Embroidery file formats
An embroidery machine sews from a file in its own format. Here is which machine reads which file, what each format keeps and drops, and a guide to each one.
Which machine reads which file
From the makers' published specs, or a dealer's listing where the maker does not say. Brother machines read PES, Janome JEF, Bernina EXP, Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff VP3, and Singer XXX; a few models read more than one.
| Machine | PES | DST | JEF | EXP | VP3 | XXX | PEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brother PE800 | ✓ | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Brother SE700 | ✓ | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Brother PE535 | ✓ | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Baby Lock Meridian 2 | ✓ | ✓ | no | no | no | no | ✓ |
| Janome Memory Craft 400E | no | no | ✓ | no | no | no | no |
| Janome Memory Craft 500E | no | no | ✓ | no | no | no | no |
| Bernina 700 E | no | no | no | ✓ | no | no | no |
| Bernina 500 E | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | no | ✓ | no |
| Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 50 | no | no | no | no | ✓ | no | no |
| Husqvarna Viking Designer Jade 35 | no | no | no | no | ✓ | no | no |
| Pfaff creative 1.5 | no | no | no | no | ✓ | no | no |
| Pfaff creative icon 2 | no | no | no | no | ✓ | no | no |
| Singer Legacy SE300 | no | no | no | no | no | ✓ | no |
The same stitches, different files
Our own 69.6 × 69.6 mm test design, 5,822 stitches, saved in five formats and read back. Every file has the same stitches; what differs is the size of the file and what it says about color.
| Format | File size | Thread colors in the file |
|---|---|---|
| EXP | 11,692 bytes | None, only the color stops |
| JEF | 11,842 bytes | Gray, Green, Sola Blue, Honey Dew |
| VP3 | 12,143 bytes | Gray, Emerald Green, Blue, Tangerine |
| DST | 18,017 bytes | None, only the color stops |
| PES | 36,850 bytes | Gray, Emerald Green, Blue, Tangerine |
Two things set the formats apart. First, colors: DST and EXP only mark where the thread changes, while PES, JEF and VP3 name a thread for every color, each from its own maker's chart. Second, the extras: PES carries its stitches twice and small thumbnails, JEF names a hoop, and VP3 keeps a name, a catalog number and a brand for each thread.
A guide to each format
Design files are not machine files
Digitizing programs save their own working files: EMB for Wilcom, ART for Bernina's software. These keep the shapes behind the stitches, so a design can be changed and resized cleanly. A machine cannot sew them; it needs a machine file exported from them. If you were sent one of these, ask for the format your machine reads.
What to do with an EMB fileNeed a file, not just an explanation?
Upload a picture and BobbinBot writes it in every format above, with a verdict on how it will sew before you pay. To do it by hand instead, follow our step-by-step guide to free Inkscape and Ink/Stitch.