How to convert an image to JEF
- Drop the file above. The studio opens in your browser with the image loaded; nothing is uploaded at this step.
- Set the stitched width in centimetres (5, 7, 8 or 10 cm in one click) and the number of thread colours. The detail slider shows live which shapes will be stitched: raise it to keep thin lines, lower it for a cleaner result.
- Check the preview: every area becomes a fill, every thin line a satin or running stitch, with underlay and pull compensation. The quality check flags stitches that are too short, densities that are too high and anything outside the hoop.
- Export as JEF. The file keeps colours (the 78-thread Janome palette) and the hoop size. Copy it to the USB stick or send it straight to the machine folder.
What stitches well, and what doesn't
Flat-colour logos (two to six solid colours, clean edges) give the best result: most club, company and school logos. Line drawings become running or satin stitches depending on line width. Photos and gradients work with the “photo or shaded image” option: the image is smoothed and each shaded area gets a density gradient, but the result is an interpretation, not a reproduction; plan six to eight colours and a test on scrap fabric. What no converter does well: text under 5 mm high, lines thinner than a thread (0.4 mm), a gradient background over the whole design.
Why this is digitizing, not tracing
Many online tools drop stitches along the outlines of an image and call it digitizing. A JEF file that sews cleanly needs more: an underlay that stabilises the fabric before the fill, pull compensation so edges don't shrink when the thread pulls, a stitch order that never sends a light area under a dark one, trims in the right places and tie stitches at the start and end of each colour. Broderly does all of it and keeps every setting within reach: density by fabric (cotton, piqué polo, sweatshirt, cap, leather…), fill angle, satin width, nodes editable one by one.
Is it free?
Opening, converting, previewing the stitches in 3D and running the quality check are free and need no account. Without an account, the simple converter (automatic settings) sends the machine file to your e-mail address. Downloading the machine file directly needs a free account (Discovery plan: 3 files a month, designs up to 30,000 stitches); the Loisir plan, at €9.99 a month, gives 10, designs up to 50,000 stitches; shops that produce every day take the Atelier plan at €19.99 a month or €199.99 a year. Atelier can be tried free for 14 days.
Frequently asked questions
Will the JEF file work on my machine?
JEF is the native format of Janome and Elna. Check your machine's hoop size: the studio warns you if the design exceeds the sewing field of the chosen hoop. See the Janome page for model specifics.
Do I need to vectorise the image first?
No. The studio vectorises at 8 pixels per millimetre, with smoothing and corner detection. If you already have an SVG, drop it: its shapes and colours are used as they are.
What image resolution do I need?
At least 500 pixels wide for an 8 cm logo. Smaller images give stair-stepped edges; above 2,000 pixels nothing more is gained.
Can I edit the result?
Fully: move nodes, merge areas, turn a fill into a satin, change density, add a border or text, reorder colours. It is not a black box.
Go further
The studio is free to draw, open and check designs. Your first machine file takes five minutes.
Updated 2026-09-24.