# Threadsmith

> Draw or import artwork, turn it into real stitches, and export DST/EXP for your machine. Threadsmith is a free embroidery digitizing studio in your browser: draw with pen, shapes, freehand and a built-in lettering font, import SVG or trace a bitmap, and give every object running, satin, tatami, contour or motif stitches with proper underlay. A thread-look preview, stitch-out simulator, density heat map and production worksheet show what the machine will do, and designs export as Tajima DST or Melco EXP.

Threadsmith (Embroidery digitizing studio) is a premium app of usefulweb.site (https://usefulweb.site/): a full program that runs in the browser. Its engine is deterministic and the same functions are exposed as tools, so an agent can compute exactly what the app shows.

## Use it
- Landing page: https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/
- Workspace (browser app): https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/app - open a project with https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/app#project=<base64url-encoded project JSON> or a template with https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/app#template=<id>
- Project file format (JSON Schema): https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/project.schema.json
- Tutorials: https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/tutorials
- JSON API: POST https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/api/v1/tools/<toolId>/calculate (catalog: https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/api/v1/tools)
- OpenAPI: https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/openapi.json
- MCP (Streamable HTTP): https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/mcp

## Engine tools
- [Threadsmith Digitizer](https://threadsmithdigitize.usefulweb.site/): Turn shapes, SVG paths, text or a whole project into embroidery stitches with stats and preview. API: POST https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/api/v1/tools/threadsmith-digitize/calculate · MCP tool `threadsmith_digitize`
- [Threadsmith Stitch File Writer](https://threadsmithstitchfile.usefulweb.site/): Write Tajima DST or Melco EXP machine files from a stitch list or a Threadsmith project. API: POST https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/api/v1/tools/threadsmith-stitch-file/calculate · MCP tool `threadsmith_stitch_file`
- [Threadsmith Design Stats](https://threadsmithdesignstats.usefulweb.site/): Stitch count, colours, trims, thread, bobbin, sewing time and density of a DST/EXP file. API: POST https://threadsmith.usefulweb.site/api/v1/tools/threadsmith-design-stats/calculate · MCP tool `threadsmith_design_stats`

## Formats
- Import: Threadsmith project (.threadsmith.json), SVG (paths, basic shapes, transforms), PNG / JPEG / WebP (backdrop & auto-trace), Tajima DST (.dst), Melco EXP (.exp)
- Export: Tajima DST (.dst), Melco EXP (.exp), SVG stitch picture, PNG stitch picture, Printable production worksheet, Threadsmith project (.threadsmith.json)

## Limits
- No PES, JEF, VP3 or other proprietary formats yet — DST and EXP only (most software converts from DST).
- Auto-trace works on high-contrast logos and line art, not on photos; there is no automatic colour separation of photos.
- Satin on closed shapes stitches straight across at one angle (no hand-set direction lines); turning satin is available along open paths, text strokes and borders.
- Travel stitches inside fills run in straight lines; very complex fills may need manual start/end points or splitting.
- The lettering has one built-in font family (single-line and outline variants); TrueType fonts are not imported.
- Thread, bobbin and time figures are estimates, not machine-measured values.
- Phones get a simplified view; editing is designed for desktop and tablet.