Overview
You can now color-code pattern pieces in the 2D window to tell versions, vendors, or development stages apart. Set an outline color and an allowance color for each piece from a curated palette, adjust allowance opacity, and turn on X-ray mode to see through overlapping pieces.
Available colors: Default, Violet, Purple, Teal, Forest green, Amber, Brown, Slate, Black and White.
Prerequisites
VStitcher 2026.3.0 or later
A garment with pattern pieces in the 2D window
How to set colors when importing a DXF
This feature allows you to change the color of your piece outlines, so you can easily identify different pieces in the 2D window.
1. Import a DXF file as usual
2. In the import dialog, choose a Pattern Outline color and an Allowance color:
3. Click OK. The colors are applied to all imported pieces.
How to change a piece's colors
1. Select one or more pieces in the 2D window.
2. In the piece contextual menu, open the Appearance section:
3. Click a swatch in Piece Outline Color or Allowance Color. The change applies immediately.
4. To make the allowance more transparent, drag the Allowance opacity slider (0–100%).
5. To reset, click the Default swatch.
You can also right-click a piece in the 2D window, choose Appearance, then pick a color from Piece Outline Color or Allowance Color:
Note: Colors are saved per piece and per size in the BW file, so anyone you share the file with sees the same colors. Changing a piece or allowance outline color does not alter your material in the 3D window.
How to use X-ray mode
This feature allows you to increase transparency of your pieces in the 2D window so they can be overlaid and reviewed on top of each other.
1. In the 2D viewport display options, turn on X-ray:
2. All piece fills become semi-transparent so you can see overlapping pieces. Outlines stay fully visible:
3. Turn X-ray off to return to each piece's own opacity.
Note: this does not affect your pieces' transparency in the 3D window. X-ray is not saved — files always open with X-ray off.
Limitations
Colors are for display in the 2D window only. 3D, simulation and exports are not affected.
Internal lines such as darts, grain lines and seam lines keep their standard colors.
Colors apply to the size that is currently loaded. New sizes start with Default colors.
Custom colors are not shown while the Sizes & Grading tool is active.
The allowance color is not shown when the 2D window displays Textures.
Selection, locking, grading, cluster and fabric highlighting take priority over custom colors while active.
When you merge a DXF into an existing garment, the import colors apply to the new pieces only.
The default allowance color follows VStitcher → Preferences. The default outline color is blue.
Developers can read and set colors with the Python API: piece.outline_color, piece.fill_color and piece.fill_opacity.