Pattern fill not working the same as it used to

[Ofnuts]

(07-01-2018, 08:45 AM)wiiztec Wrote: Both times I applied it by selecting by color the number and using bucket fill with the text layer selected

If you select by color, you select all pixels with a similar color. Most may be in your 1 but you can also have isolated pixels in your image that create minute islands of selection. When Gimp does a pattern fill  the top left corner of the first pattern is aligned on the top left corner of the selection "bounding box" (ie, the smallest rectangle that includes all of it) so depending on where these extra selected pixels are, the bounding box changes, and so does the pattern alignment.  And if each time you click on  a different pixel to create the selection, the pixel can have a slighly different color leading to different extra pixels being selected, and to a different bounding box.

So, the solution would be to use the magic wand, because the selection would be restricted to the 1 and the pattern alignment wouldn't change.

But if you character is on  transparent background, don't make a selection, just set the alpha-lock on the layer and bucket fill. The pattern will be aligned with the top left corner or the layer (and the alpha lock will make it appear only on non-transparent pixels)(you will also keep the smooth edges that way).