Brother embroidery
Turn any picture into an embroidery design for your Brother
Brother home embroidery machines sew from .PES files. Drop a logo, drawing or pet portrait below, size it for your hoop and check every stitch before you download a PES that's ready for your Brother, from a 4×4 SE600 to a large multi-needle model.
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Machine files:.PES.DST.JEF.EXP
Which file format does my Brother machine read?
.PES
Brother embroidery machines read .PES, Brother's native format, and depending on the model also .DST, .PHC and .PEN. Use PES whenever you can: it carries the Brother thread colours and a thumbnail, so the machine screen shows your design properly. A DST loads too, but every colour block appears in a default colour.
Also in your download for Brother: .DST
All about the .PES formatWhat size designs can my Brother sew?
It depends on the largest hoop your model accepts, not on the file. Entry models such as the SE600 and PE535 sew up to 4×4 in (100 × 100 mm); the PE800, PE900 and SE1900 up to 5×7 in (130 × 180 mm); larger Brother machines reach 6×10, 8×12 or 9.5×14 in.
| Hoop | Sewing field | Typical models and uses |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 20 × 60 mm (0.8 × 2.4 in) | Tiny monograms and cuffs (some models) |
| 4×4 in | 100 × 100 mm (3.9 × 3.9 in) | Largest hoop of entry models such as the SE600 and PE535 |
| 5×7 in | 130 × 180 mm (5.1 × 7.1 in) | Largest hoop of the PE800, PE900 and SE1900 |
| 6×10 in | 160 × 260 mm (6.3 × 10.2 in) | Common on mid-range combination machines |
| 8×8 in | 200 × 200 mm (7.9 × 7.9 in) | Square designs, cushions and quilt blocks |
| 8×12 in | 200 × 300 mm (7.9 × 11.8 in) | Larger home models and multi-needle machines |
| 9.5×14 in | 240 × 360 mm (9.4 × 14.2 in) | Top-of-the-range home machines |
Accessory hoops vary by model, so check the list in your machine's manual. StitchMyPic sizes the design for the hoop you pick and warns you if it doesn't fit.
How do I get a design onto my Brother?
Most Brother embroidery machines load designs from a USB stick: unzip the download, copy the .pes file to a FAT32 stick, plug it in and touch the USB icon on the embroidery screen. Models with Wi-Fi can also receive designs through Brother's app or software instead of a stick.
- 1Unzip the StitchMyPic download on your computer: the machine can't open a ZIP.
- 2Copy the .pes file to the top (root) folder of a FAT32-formatted USB stick of 32 GB or less. Keep the name short: letters, numbers and hyphens.
- 3Eject the stick on your computer, plug it into the machine and touch the USB icon on the embroidery screen.
- 4Pick the design from the thumbnails, check that it fits the attached hoop and thread each colour stop in the order of the production sheet.
Why doesn't my Brother machine recognise the file?
Usually it's one of a few things: the stick is formatted exFAT or NTFS instead of FAT32, the file is still inside the ZIP, it sits too deep in a folder, its name has accents or special characters, or it's a hidden Mac "._" file. Go through these fixes:
- Stick not detected: reformat it as FAT32, or try a smaller stick (32 GB or less) and another USB port.
- Design not listed: unzip first, move the .pes to the root folder and shorten its name.
- Listed but won't open: copy it again and eject before unplugging; if the name starts with "._" it's a Mac file, remove it with dot_clean -m.
- "Too large" or wrong hoop: the design is bigger than the attached hoop's sewing field. Rotate it 90°, attach a larger hoop or re-export it smaller.
Why are the colours on my Brother screen slightly different?
PES stores colours as entries in Brother's thread palette, so the screen shows the nearest Brother thread rather than an exact copy of your artwork. That's normal: it's a guide for which spool to load. The production sheet in your download lists the matching Brother thread for each colour stop.