How to Convert .JPG To PES Embroidery File
Whether you are looking to up your digitizing skills, or just interested in learning to stitch, you would need to the process to convert JPG to PES. Now, while some of you surely would know the basics of embroidery digitizing process and PES format, there certainly would be people who aren’t much knowledgeable with these terminologies. That’s why instead of getting started directly with the process to convert JPG to PES, we would be starting from the very basics of the process.
JPG or JPEG format is one of the most common formats for raster images. In fact, almost all images that we come across in your daily life are JPG or JPEG and I guess you must know how frustrating they can be with the scalability issues. PES format on the other side may not be very well-known for many, especially if you aren’t much into digitizing work the format may sound obscure to you.
Well, don’t fret because we are here to take you through everything you would want to know about PES format and that how you can convert JPG to PES format.
So, let’s start our blog by looking into the details of PES format and what it really is.
What Is PES File Format?
PES is one of the major and widely popular embroidery digitizing formats. PES is a native embroidery digitizing format, which means that the format is compatible with its parent digitizing machine. Now, to put it simply for those who still don’t get the complete picture, the PES format is a “design file” (just like any other image file that we are using in daily life. The difference here is the fact that PES file contains the specific digitizing instructions which are required by embroidery digitizing machine to stitch a design.
Brother PE is the parent embroidery machines to which the PES file is native. The Brother PE manufacture embroidery machines for home-based digitizing, as well as, for semi-commercial digitizing needs. However, most of the time it’s home-based embroidery digitizers that encounter PES format. One thing to remember is the fact that PES format isn’t generally used in commercial setups or for commercial purposes.
Now, just to clarify things a little, while we have associated the PES file as a “design file”, it isn’t one in the technical sense. PES file, in fact, is a digitized format (raster to vector) that is derived from the original embroidery design file (raster file).
So, in essence, PES format is quite opposite to the design file and the only reason to compare it was to help you understand the basics of the file. In reality, the PES file is a vector format, which isn’t based on pixels (which are the basic units for raster files). Contrarily, the vector formats are based on mathematical equations, for which reasons they offer endless scalability options. The file essentially consists of the detailed stitching instructions which are required by digitizing machine to embroider a design on fabric or any other surface. Some of the parameters stored in a PES file involved; stitch density, underlay settings, stitch length and others.
Embroidery Digitizing
Moving on to the next terminology, embroidery digitizing is the process of getting an embroidery design digitized on any desired surface including fabric. The process in itself is complex and multi-facet. However, to keep things simple and understandable for all, some steps involved in the process include:
- Opening the design file into digitizing software (there are few free digitizing software available in the market)
- Converting the design into the digitized format (this required understanding of various parameters including stitch type, stitch density, stitch length, stitching pattern, underlay setting and many more
- Saving the file in one of the many digitized formats (PES, DST, etc.)
- Running the file on embroidery digitizing machines
So, to put it simply, it’s the process of getting your desired design embroidered on to a fabric or other surfaces.
Convert JPG To PES
Now that you know much about PES format and embroidery digitizing process, let’s revert to our main topic that’s; convert JPG to PES.
To start, you need to understand that while we are using the term “Convert” in essence the process isn’t “conversion”, unlike conversion amongst some of the other formats where you simply put one format into software and it is converted into the desired format magically.
The process to convert JPG to PES is much more complex and multi-faceted and may require a certain level of skills to achieve. The only reason the process is referred to as “conversion” is because most of the time it is performed by a professional.
In fact, the process of converting JPG to PES is what is known as embroidery digitizing. Yup, the same process that we discussed above, where you get your desired design embroidered onto a specific surface using digitizing software and embroidery machines. To make matter worse, while there’s a software involved in digitizing the embroidery design, it can’t be done automatically, rather it’s only meant to assist the digitizer in completing the tasks as efficiently as possible (while there are some software that offers automatic digitizing feature, it seriously lack the quality standards and can’t be used in any professional work). So, you would actually have to manually complete the task and need to learn at least some basic skills of embroidery digitizing.
Below we have come up with 3 of the best approaches that you can take to convert JPG to PES, which includes learning embroidery digitizing software, using auto digitizing feature or hire services of a professional digitizer to complete.
So, let’s see in detail about each of these options that that what approach best suits your needs.
1. Learning Digitizing Software
Well, your first option is to learn using digitizing software to be able to convert JPG to PST format. Now, as we have already mentioned above, there are various components and factors which you need to consider to be able to pull out the task effectively, these including; learning about the type of stitches, pull and push effect, stitch density, stitch length, fabric type, underlay settings and much more.
If you aren’t well-versed with the embroidery digitizing software prior, which most people aren’t, this isn’t the most practical option for you; especially when you don’t intend to make embroidery digitizing your career choice. Becoming an expert digitizer required years of training, skills and a dynamic approach. You would need to spend hours and hours consistently to be able to master the software for digitizing. And to top it all, there aren’t many free digitizing software available in the market, and those that are available don’t have many features or tools to help you get professional with the trade.
Nonetheless, if you think that you have the consistency and passion to overcome all those difficulties, then there is ample material available online that can help you to learn the trade well. You can start with free digitizing software with limited features and work your way up slowly.
2. Auto-Digitizing
Some of the free available software comes with the auto-digitizing feature, which to the relief of many requires minimal manual input and thus you may get away from spending countless hours learning the secrets and technicalities of embroidery digitizing.
However, there’s a glitch here and that’s about the quality of the digitized product. As mentioned earlier, the auto-digitizing feature offered by many software can’t be used in any sort of professional embroidery digitizing work. The outcome of the feature is shabby, to say the least, primarily because the feature is still not matured to get it going. In fact, the auto-digitizing featured offered by some of the best and expensive digitizing software also lacks the quality and can’t compare to the quality standards of manual digitizing work.
However, on the brighter side, you will actually have in your hands a PES format file, which you can use with embroidery digitizing machine and get yourself an amateur embroidery. Moreover, while the technology needs more time to get mature, it’s improving consistently and maybe sometime in the future, we would have a fully matured and high-quality auto-digitizing feature, that required minimum to no manual interaction and improve the efficiency of the process.
Until that happens, you can still enjoy the free and amateur versions of the auto-digitizing feature, which may give you good enough PES files for simpler designs.
3. Professional Embroidery Digitizing Service
Last and perhaps the best approach to convert JPG to the PES file is to hire professional embroidery digitizing services.
This is the most practical, efficient and affordable approach, where you can easily get high-quality and precise JPG to PES file conversion in no time. There are various embroider digitizing agencies offering fast, reliable and high-quality embroidery digitizing services against a nominal fee. Most of the time, these agencies either charge on the number of stitch basis or gives a flat rate. The most common is the rate per 1000 stitches, which means you only pay for the actual design ad avoid any unnecessary costs.
Almost all commercial embroidery clients use this approach to get themselves high-quality, precise and quick embroidery digitizing services, which not only saves them the hassle of digitizing but also saves them much in cost of purchasing the software and hiring experienced in-house digitizers.
