You use the Sketch module to create and manage sketches that are not associated with a feature; these sketches are called stand-alone sketches. A stand-alone sketch is stored in the model; like other objects in the model, such as parts and loads, a stand-alone sketch can be edited, copied, renamed, and deleted. To create a stand-alone sketch, click the sketch create tool 
in the Sketch module toolbox.
When you are using the Sketcher (for example, when you are sketching the profile of a solid extrusion in the Part module), you can save your work as a stand-alone sketch by clicking the sketch save tool 
in the Sketcher toolbox. Similarly, you can incorporate one stand-alone sketch in another sketch by clicking the sketch retrieve tool 
in the Sketcher toolbox. When you retrieve a stand-alone sketch, Abaqus/CAE does the following:
Positions the retrieved sketch so that its origin is coincident with the origin of the current sketch.
Resizes the viewport so that both the current sketch and the retrieved sketch are displayed.
Asks if you want to translate, rotate, mirror, or scale the retrieved sketch from the default size and position.
