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.

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.

Export Embroidery Files

Method 1

Ink/Stitch version 1.10.0 introduced the possibility to 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.

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 > 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.