Convert a PNG to a PES embroidery file
PES is the stitch file format used by Brother and Babylock machines. Here is how to get from a PNG logo to a PES file you can sew.
Why it is not a one-click converter
A PNG or JPG is a grid of coloured pixels. An embroidery file is a list of needle positions, thread changes and trims. Nothing in an image says where the stitches should go, in which direction, or in which order, so converting means digitizing: deciding how each area is stitched.
Stitchloft gives you three ways to do that, from fully automatic to fully manual, and every result is editable. Expect to review and adjust the result, especially small text, thin lines and photos.
PNG to PES in four steps
- Create a design and import your PNG (File > Import image, or drop it on the canvas).
- Choose Trace it myself, Auto-digitize (Maker and above) or AI design (uses credits; a few are free).
- Review and edit the stitch objects, then play the stitch-out.
- Open File > Export (Ctrl+E), choose PES and download the file.
About the PES file
The exported PES carries the stitches, trims and the thread list. The writer re-centres the design, and on most machines a single stitch is limited to about 12.7 mm, so longer moves are split into shorter stitches.
Different Brother and Babylock models read different PES versions and have different hoop sizes. We have not tested every model: sew a small sample first and check the design fits your hoop.
Who this suits
Home embroiderers and small businesses who want to turn a logo into a design without buying desktop software, and who are happy to review the result before sewing it.
Questions
Is converting PNG to PES free?
You can try it on the free plan: it includes tracing and a few AI design credits, and three exports a month. Auto-digitize is on the Maker plan and above.
Will the PES look exactly like my PNG?
It will look like a stitched version of it, not a copy. Gradients, shadows and tiny text do not stitch well and usually need to be simplified or rebuilt as lettering.
Can I edit the design after converting?
Yes. Every route produces normal stitch objects that you can reshape, recolour, resequence and export again.