Import and export DST, XXX, and EXP embroidery files

Importing a stitch file is different from opening artwork

Trame can open DST, XXX, or EXP embroidery files as a stitch-only design, or import one as a stitch layer in an existing project. An embroidery file contains machine movements, not the original editable photo, text, or vector artwork used to create it. Trame does not claim to recover those sources. Imported geometry can be moved, scaled, rotated, hidden, and assigned thread colors, but the stitches themselves remain stitch geometry.

Use Project → Open when you want a machine file to become a new design. Select Import embroidery (DST, XXX, EXP) in the toolbox to add a stitch layer to a composition.

DST does not store exact RGB thread colors. Trame shows distinct suggested colors for unknown thread stages. Replace or accept them in Properties before exporting XXX or preparing a thread-loading guide; use the original design's thread list to choose the intended colors.

1. Choose Project → Open for a standalone DST, XXX, or EXP file, or select Import embroidery (DST, XXX, EXP) in the toolbox to add a layer.
2. Review the design’s physical bounds and hoop size. Trame may choose a hoop that fits when opening a standalone file, or report the size needed for an imported layer.
3. Inspect color sequence, jumps, trims, and placement; replace or accept suggested colors using the original thread list.
4. Save a .trame project if you want to retain the editable placement and validated imported stitch geometry.

Export only after the stitch plan is ready

For image, text, emoji, and shape layers, generate current stitches first. The export dialog enables machine formats only when visible artwork layers have current stitch plans and imported stitch layers have valid geometry. Check the hoop, safe area, thread order, stitch count, and path preview before selecting a file format. DST and EXP do not carry RGB thread colors; XXX includes an ordered RGB palette, but that palette is not a machine-specific thread assignment.

The encoders currently offer DST, XXX, and EXP. Exports are experimental and do not establish compatibility with every machine or software version. Some unsupported vendor commands or file variants may be rejected during import. Trame’s limits and parser support are documented in the application README; they should not be treated as universal format guarantees.

Validate the physical sew-out

Trame previews needle paths, jumps, trims, colors, and hoop bounds, but those checks cannot predict the full behavior of a machine, fabric, stabilizer, thread, and tension combination. Optional underlay, compensation, and securing settings support specific stitch styles; they are not fabric-calibrated presets. A file that parses correctly can still produce gaps, puckering, or poor coverage.

Use a sample fabric and a test sew before committing to a finished item. Confirm the machine’s actual usable hoop area, thread changes, trims, and stitch quality. Keep the .trame project so you can return to the source layers and settings if the sample needs changes.

• Open the Trame editor