Layers organise a drawing (for example outer pieces, lining, stitching, notes). New shapes go on the active layer (highlighted in the list).
The Layers section
- Click a layer to make it active. Double-click to rename it.
- Drag a layer up or down the list to change its place; a line between the layers shows where it will go. With a mouse, drag the row anywhere; on a touch screen or with a pen, drag it by the dotted handle at its left. Esc cancels the drag, and Ctrl+Z undoes the move.
- The eye hides or shows a layer. Hidden layers aren't drawn or picked.
- The lock stops a layer's shapes being picked and stops drawing on it.
- The number shows how many shapes it holds.
- Buttons: + add, bin delete, arrows move up/down, ⋮ more commands.
- Badges: Independent, Ignored.
- Don't highlight the active layer: by default the shapes of the active layer are highlighted; this turns it off.
Layer commands
In the Layer menu (and the ⋮ menu). The shortcuts use Control on a Mac too.
| Command | Key | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Add layer | Ctrl+Alt+N | A new layer below the active one. |
| Rename layer… | Ctrl+Alt+C | |
| Delete layer… | Ctrl+Alt+D | Asks first; deletes the layer's shapes too (undoable). |
| Move layer up / down | Ctrl+Alt+U / J | |
| Merge into the layer below | Ctrl+Alt+M | |
| Flatten all layers | Ctrl+Alt+F | Everything onto one layer. |
| Hide other layers | Ctrl+Alt+H | |
| Show all layers | Ctrl+Alt+A | |
| Highlight shapes on the active layer | Ctrl+Alt+E | |
| Ignore the active layer | Ctrl+Alt+I | Its shapes can't be picked or snapped to until you press the keys again ("Layer ignored"). |
| Move selected shapes to the layer below | Ctrl+Alt+Y | |
| Move selected shapes to another layer… | Ctrl+Alt+Q | Then click the destination layer in the list. |
| Duplicate onto the layer below | – | Copies the selection there and makes that layer independent. |
| Activate the selected shape's layer | – | |
| Independent layer | – | Its shapes don't connect to or cross shapes on other layers (stitching routes, trimming and the pattern check treat it separately). Snapping still works. |