1. Prepare a clear image
Start with a PNG, JPG or WebP smaller than 3 MB. A bold illustration or logo with clean edges is easier to digitize than a busy photo. If possible, use a transparent PNG so the subject is already separated from its background.
2. Choose the finished size
Enter a width between 20 and 200 mm. Height follows the artwork’s aspect ratio. The calculated hoop is shown with the preview. Check both dimensions against your actual machine hoop before downloading.
3. Choose colors and fill spacing
The default matches Threadwork V2: 12 colors, with up to 96 available. Use 4–8 colors for simple illustrations or more for a photo. Background removal starts off; enable it only when needed, and set speck merging to 0 to preserve fine photo details. The balanced 0.42 mm fill setting is a useful starting point, not a guarantee for a particular fabric. Wider spacing creates fewer stitches; denser spacing increases stitch count and material coverage.
4. Generate and review
Generate the design, then inspect the Stitches view. Use Jumps to locate movements between disconnected objects. The stitch simulator starts automatically. Use Play or Pause, the color timeline and seek slider, and 0.5×–5× speed to inspect the sewing order. Zoom in to see individual thread paths. Review thread colors and compare the result with your source artwork.
5. Export the right format
Preview generation is free. Select Export design and choose a paid plan to download machine files. Choose the format supported by your exact machine model. The complete ZIP contains seven machine formats, an editable Threadwork project, an SVG stitch preview, a PDF worksheet and the thread sequence. DST and EXP require the color worksheet because they do not retain custom RGB thread colors.
6. Test-sew
Use suitable fabric, stabilizer, needle and tension. Sew a sample before a final garment or customer order. Check distortion, puckering, gaps, excessive density, thread breaks and jump trimming. Adjust your settings and generate a revised design if needed.
Convert your JPG artwork to PES
For a compatible PES machine, use the JPG to PES converter to generate a free stitch preview. Review the design size and thread layers before choosing a paid export plan. The converter page also includes checks for a PES file your machine cannot read.
Put this guide into practice
Encoding reference: pyembroidery project. For machine-specific limits, check your manufacturer’s manual.