I've seen a fair amount of discussion on various forums pertaining to errant stitches in PES files. My test sewer had been reporting them in some of my designs, but it wasn't until I started seeing them myself that I decided to investigate. I knew there had to be an explanation so I began to conduct a few non-scientific experiments of my own. For the record, I use Generations for all of my digitizing and Embird for all conversions.

Normally I test sew my designs using the DST format. I export them as DST files directly from Generations. Doing this was never a problem. Generations did a good job of exporting DST files. Occasionally I would export a PES file from Generations, but I stopped doing that because I wasn't happy with the way in which it handled trims.

When a customer requested the PES format I would simply convert the DST file in Embird thinking all along it was doing a better job. What I discovered was that during these conversions stitches were often being inserted that should not be there. Not only shouldn't they be there, but they were being inserted in very undesirable places.

Take a look at the first image below. It's an example of a simple multi-colored text design that was converted from DST to PES in Embird. For clarity and ease of viewing only one color is shown. The other colors are hidden. What you see is a screen shot of the design in Embird Editor showing the stitches and the normal jumps between the letters. These are not actual stitches, but a graphic representation of the needle movement traveling from one out-point to the next in-point in the design.

Looking at this design in Embird you would not suspect there was a problem of any kind. Everything looks normal here. It's not until you take this design to your machine and sew it does the problem show itself.

We can, however, see this problem in Designer's Gallery. The next graphic is a view of the very same Embird converted PES file displayed in Designer's Gallery Color Works. Designer's Gallery does not show the dotted line travel stitches that we saw in Embird Editor, but we can now see those unwanted stitches that were inserted during the conversion. Exports in the PES format from Generations produce the exact same results.

When this design is sewn those stitches actually exist and are sewn as though they were part of the original design. In this example each letter begins to sew quite a distance away from where the actual letter will be sewn. While watching this design sew, I counted as many as 7 or 8 stitches being sewn in that outside area before the needle moved to sew the actual letter itself. No tie-in stitch was sewn within the letter, but it did tie-off when complete.

Notice that every letter has these same errant stitches except the first letter which sews normally. This is not only annoying, but those extra threads must be clipped and removed from the finished design. Since they are visible, and should not be there in the first place, the added task of removing them becomes necessary.

Note: While some machines would trim automatically due to the travel distance to the next letter, all of these letters had trims inserted in the design.

Now let's take a look at the same DST file converted to PES in Designer's Gallery. As you can see in the image below, the file looks exactly the same in Embird as it did when we viewed the Embird conversion above. No errant stitches show up here, only the dotted line travel stitches that we normally see.

Finally, we'll look at the same PES file that we converted in Designer's Gallery in the Designer's Gallery program itself. Notice that those errant stithes do not exist. This design was converted properly and will sew normally. Based on this experiment one can only conclude that Embird is adding these unwanted stitches to all PES file conversions. Likewise Generations is doing the same thing when exporting a design in the PES format.

This demonstration shows what is actually happening, but I can not explain why. Nor can I explain why it does not happen with every PES conversion executed in Embird. I have converted some designs from DST to PES in Embird without seeing this problem. There is some evidence that it has to do with the distance the needle is required to travel before it begins sewing the next segment, but this has yet to be proven.

It is my theory that there is more to a PES file than Brother is willing to share with outside vendors. I believe that third party software companies do not have all the information they need to write the proper code for these conversions. There is something missing that is causing this dilema.

We know that Designer's Gallery is offered by Babylock, but we also know that Brother makes their machines and provides them with software that they market under their own brand names. It stands to reason that Designer's Gallary would correctly convert these files to the PES format. I would expect nothing less.

To be on the safe side, my recommendation would be to do all your PES conversions in Designer's Gallary. While Embird is a fine program, and one that I use a great deal, it does not appear adequate for PES conversions. If you don't have Designer's Gallary, PE Design or Palette would work equally as well.

It is also worth noting that this problem has not shown up in any other file formats. I've converted designs in Embird, or exported them from Generations, in various non-PES formats with no evident problems.

Please contact us if you have any additional information regarding this problem. We'd be happy to include new or updated information in this article.

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