Baby Lock embroidery machines use PES, the same file format as Brother. That means any PES file from the free digitizer works on a Baby Lock, with the thread colors matched to the 64-color Brother chart, the PES palette Baby Lock machines also use.
Upload a logo or image, check the stitch preview and download a PES file. Everything runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded, and there's no account to create.
Which file format Baby Lock machines use
PES is the native format for Baby Lock's single-needle and multi-needle embroidery machines. Baby Lock's own Design Database Transfer software lists .pes, .phc, .phx and .dst as the formats it sends to machines, a good guide to what its machines read.
Choose PES over DST when you can. PES stores the thread colors and a thumbnail, so the machine screen shows the design as it will sew. A DST file loads in default colors and you work out the thread order from the TXT color sheet.
Older Baby Lock models may only read older PES versions. If a machine doesn't list the file, try the PEC or DST file from the ZIP download.
How to get designs onto a Baby Lock
Most Baby Lock embroidery machines take designs from a USB flash drive. Copy the .pes file to the stick, insert it and choose the design from the embroidery screen. A small FAT32-formatted stick is the safest choice.
Machines with wireless LAN can also receive designs from Design Database Transfer, Baby Lock's free tool for viewing your design library and sending designs to the machine without a USB stick. Not every model has wireless LAN, so check your machine's specifications first.
Baby Lock hoop sizes and embroidery fields
Baby Lock's larger machines go well past the usual home hoop sizes. Some documented examples:
| Model | Type | Maximum field |
|---|---|---|
| Solaris Vision | Sewing and embroidery | 10-5/8 × 16 in (272 × 408 mm) |
| Meridian 2 | Single-needle embroidery | 9.5 × 14 in (240 × 360 mm) |
| Valiant (sold 2017–2020) | 10-needle | 7-7/8 × 14 in (200 × 360 mm) |
The digitizer's hoop presets run from 4×4 to 8×12 in. For a larger field, type the width you want; the digitizer handles designs up to about 40 cm. Its design check will note that the design is bigger than an 8×12 in field, which is fine on these machines. Check fit with the hoop size calculator.
Tips for Baby Lock embroidery
- Match colors to the Brother chart. Baby Lock machines show colors from the same palette, so the screen preview stays close to your artwork.
- Plan for big hoops. A 9.5 × 14 in design can run tens of thousands of stitches. Estimate the time with the stitch count calculator before you start.
- Hoop large designs firmly. The bigger the field, the more the fabric can shift. Use cut-away on anything stretchy and see the stabilizer guide.
- Choose the fabric preset so density, underlay and pull compensation suit the garment.
- Test-stitch on matching scrap before the final piece.
Convert other formats for your Baby Lock
If a design you bought or received isn't in PES, convert it without installing anything:
- DST to PES: the most common case, since many design shops sell DST
- JEF to PES for designs made for Janome
- VP3 to PES for Husqvarna Viking and Pfaff designs
- EXP to PES and XXX to PES for Bernina, Melco and Singer files
Converted files keep every stitch. Check the colors and size in the embroidery file viewer before you copy them to the machine.