Lace Maker

Lace Maker is compatible with 3ds Max 2024 or newer, so recent installations are covered. You lay a mesh strip across your shoe opening and the plugin builds the full lacing assembly on top of it, with every component following the surface of the shoe. If you're running a version of 3ds Max earlier than 2024, that falls outside the stated compatibility range, so check the developer's page at jokermartini.com to confirm your setup before installing.

Lace Maker is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing terms and any conditions on use, check the developer's page at jokermartini.com, since terms can change over time and the developer maintains the authoritative details. The plugin is distributed by JokerMartini and appears on ScriptSpot, where you can find it listed. Confirming licensing directly with the developer is the safest way to know how you're allowed to use it in personal or studio work.

Lace Maker includes nine lacing patterns: criss-cross, over-under, straight bar, serpentine, army, bow tie, sawtooth, waffle, and train track. You can pick the style that fits your design or swap between them instantly. It also offers four eyelet types — holes, hooks, rings, and loops — which you can mix and match on the same shoe, each with its own offset, rotation, and scale controls. The lace path automatically adjusts its threading to match the eyelet types you choose, and you can specify custom meshes for each type.

Lace Maker goes beyond splines by extruding your laces into renderable mesh geometry, using rectangular, circular, or fully custom cross-section profiles. Aglets cap the ends automatically, and you can supply a custom aglet mesh for that placement. It also generates eyestays — the reinforced strips along both sides of the shoe opening — with eyelet holes punched at each position. Lace paths follow the shoe's surface using bilinear interpolation, so over-segments sit above the surface and under-segments tuck below, with smooth transitions between them.

Lace Maker uses a non-destructive workflow, so your source mesh stays untouched while you work. You can tweak any setting, swap patterns, or change eyelet types at any time, and the plugin regenerates everything from your original mesh strip. A real-time preview updates live as you adjust parameters, so you can dial in the look you want without waiting for a full rebuild. Separate tension settings for eyelet regions and mid-span segments give you control over curve tightness, along with adjustable control points per segment.