I'm using PE-Design Next and my Brother Quattro to digitize some embroidery designs for a quilt. I'd like to minimize the knots on the back of the design. Is there any way to join two elements of a pattern without having the machine tie a knot after the first element, then tie another knot and start the second element? For starters, let's say the elements have the same attributes, e.g. running stitch, 2.5 length, black thread. I want to stitch the element twice, but I can't find a double stitch option (like the one I had in the Husqvarna-Viking software).

There are cases where I would like to link a triple stitch element to a running stitch and then to another triple stitch. I shouldn't have to create six knots, should I?

Final question: is there a way to constrain a line to vertical or horizontal to keep it straight? CorelDraw spoiled me.

I'm grateful for any advice.