Convert XXX to PES online
Open the XXX file in the free StitchOps viewer, check every stitch and colour stop, then download it as a PES file for Brother and Baby Lock machines. The stitches are copied stitch for stitch.
Viewing is free. Download as PES is part of Pro: $9.90 a month, or $7.90 a month billed yearly.
XXX to PES in three steps
- Free
1. Open it in the viewer
Drop your XXX 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 XXX file are shown as they are.
- Pro
3. Download as PES
With Pro, choose Download as PES. The file is written stitch for stitch with the colours shown in the viewer.
Why convert XXX to PES
XXX is the Singer format, used by Singer machines and by designs made for them. When such a design has to go to a Brother or Baby Lock machine, it needs to become a PES.
XXX stores thread colours, so the viewer shows them as saved and the PES file keeps them. The viewer opens XXX but does not write it, so out of Singer and into PES is the direction that works here.
The colour situation
XXX stores thread colours with the design, so the viewer shows them as saved.
XXX stores thread colours, so the viewer shows them as saved and the PES file is written with the same colours. Your machine may name them from its own thread chart.
Which machines use these formats
- XXX: XXX is the Singer format, used by Singer machines and designs made for them.
- PES: PES is the native format of Brother and Baby Lock home and semi-commercial machines.
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 PES file in the same order, stitch for stitch. |
| Colour stops | Carries over | Each colour change stays in the same place. |
| Thread colours | Carries over | XXX stores thread colours, so the viewer shows them as saved and the PES file is written with the same colours. Your machine may name them from its own thread chart. |
| 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 PES file in the same order, stitch for stitch.
- Colour stops Carries over
Each colour change stays in the same place.
- Thread colours Carries over
XXX stores thread colours, so the viewer shows them as saved and the PES file is written with the same colours. Your machine may name them from its own thread chart.
- 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.
XXX to PES: common questions
Is converting XXX to PES free?
Opening, checking and simulating your XXX file in the viewer is free. Downloading it as PES is part of Pro, which costs $9.90 a month or $7.90 a month billed yearly. Viewing stays free either way.
Will the PES file stitch exactly like the XXX 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?
XXX stores thread colours, so the viewer shows them as saved and the PES file is written with the same colours. Your machine may name them from its own thread chart.
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.
Convert XXX to PES online
Viewing is free. Download as PES is part of Pro: $9.90 a month, or $7.90 a month billed yearly.