This DST file converter works in two directions. It turns a logo or simple image into a Tajima DST embroidery file you can load onto an embroidery machine, and it opens existing DST files so you can check the stitches and export them as PNG or SVG images. Everything happens in your browser: your artwork is never uploaded to a server.
How to convert an image to a DST file
- Open the Image to DST tab and drop in a PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG file.
- Set the design width in millimetres. The height follows your image's proportions.
- Choose how many thread colours to use, and leave Remove background on if your image sits on a solid background.
- Pick a fill density, then check the stitch preview, stitch count and thread order.
- Click Download DST and copy the file to your machine by USB stick, card or your machine's software.
- Sew a test on scrap fabric of the same type before stitching the real garment.
How to open and view a DST file
- Open the DST to PNG / SVG tab and drop in your .dst file.
- Check the design size, stitch count and number of colour changes.
- Pick thread colours to match the ones you plan to use, since DST files don't store colours.
- Download a PNG for mock-ups or customer proofs, or an SVG for scalable artwork.
What is a DST file?
DST is the embroidery format created by Tajima, a Japanese maker of commercial embroidery machines. It has become one of the most widely supported embroidery formats, and most commercial machines and embroidery programs can read it.
A DST file is not an image. It is a list of instructions for the machine: move the fabric this far and make a stitch, jump without stitching, stop for a colour change. Inside the file there are two parts:
- A 512-byte text header that records the design name, the number of stitch records, the number of colour changes, and how far the design extends in each direction from its starting point.
- A sequence of 3-byte stitch records. Each record moves the needle relative to its last position, in units of 0.1 mm. The encoding tops out at 121 units per record, so a single record can move at most 12.1 mm. Longer moves are split across several records.
Two consequences matter in practice. First, a DST file stores no colours. It only marks where the machine should stop for a thread change, so any colours you see in a viewer are a preview, and the machine uses whatever thread you load. Second, thread trims are not a separate command in classic DST. They are written as a short series of jump records that Tajima-compatible machines interpret as "cut the thread here".
That is also why you can't just rename a JPG to .dst. An image stores coloured pixels. The machine needs stitch coordinates, and turning one into the other is called digitizing.
How the image-to-DST conversion works
This tool digitizes your image automatically, in these steps:
- Colour reduction. The image is reduced to the number of thread colours you choose, using k-means clustering, which groups similar pixels together. If background removal is on, whichever colour covers most of the image's edges is treated as fabric and left unstitched. Transparent areas of PNG files are never stitched.
- Clean-up. Specks smaller than about 1 mm² are merged into the surrounding colour, because they would sew as tiny knots of thread rather than visible detail.
- Tatami fill. Each colour area is filled with back-and-forth rows of stitches. The needle points in neighbouring rows are staggered by a third of the stitch length, so the needle holes don't line up into visible grooves. This offset pattern is what embroiderers call tatami fill.
- Underlay. Before the top fill, a sparse layer of stitches runs across each area in the other direction, about 2 mm apart and kept slightly inside the edges. It anchors the fabric so the top stitches lie flat.
- Pull compensation. Thread tension pulls fabric inward as it sews, so filled shapes come out narrower than planned. Each fill row is extended slightly past the edge of its shape to make up for this.
- Lock stitches and trims. Each section starts and ends with a few tiny back-and-forth stitches so the thread can't unravel. When the needle has to move more than 3 mm to the next area, the thread is trimmed rather than left as a long loop.
- Sewing order. The largest colour areas are sewn first so smaller details sit on top. Within each colour, the next area sewn is always the closest one, which keeps jumps and trims to a minimum.
The preview is drawn from the finished DST file itself, not from the settings, so what you see is exactly what the machine will receive.
Choosing the right settings
| Setting | Default | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Design width | 100 mm | Left-chest logos are commonly 70–100 mm wide; caps are usually under 60 mm tall; jacket backs can be 250 mm or more. Check your hoop size. |
| Thread colours | 4 | Match the number of colours in your logo. Each extra colour adds a thread change and sewing time. |
| Fill density | Standard (0.4 mm) | Dense (0.35 mm) gives richer coverage on thick fabrics. Light (0.5 mm) suits thin or delicate fabrics that pucker easily. |
| Stitch length | 3.5 mm | Shorter stitches hold better on stretchy knits; longer stitches sew faster and look smoother on stable woven fabric. |
| Pull compensation | 0.2 mm | Increase it for stretchy fabrics such as jersey and piqué; reduce it for stiff fabrics such as canvas and denim. |
| Underlay | On | Leave it on for almost all fabrics. Turn it off only for very small, light designs. |
Watch the stitch count as you change settings. A typical left-chest logo is often somewhere between 5,000 and 15,000 stitches. Much higher counts sew slowly and can make the fabric stiff.
What converts well, and what doesn't
Automatic digitizing works best on logos, badges and artwork with flat, solid colours and bold shapes. Clean PNG files with transparent or plain backgrounds give the most predictable results.
It is not a replacement for a skilled human digitizer on every job, and it helps to know its limits:
- Small text. Professional digitizers sew small lettering with satin stitches, narrow zig-zag columns that stay crisp at small sizes. This tool uses fill stitches only, so lettering shorter than about 8 mm will look rough. Enlarge the text or simplify it.
- Fine lines. Lines thinner than about 1 mm may be dropped or broken, because they fall between fill rows.
- Photos and gradients. Thread comes in solid colours, and a photo reduced to a handful of colours rarely looks good in stitches.
- Fill direction. All fill rows run horizontally. Professional files often vary the stitch angle between areas to add texture.
If your design depends on these features, open the DST file in embroidery software to refine it, or have it professionally digitized.
Will the DST file work on my machine?
DST files made here use the standard Tajima layout: a 512-byte header, 3-byte stitch records, jump-based trims and standard colour-change codes. Most commercial multi-needle machines and most embroidery software read this format.
Many home embroidery machines use their own format instead, such as PES for Brother and Baby Lock, JEF for Janome, and VP3 for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff. Some of them also read DST directly, so check your machine's manual. If yours doesn't, most embroidery software, including the software that came with your machine, can import a DST file and save it in your machine's format.
Because DST stores no colours, your machine will either stop at each colour change or follow the needle assignments you set on a multi-needle machine. Use the Thread order list next to the preview to load the right thread for each stop.
Tips for a clean stitch-out
- Use a stabilizer. Cut-away stabilizer suits knits and stretchy fabrics; tear-away suits stable woven fabrics.
- Hoop firmly. The fabric should be taut but not stretched, or the design will distort when you take it out of the hoop.
- Test first. Sew the design on an offcut of the same fabric, then adjust density or pull compensation before the final run.
- Start simple. Fewer colours and bolder shapes almost always sew better than detailed artwork shrunk to a small size.
DST converter FAQ
Is this DST converter free?
Yes. There is no signup, no watermark and no limit on the number of files you convert.
Are my images or DST files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your web browser. Your files never leave your device.
Why does the DST preview show different colours from my logo?
DST files don't store thread colours, only the points where the machine stops for a colour change. When you convert an image, the preview uses the colours taken from your artwork. When you open a DST file, the viewer assigns placeholder colours that you can change to match your threads.
Can I convert a DST file to PNG, JPG or SVG?
Yes. Open the file in the DST to PNG / SVG tab. The PNG export has a transparent background and is about 2,000 pixels on its longest side. The SVG export is sized in real millimetres, so it prints at the design's true size.
Can I convert DST to PES, JEF or other embroidery formats?
Not with this tool. It creates and reads DST only. Most embroidery software can open a DST file and save it as PES, JEF, VP3 or another machine format.
Why are some small details missing from my stitch file?
Areas smaller than about 1 mm², and lines thinner than the gap between fill rows, can't be sewn cleanly with fill stitches, so they are merged into neighbouring colours or skipped. Increase the design width or simplify the artwork to keep them.
How many colours can a DST file have?
The format has no practical limit, but each colour change means a thread change or a different needle. This tool supports up to 12 colours, which covers most logos and multi-needle machines.
What is the maximum stitch length in a DST file?
A single DST record can move the needle at most 12.1 mm. This tool keeps fill stitches between 2.5 mm and 5 mm long, which is typical for embroidery fills. Longer moves between areas are written as jumps and trims.