.PES.DST

Convert PES to DST online

Open the PES file in the free StitchOps viewer, check every stitch and colour stop, then download it as a DST file for Tajima and commercial machines. The stitches are copied stitch for stitch.

Open a PES file free See Pro plans

Viewing is free. Download as DST is part of Pro: $9.90 a month, or $7.90 a month billed yearly.

PES to DST in three steps

Free
1. Open it in the viewer
Drop your PES file into the free viewer. It opens in the browser, so there is nothing to install.
Free
2. Check it and pick colours
Look at the stitch paths, size, stitch count, colour stops and hoop fit, and play the sew-out simulation. The thread colours saved in the PES file are shown as they are.
Pro
3. Download as DST
With Pro, choose Download as DST. The file is written stitch for stitch; DST keeps the colour stops but not the colours.

Why convert PES to DST

Shops that start on a Brother or Baby Lock machine build up a library of PES files. When they add a commercial multi-needle machine, or send work out to a contract embroiderer, those designs are needed as DST.

DST keeps the colour changes but drops the colours themselves. Write down the thread list from the viewer before you download, so whoever runs the multi-needle machine can load the needles in the right order.

The colour situation

PES stores thread colours with the design, so the viewer shows the colours the file was saved with.

DST does not store thread colours. The colour stops are kept but the colour values are lost, so keep the thread list from the viewer for the machine operator.

Which machines use these formats

PES: PES is the native format of Brother and Baby Lock home and semi-commercial machines.
DST: DST is read by Tajima and by most commercial multi-needle machines, such as Barudan, SWF and Happy.

Many machines read more than one format and hoop sizes differ between brands, so check your machine manual and the hoop fit in the viewer before you stitch.

What carries over and what does not

Part of the design	Result	Details
Stitches and stitch order	Carries over	Every stitch is written to the DST file in the same order, stitch for stitch.
Colour stops	Carries over	Each colour change stays in the same place.
Thread colours	Does not	DST does not store thread colours. The colour stops are kept but the colour values are lost, so keep the thread list from the viewer for the machine operator.
Design size	Carries over	The design keeps its size. Nothing is scaled during conversion.
Trims and jumps	Check	Formats code trims differently, so trim points can change. Watch the sew-out simulation and run a test.
Digitizing quality	Does not	Conversion does not fix density, underlay or pull compensation. A badly digitized file stays badly digitized.
Resizing	Does not	Not part of conversion. Beyond about 10 to 20 percent a design needs re-digitizing.

Stitches and stitch order Carries over
Every stitch is written to the DST file in the same order, stitch for stitch.
Colour stops Carries over
Each colour change stays in the same place.
Thread colours Does not
DST does not store thread colours. The colour stops are kept but the colour values are lost, so keep the thread list from the viewer for the machine operator.
Design size Carries over
The design keeps its size. Nothing is scaled during conversion.
Trims and jumps Check
Formats code trims differently, so trim points can change. Watch the sew-out simulation and run a test.
Digitizing quality Does not
Conversion does not fix density, underlay or pull compensation. A badly digitized file stays badly digitized.
Resizing Does not
Not part of conversion. Beyond about 10 to 20 percent a design needs re-digitizing.

PES to DST: common questions

Is converting PES to DST free?

Opening, checking and simulating your PES file in the viewer is free. Downloading it as DST is part of Pro, which costs $9.90 a month or $7.90 a month billed yearly. Viewing stays free either way.

Will the DST file stitch exactly like the PES file?

The stitches are copied stitch for stitch, so the design runs the same way. Conversion cannot fix bad digitizing, and trims can change between formats, so run a test sew-out on scrap fabric first.

What happens to the thread colours?

DST does not store thread colours. The colour stops are kept but the colour values are lost, so keep the thread list from the viewer for the machine operator.

Can I resize the design while converting?

Conversion keeps the original size. Changes of about 10 to 20 percent can work, but bigger changes need re-digitizing because stitch density and underlay do not scale with the design. Check the hoop fit in the viewer before you download.