Editing existing stitch files

Octostitch can open existing machine files, so you can resize, recolour and re-save a design you already have — even one you didn’t make in Octostitch.

Importing a stitch file

Choose File → Import stitch file… and open a .dst, .pes, .jef, .vp3, .exp, .xxx, .hus or .tap file. The stitches are read in and become editable objects on the canvas.

Note

A machine file contains stitches, not shapes — the original paths, stitch types and settings aren’t stored in formats like DST/PES. So an imported design comes in as stitch data to nudge, resize and recolour, rather than as fully re-editable satin columns and fills. It’s ideal for tweaks; a full re-digitise is better when you need to change how something is stitched.

TAP files arrive without colours

A Happy .tap holds nothing but stitch records — there is no thread list in the file. Opened on its own, the colours you get are invented, not recovered, so plan on recolouring the whole design. If the .tap came with a matching .edr colour file (Octostitch writes one beside every TAP it exports), keep the two side by side in the same folder and the real colours are picked up automatically.

Resizing & recolouring

• Resize the design on canvas — see Density & resizing.
• Recolour by selecting objects and clicking swatches in the thread bar, so the colours map to real threads and the worksheet is accurate.

Re-exporting

When you’re done, export back to any supported machine format — you’re not locked to the format you opened. You can also Save the design as a native .ostch file to keep an editable copy.