How to turn a logo into an embroidery file (DST, PES and more)
An embroidery machine can't read a PNG or a PDF. Here's why a logo can't simply be converted, what to send a digitizer, and how to get your first logo digitized free.
An embroidery machine doesn't read pictures. It reads a stitch file: DST, PES, JEF, EXP, VP3 or XXX, where every stitch is one move of the needle and every colour change is a stop. Turning a logo into that file is called digitizing, and it's a different job from converting a picture.
Why a logo can't just be converted
Image-to-embroidery converters and "auto-digitize" buttons trace the pixels. The file they make looks right on screen and sews badly:
- No underlay, so the top stitches sink into the fabric and the edges look ragged.
- The same density everywhere, too thick for a polo and too thin for a towel. Thick areas pucker and break needles; thin ones show fabric.
- No pull compensation. Thread pulls the fabric in as it sews, so circles come out oval and outlines miss the colours they should frame.
- Random stitch angles and order, with dozens of jumps and trims between the pieces.
A digitizer plans all of that by hand: which part sews first, satin stitches for lettering and borders, fills for big areas, running stitches for fine detail, the stitch angles, the underlay and the density for your fabric. That's why the same logo can sew perfectly from one file and pucker from another.
What to send
- The artwork. A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF) is best. A PNG or JPG works if it's at least about 1000 px wide, and a sharp, straight-on phone photo of a printed logo works too.
- The finished size. A file is built for one size, so give the width or the height. A left-chest logo is usually 3 to 4 in (75 to 100 mm) wide, a cap front up to about 2.25 in (57 mm) tall, and a jacket back 10 to 12 in wide.
- Where it goes and on what. A cap, a knit polo, a towel and a canvas bag each need a different file.
- Your machine's format. DST for Tajima and most commercial machines, PES for Brother and Baby Lock, JEF for Janome, EXP for Melco and Bernina, VP3 for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff, XXX for Singer. More in embroidery file formats explained.
- Thread colours, if your brand colours matter: Pantone numbers or the thread chart you use.
What changes when a logo becomes thread
Thread is about 0.4 mm wide, so a logo gets simplified for its size:
- Small lettering needs capital letters at least about 5 mm tall to stay readable.
- Thin lines under about 1 mm become single running stitches, or disappear.
- Gradients, shadows and photo effects turn into flat colour areas.
- Every colour is a thread change. Most logos sew well with 2 to 8 colours.
If your logo has fine details and has to be small, read why small logos lose their details before you pick the size.
Do it yourself or hire a digitizer?
Yourself: Ink/Stitch is free (an extension for Inkscape). Hatch, Embrilliance and Wilcom are paid. Expect a learning curve: auto-digitize gets you started, but clean results come from editing every object by hand.
A digitizer: you send the art and get the files back, usually within one or two days. Ask for every format you need, a preview or production sheet with the colour order, and free edits if the test sew-out shows a problem. What it usually costs is in how much embroidery digitizing costs.
Always sew a test first
Sew the file once on the same fabric and stabilizer before the real run. Check that the outlines meet the colours, the lettering is readable and no fabric shows through the fills. A small test swatch costs a few minutes; a ruined hoodie costs more.
Not sure how many stitches your logo will be? The free stitch calculator estimates it from the artwork and the size.
Making it for a cap or a polo? See cap and hat logo digitizing and left chest logo sizes.