.PEC embroidery files (Brother and Baby Lock machine stitch file)
PEC is the machine-readable core of a Brother PES file, and it can also be saved on its own. It stores stitches, color changes and a small picture. Baby Lock's Meridian 2 page lists it, while the Brother help pages we checked list only PES, PHC and DST.
| Extension | .PEC |
|---|---|
| Comes from | Brother |
| Native on | Brother, Baby Lock |
| Stores thread colours? | Yes |
| Editable outlines? | No: it is a stitch file (resizing a lot can spoil it) |
| Machines in our guide that read it | 15 |
About .PEC files
PEC is the part of a PES file that holds what the machine needs: the stitches, the color changes and the pictures shown on the screen. It can also stand alone as a .pec file, which begins with the marker #PEC0001. mySewnet lists PEC for Brother, Baby Lock and Bernina and can load and export it. Baby Lock's Meridian 2 page lists .pec among the files that machine reads, but the Brother help pages we checked do not.
Inside, stitches are stored as small moves from the last point, with codes for jumps, trims and color changes. Colors are picked from a fixed table of 64 thread colors, and the file keeps a small black and white picture of the whole design plus one for each color. Newer PES files add fuller thread descriptions on top of this, so a bare PEC may show less color detail than the PES it came from.
Software support is good. Ink/Stitch reads and writes PEC, and mySewnet loads and exports it. Embrilliance Essentials does not list it.
For most Brother machines PES is the safer file. Use PEC when your manual names it, as Baby Lock's page does.
How to convert .PEC files
- If your machine lists both PES and PEC, use PES. Brother's help pages list PES for every model we checked.
- Ink/Stitch and mySewnet can write PEC. Export from your original editable file when you have it, not from another machine format.
- A renamed file is not a conversion. Do not rename a PES or DST to .pec.
- Check the colors after you convert. PEC picks from a fixed table of 64 threads, so a color can shift.
Machines that read .PEC files
Baby Lock
- Baby Lock Alliance (embroidery only, 8 × 8 in field)
- Baby Lock Pathfinder (embroidery only, 8 × 12 in field)
- Baby Lock Altair 2 (sewing and embroidery, 9.5 × 14 in field)
- Baby Lock Meridian 2 (embroidery only, 9.5 × 14 in field)
Singer
- Singer Futura XL-400 (sewing and embroidery, 10 × 6 in field)
- Singer Futura XL-550 (sewing and embroidery, 10 × 6 in field)
- Singer Futura XL-580 (sewing and embroidery, 10 × 6 in field)
Bernina
- Bernina B 700 E (embroidery only, 15.7 × 8.3 in field)
- Bernina B 880 PLUS (sewing and embroidery, 15.7 × 10 in field)
bernette
- bernette b79 (sewing and embroidery, 10 × 6 in field)
- bernette b70 DECO (embroidery only, 10 × 6 in field)
Husqvarna Viking
- Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 2 (sewing and embroidery, 17.7 × 17.7 in field)
- Husqvarna Viking Designer Ruby 90 (sewing and embroidery, 14 × 13.8 in field)
- Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 (sewing and embroidery, 18.1 × 17.7 in field)
Pfaff
- Pfaff creative 3.0 (sewing and embroidery, 10 × 8 in field)
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PEC and PES?
A PES file holds data for Brother's design software plus a PEC block, and the PEC block is the part the machine reads. A PEC file is only that machine part.
Which machines read PEC files?
Baby Lock's Meridian 2 page lists .pec, and mySewnet lists it for Brother, Baby Lock and Bernina. Brother's help pages list .pes, .phc and .dst but not .pec, so check your manual before you send a bare PEC.
Does PEC keep thread colors?
Yes. It stores each color as an entry from a fixed table of 64 threads, so colors carry over but can shift slightly when you convert.
Which software can write PEC files?
Ink/Stitch reads and writes PEC, and mySewnet loads and exports it. Embrilliance Essentials does not list PEC.