | Pushes each pair of needle points outward by a fixed amount, each side |
| Push compensation | 0 mm | Shortens the column at its ends |
| Maximum stitch length | blank | Splits stitches wider than this |
| Short stitch inset | 15% | Insets stitches in tight curves to avoid bunching |
| Short stitch distance | 0.25 mm | How close stitches must get before they are shortened |
Pull compensation is the setting most beginners need. Ink/Stitch’s own tooltip explains that satin stitches pull the fabric together, so the column ends up narrower than you drew it. Pull compensation stitches wider to make up for it. All the compensation fields accept two numbers separated by a space if you want different amounts on each side.
How much compensation you need depends on the fabric and stabilizer. Stitch a test on the same fabric and measure.
Underlay
Underlay is a lighter layer stitched first to hold the fabric and give the satin something to sit on. Ink/Stitch offers three, and each is turned on with its own checkbox.
| Underlay | How it stitches | Key defaults |
|---|---|---|
| Center-walk | Running stitch down the middle and back | Stitch length 3 mm, repeats 2, position 50% (centered) |
| Contour | Running stitch up one edge and back down the other | Stitch length 3 mm, inset 0.4 mm fixed |
| Zig-zag | A low-density satin end to end and back | Spacing 3 mm peak-to-peak; inset defaults to half the contour inset |
Notes from the docs:
- Center-walk repeats: an odd number ends at the far end of the path; an even number returns to the start.
- Contour and zig-zag inset keep the underlay from peeking out at the edges. There is a fixed (mm) and a proportional (%) option.
- Narrow columns often need only center-walk. Wider columns usually benefit from contour plus zig-zag. Test on your fabric.
Other options
- Reverse rails: Automatic by default. If a satin renders twisted or strange, the docs suggest trying the reverse rails options.
- Swap rails: exchanges which rail Ink/Stitch treats as first.
- Random seed: changes the result of any randomization settings.
Common satin errors and fixes
Ink/Stitch reports problems through its Troubleshoot Objects tool and in the Params preview. These are the satin messages found in the Ink/Stitch source, with the fix it suggests.
| Message | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Not stitchable satin column | The path is not one stroke or two rails with rungs | Make sure it is not several satins combined into one path |
| Satin has no rungs | No direction lines | Node tool, press P, hold Shift, draw a rung |
| Satin has exactly two rungs | Rungs may be mistaken for rails | Add a third rung |
| Unequal number of points | No rungs and the rails have different node counts | Add one or more rungs |
| Rung doesn’t intersect rails | A rung misses a rail | Redraw it so it crosses both rails once |
| Rung intersects too many times | A rung crosses a rail more than once | Shorten or move the rung |
| Rail is a closed path | No clear start or end | Select a node and use Break path at selected nodes |
| Narrow Satin | Too thin to stitch well | Increase the width; stay above 1 mm |
| Simple Satin | A plain stroke used as satin | Run Tools: Satin > Stroke to Satin for more control |
Other things that go wrong
- Twisted stitches: usually one rail runs backward. Reverse it, or try the Reverse rails option.
- Gaps between satin and its outline or a neighboring fill: add pull compensation.
- Bunching on tight curves: add more rungs at the curve and leave short stitch inset on.
- Messy stitch order with many satins: use Auto-Route Satin Columns.
For fills, see our Ink/Stitch fill settings guide, and for text see Ink/Stitch lettering fonts. If the Ink/Stitch menu is missing, start with Ink/Stitch not showing in Inkscape.
Frequently asked questions
Where did Convert Line to Satin go? In the current docs it is Stroke to Satin, under Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Tools: Satin.
How many rungs does a satin column need? The docs recommend at least three. Two rungs can be mistaken for rails.
What zig-zag spacing should I use? The default is 0.4 mm peak-to-peak. Lower is denser. Stitch a test on your fabric before changing it much.
Why is my satin narrower than I drew it? Satin pulls the fabric in. Add pull compensation, as a percentage, a fixed mm amount, or both.
Which Ink/Stitch version does this cover? Ink/Stitch v3.3.0, released July 31, 2026, and the inkstitch.org docs current in October 2026.