Embroidery digitizing (or emb digitizing) involves converting digital designs into a stitch file that embroidery machines can understand. One of the most widely used file formats in this industry is .DST (Tajima Stitch File).
In this tutorial, we’ll explore how to read and write .dst files using Python. This article is ideal for developers, hobbyists, or anyone interested in automating parts of the embroidery digitizing workflow.
📁 What Is a DST File?
A .dst file contains stitch commands, jump instructions, and other control data used by embroidery machines. It’s a binary file that stores:
Stitch coordinates
Jump/stitch flags
Header with metadata (design name, color changes)
🧰 Python Libraries You Can Use
For working with .dst files in Python, you can use:
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pip install pyembroidery
This library allows parsing and exporting multiple embroidery formats, including .dst.
🔍 Reading a DST File
Here's how to read a .dst file and extract stitch data:
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from pyembroidery import read_dst
pattern = read_dst("design.dst")
for stitch in pattern.stitches:
print(f"X: {stitch[0]}, Y: {stitch[1]}, Command: {stitch[2]}")
Output:
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X: 12, Y: 25, Command: STITCH
X: 14, Y: 27, Command: JUMP
...
✏️ Writing a DST File
You can also create your own stitch pattern and write it as a .dst file:
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from pyembroidery import EmbPattern, STITCH, write_dst
pattern = EmbPattern()
Add a few sample stitches
pattern.add_stitch_absolute(STITCH, 0, 0)
pattern.add_stitch_relative(STITCH, 10, 5)
pattern.add_stitch_relative(STITCH, -5, 15)
write_dst(pattern, "custom_output.dst")
print("DST file created successfully.")
🧪 Example Use Case
You can use this for:
Building a custom embroidery preview tool
Integrating with a web-based emb digitizing service
Automating bulk conversions of vector files to stitch data
✅ Conclusion
Working with .dst files using Python opens up automation possibilities in the world of emb digitizing. From creating simple designs to building complete applications for embroidery services, programmatic control gives you scalability and precision.
A: The DST (Data Stitch Tajima) format is a machine-readable file format that stores stitch instructions used by embroidery machines. It’s widely supported by commercial embroidery equipment and essential for emb digitizing workflows.
🔹 Q2: Can I edit DST files directly?
A: DST files are binary and not human-readable, so direct editing is difficult. Instead, use libraries like pyembroidery in Python or commercial digitizing software to read and modify stitch patterns programmatically.
🔹 Q3: Is pyembroidery the only Python library available for emb digitizing?
A: pyembroidery is one of the most maintained open-source libraries for embroidery formats. However, depending on your needs, you might explore pyEmb or build your own DST parser if you require more control.
🔹 Q4: Can I convert other formats like SVG to DST in Python?
A: Yes, with some custom logic. You’ll need to extract path data from the SVG (using svgpathtools or cairosvg) and then map that to stitch coordinates before writing them as a DST file using pyembroidery.
🔹 Q5: How does emb digitizing benefit from automation?
A: Automating emb digitizing can streamline the conversion of logos or vector files to machine-ready embroidery files. This reduces manual labor, increases accuracy, and speeds up turnaround times—especially helpful for embroidery service providers.