Import and Export Files

Ink/Stitch supports many embroidery formats. It can import and export files to the formats listed below.

Supported File Formats (A - Z):

Writing

CSV, DST, EXP, JEF, PEC, PES, SVG, TXT (G-CODE), U01, VP3

Reading

100, 10o, BRO, DAT, DSB, DST, DSZ, EMD, EXP, EXY, FXY, GT, INB, JEF, JPX, KSM, MAX, MIT, NEW, PCD, PCM, PCQ, PCS, PEC, PES, PHB, PHC, SEW, SHV, STC, STX, TAP, TBF, TXT (G-CODE), U01, VP3, XXX, ZXY

Info: Detailed information about embroidery file formats is available in the EduTechWiki.

Export Embroidery Files

Method 1

Export files directly through Inkscapes File > Save as... (Ctrl + Shift + S) dialog.

Select a file format that your embroidery machine can read and Save the file in your desired output directory.

File Format Field

For later changes make sure that you keep an SVG version of your design as well.

Method 2 (Display Stitch Plan)

To export your designs run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Visualize and Export > Embroider....

Embroider...

Settings Description
Collapse length (mm) 0.0 - 10.0
Hide other layers Wether or not hide your original design layers while presenting the newly generated stitch plan
Output File Format Choose a file format that your embroidery machine can read
Directory Type your directory path, where you would like to save your file. By default, the directory used is the place where you installed the extension’s Python files.

Info: For file format conversion Ink/Stitch uses pyembroidery.

Ink/Stich will create a file named something.___, where something is the name of your svg file (e.g. something.svg) and ___ is the proper extension for the output format you select. If something.___ already exists, it will be renamed to something.___.1, and something.___.1 will be renamed to something.___.2, etc, up to 5 backup copies.

↳ something.___
↳ something.___, something.___.1
↳ something.___, something.___.1, something.___.2

Info: In future versions this extension will be renamed to Show Stitch Plan and will not save an embroidery file anymore.

Batch Export

Info: Since Ink/Stitch version 1.10.0 it is possible to export to multiple file formats at once.

Go to File > Save as... and click on the little arrow on the file format selection field to open a list of available file formats.

Navigate to your desired output folder and choose the Ink/Stitch ZIP file format. Click Save. You then will be asked which file formats you wish to be included.

Batch Export

Import

Embroidery Files

Open an embroidery file as you would open any SVG file in Inkscape: File > Open... > choose your file and click Open.

It will open your file in Manual Stitch Mode. You can edit individual points and finetune your design. Once your are satisfied, save the file as described below.

Threadlist

You can also apply a thread list to an embroidery file in Ink/Stitch. This is especially useful, if you want to work on existing embroidery files without color information (such as DST).

It could also be helpful, if you are wanting to test different color settings. You can export and import them as you like. But be careful not to change the amount and order of colors. In case you are planing to change these, you’d prefer to save the entire SVG instead.

Import

  • Run Extensions > Ink/Stitch > Import Threadlist
  • In the dialog enter the path to your file (this dialog will be improved when we update to Inkscape 1.0)
  • Choose a method depending on your file you are wanting to import. It should be a simple textfile (txt).
  • If you want to import a threadlist which wasn’t created through Ink/Stitch, also select a color palette to match colors
  • Apply

Export

Threadlists can only be exported through a zip-file (batch export).