A simple logo converts well; a photograph does not, because thread cannot reproduce continuous tone the way ink can.
Logos. Supply vector artwork if you have it, or a high resolution image with clean edges. Flat areas of solid colour, clear outlines and a limited palette all digitise cleanly. Fine gradients, drop shadows, thin outlines and very small text do not, and are usually simplified out. Expect the digitiser to redraw rather than trace.
Photographs. The realistic routes are to reduce the image to a handful of flat tones and stitch it as blocks, or to use photo-stitch style software that builds an image from layered lines of varying density. Both work best on high contrast images with a clear subject, and both look like embroidery rather than like the photograph. A portrait with soft lighting will not survive the process.
Automatic conversion tools exist in most embroidery software. They produce a stitchable file quickly and they make poor decisions about stitch direction, underlay and density, which is exactly where quality lives. Treat the output as a starting point to be edited, not as a result.
Size drives everything. Detail that is legible at 150 mm disappears at 60 mm. Decide the finished size first and simplify the artwork to suit it.
Rights matter. A logo belongs to somebody. Get permission before stitching another organisation’s mark onto anything, particularly for sale.
Always stitch a test on the intended fabric before committing.
Questions people actually ask
Can I just rename a JPEG to PES?
No. Renaming changes nothing — a picture file contains no stitch data at all, and the machine will reject it.
How many colours should a logo use?
As few as the design allows. Each colour is a stop, a re-thread and another chance for registration to shift.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11