Embroidery machine software tips

Embroidery machine software tips for correct use of the brother embroidery software PE-plus and PE-lite
Here you will find a PDF with info about brother's PE design plus software
Below you will find information about PE design lite

Problems reading the card

Does the card "beep" when it's inserted in the embroidery machine? Then, it could be that the embroidery range of the files (1 or more files) on the card do not match the embroidery range of your embroidery machine. You must then check the size of all files that you want to transfer (10 x 10 or 13 x 18) in the program PE-Lite.

If you have changed this, you can rewrite the files to the card.

Extra explanation about PE-design Lite

How do you make an embroidery file from a drawing / picture?
Choose an image and make sure you can find it in, for example, the folder “my documents / my images” on your computer.

Start the program PE-design Lite.

First, you decide on which format you are going to work (100 x 100 mm or 130 x 180 mm, this depends on what your embroidery machine can do). In the top menu bar, select “option”, “properties design page”. Here you choose the correct format. 

Step 1: In the top menu bar, choose the option “import image from file”. For example, choose a bitmap file from your “my documents / my pictures” folder. Make sure in advance that this is a clear file with clear contours / lines and areas of colour. For example, you can modify the file in Paint. It also works with photos, but then you get a different kind of embroidery. 

Step 2: You can stretch or retract the entered image by dragging the corner with the mouse. Make sure the picture itself fits in the embroidery area (10 x 10 or 13 x 18 cm). The outline of the imported file (red lines) cannot fall outside the embroidery range. 

Step 3: In the left menu bar select the magic wand (= bottom image). This is “automatic punching”. The program now shows a box with different options: “display result” and “display original”. At “display result” you can make some adjustments with various buttons. For example, now you can see the following options: maximum number of colours, type of colour map, showing contours, zooming in and out, omitting colours, noise suppression and segmentation sensitivity (see the manual on page 23 for the latter two options). By clicking on the “redo-button” you can see what the pattern will look like. The different settings give different effects and, for example, details. Make a choice until you are satisfied (click on “again” every time). By clicking in the picture, you can add or remove parts. The shaded areas are not embroidered. In between, compare the result with the original pattern (display original - display result). Close the window by clicking on “finish”.

Step 4: Save the pattern. It is now a PES file. The original (bitmap) is still underneath. It is more convenient to take a blank page first and re-request the saved PES pattern there before continuing.

Step 5: View a "realistic preview" or a "preview" by clicking on the corresponding button in the top menu bar (rightmost button and 1 after right button). If you want to see it better, you better send the pattern to the card and stitch a sample.

The program distributes darning or satin stitches randomly among the different parts. The embroidery direction is also randomly determined by the “magic wand”.
If you are not satisfied with this distribution in the pattern, you can make "manual" adjustments with PE-design Lite.

How do I manually improve my embroidery file with PE-design Lite?

To do this, proceed as follows after opening the PES pattern to be edited.

Step 1: In the top menu bar, click on “check sewing order” (third from the right). Below the different colors you can see an upright cross in a square. If you click on this you will see all parts of 1 color (ex 1-2, 1-2, 1-3, etc .; then 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc.). By clicking on 1 item it becomes active (red dotted line). You click on “cancel” (this seems strange, but it is correct).

Step 2: The selected item remains active in the embroidery pattern. You will see a rectangular shape with black squares at the corners and in the middle of the lines. At the top left you can see whether this part is sewn with the fill stitch or the satin stitch. If desired, you can change this. If you want, you can also adjust the color.

Step 3: In the top menu bar click on "Set sewing attributes" (4th from the right). In the window that now opens ("area sewing") you can change a number of settings (for the active part of the pattern):

• With "reinforcement". Depending on the pattern, you must turn this on or off (= click the check mark to remove it). It is often better not to use stabilizers for small images. This is a kind of embroidered bottom layer. Reinforcement is nice for large surfaces. It prevents pulling.
• The sewing density is adjustable.
• The sewing direction can be adjusted: constant (and choosing a direction) or variable (the program itself chooses a direction that usually goes with the pattern piece to be sewn). Contours are usually best in a satin stitch with a variable direction. Large areas are best sewn with a fill stitch otherwise the floats (= loose threads between the stitches) will be too long.

You close this window by clicking on "apply" and "close".

For each part to be sewn, repeat steps 1 to 3.

When you have optimized all parts in this way, you can still change the embroidery order. A small eye in a large area can be lost when it is embroidered first, while it looks great when it is embroidered last. This also applies to contour lines. The 3rd button from the right (= determine sewing order) allows you to adjust the order. You can even specify that parts with the same color are embroidered at different times.