Does a DST file store thread colors?

No. DST records stitches and color-change stops but not the actual thread colors — that is by design. In Stichii you set where the stops fall; the operator assigns threads at the machine.

How do I convert an image to DST?

Upload it to the editor, run auto-digitize, refine the stitches, and export as DST. High-contrast, simple artwork converts most cleanly.

Will my DST run on a Tajima machine?

Yes. Stichii writes a spec-compliant DST validated against pyembroidery, which is the reference used across the open-source embroidery ecosystem.

Can I convert PES to DST?

Yes — import the PES, then export the same design as DST.

Convert to DST Online — Free DST File Converter

DST is the Tajima format and the lingua franca of commercial embroidery. Stichii is a browser-based DST converter and digitizer — auto-digitize artwork or import an existing file, edit the stitch path, and export a clean DST that runs on Tajima and any machine that reads DST.

What is a DST file?

DST (Tajima Embroidery Format) is the most widely supported commercial embroidery format. It stores stitch movements as compact 3-byte records, with jumps and trims and an end marker, but — unlike PES or JEF — it does not store thread colors. Color changes are stops; the operator assigns the actual thread at the machine.

Because almost every commercial and many home machines read DST, it is the safe interchange format when you are sending a design to a shop or a machine you do not control.

How to convert to DST with Stichii

Bring your artwork or an existing design into the editor, digitize it, and export as DST. Stichii writes the canonical 3-byte record (clamped to ±121 per axis), a proper 512-byte ASCII header, and the 0xF3 end marker.

Every file Stichii writes is validated against pyembroidery — the same reference library used by Ink/Stitch and other open-source embroidery tools — so the stitches, jumps, trims, and color stops land where your machine expects them.

Auto-digitize images or import a PES/DST to edit and re-export.
Long repositions become real jumps and trims, not stretched stitches.
Set the color-change stops where you want operator thread swaps.
Export DST plus PES, JEF, EXP, VP3, and more.

Browser-based, free to start

Stichii runs entirely in your browser. There is nothing to install, no Windows-only desktop suite, and no four-figure license. Open it on a laptop, a Surface, or an iPad next to the machine and start working immediately.

You can start for free. Open the editor, digitize a design, and preview the stitch path before you commit to anything. Paid plans add more exports and higher limits — see pricing for the details.

Frequently asked questions

Does a DST file store thread colors?: No. DST records stitches and color-change stops but not the actual thread colors — that is by design. In Stichii you set where the stops fall; the operator assigns threads at the machine.
How do I convert an image to DST?: Upload it to the editor, run auto-digitize, refine the stitches, and export as DST. High-contrast, simple artwork converts most cleanly.
Will my DST run on a Tajima machine?: Yes. Stichii writes a spec-compliant DST validated against pyembroidery, which is the reference used across the open-source embroidery ecosystem.
Can I convert PES to DST?: Yes — import the PES, then export the same design as DST.

Convert to DST — Tajima commercial embroidery files

What is a DST file?

How to convert to DST with Stichii

Browser-based, free to start

Frequently asked questions