A small wizard and a black cat

Fifteen embroidery designs, from plain to pixel art to a deco badge, blue robe, black cat, ready to stitch on the Brother Persona PRS100 at the library. Pick the one you like and download its PES file.

Stitch preview of version 1. The hat and the cat
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

1. The hat and the cat

The wizard has stepped away. The hat waits on the floor, the cat keeps an eye on it. Three colours plus the cat's eyes.

70.0 ร— 45.4millimetres
2,373stitches, about 5 to 7 minutes
4colours, 3 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Blue (hat and robe)Brother 405 Blue668
2Gold (stars, sparkle)Brother 206 Harvest Gold85
3Black (cat, outlines)Brother 900 Black1,596
4Green (cat eyes)Brother 509 Leaf Green24
Stitch preview of version 2. The young wizard
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

2. The young wizard

Round face, two dot eyes, a small smile, hands at the sides. Blue robe and hat, cat beside.

72.0 ร— 65.4millimetres
3,721stitches, about 7 to 9 minutes
5colours, 4 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Blue (hat and robe)Brother 405 Blue1,487
2Flesh pink (face, hands)Brother 079 Flesh Pink226
3Gold (stars, sparkle)Brother 206 Harvest Gold82
4Black (cat, outlines)Brother 900 Black1,908
5Green (cat eyes)Brother 509 Leaf Green18
Stitch preview of version 3. Stargazers
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

3. Stargazers

Seen from behind, hood down, hat on, looking up at six stars with the cat. No face, so no age. Only three colours.

72.0 ร— 76.2millimetres
3,260stitches, about 6 to 8 minutes
3colours, 2 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Blue (hat and robe)Brother 405 Blue1,475
2Gold (stars, sparkle)Brother 206 Harvest Gold181
3Black (cat, outlines)Brother 900 Black1,604
Stitch preview of version 4. Hooded
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

4. Hooded

Hood up, face in shadow, two gold eyes, a staff with an orb. Could be nine or ninety.

74.0 ร— 67.0millimetres
3,406stitches, about 6 to 9 minutes
4colours, 3 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Blue (hat and robe)Brother 405 Blue1,275
2Black (cat, outlines)Brother 900 Black1,937
3Green (cat eyes)Brother 509 Leaf Green18
4Gold (stars, sparkle)Brother 206 Harvest Gold176
Stitch preview of version 5. The sparkle
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

5. The sparkle

Wand raised, one four-point sparkle, the cat looking up at it.

74.0 ร— 66.0millimetres
3,745stitches, about 7 to 9 minutes
5colours, 4 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Blue (hat and robe)Brother 405 Blue1,460
2Flesh pink (face, hands)Brother 079 Flesh Pink198
3Gold (stars, sparkle)Brother 206 Harvest Gold112
4Black (cat, outlines)Brother 900 Black1,957
5Green (cat eyes)Brother 509 Leaf Green18
Stitch preview of version 6. Pixel
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

6. Pixel

8-bit sprite. Chunky squares, like an old video game. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

71.9 ร— 76.5millimetres
8,171stitches, about 15 to 20 minutes
6colours, 5 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Harvest GoldBrother 206 Harvest Gold192
2FleshBrother 124 Flesh631
3UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine2,626
4Dark BrownBrother 513 Dark Brown467
5BlackBrother 900 Black41
6BlackBrother 900 Black4,214
Stitch preview of version 7. Paper cut-out
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

7. Paper cut-out

Matisse-style flat shapes, no outlines at all. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

73.0 ร— 76.2millimetres
6,292stitches, about 11 to 16 minutes
4colours, 3 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Deep GoldBrother 214 Deep Gold1,921
2UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine3,076
3UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine213
4BlackBrother 900 Black1,082
Stitch preview of version 8. Linocut
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

8. Linocut

Carved-print look, black and one blue. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

70.6 ร— 76.6millimetres
6,490stitches, about 12 to 16 minutes
2colours, 1 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Peacock BlueBrother 415 Peacock Blue1,845
2BlackBrother 900 Black4,645
Stitch preview of version 9. Kawaii
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

9. Kawaii

Huge head, tiny body, rosy cheeks. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

69.4 ร— 76.5millimetres
7,981stitches, about 15 to 20 minutes
6colours, 5 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1CreamBrother 010 Cream651
2Cornflower BlueBrother 070 Cornflower Blue1,992
3BrownBrother 058 Brown996
4BlueBrother 405 Blue395
5Dark BrownBrother 513 Dark Brown1,003
6BlackBrother 900 Black2,944
Stitch preview of version 10. Geometric
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

10. Geometric

Circles, triangles and rectangles only, mid-century style. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

70.9 ร— 76.1millimetres
4,047stitches, about 7 to 10 minutes
5colours, 4 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1FleshBrother 124 Flesh423
2Harvest GoldBrother 206 Harvest Gold272
3BrownBrother 058 Brown224
4Peacock BlueBrother 415 Peacock Blue1,943
5BlackBrother 900 Black1,185
Stitch preview of version 11. Deco badge
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

11. Deco badge

Art deco emblem in a ring, navy, gold and cream. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

77.1 ร— 77.6millimetres
8,573stitches, about 16 to 21 minutes
3colours, 2 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Deep GoldBrother 214 Deep Gold3,769
2UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine983
3BlackBrother 900 Black3,821
Stitch preview of version 12. Folk art
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

12. Folk art

Scandinavian folk pattern with flowers and stars. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

70.5 ร— 76.5millimetres
8,407stitches, about 15 to 21 minutes
4colours, 3 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1CreamBrother 010 Cream1,247
2RedBrother 800 Red1,883
3UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine2,856
4BlackBrother 900 Black2,421
Stitch preview of version 13. Broomstick
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

13. Broomstick

Flying on a broom with the cat behind, under a gold moon. Drawn by an image model, traced into stitches.

75.3 ร— 76.2millimetres
8,257stitches, about 15 to 21 minutes
5colours, 4 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Harvest GoldBrother 206 Harvest Gold1,530
2Deep GoldBrother 214 Deep Gold665
3UltramarineBrother 406 Ultramarine1,495
4BlackBrother 900 Black1,357
5BlackBrother 900 Black3,210
Stitch preview of version 14. Redwork
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

14. Redwork

Line art only, a single navy thread, nothing filled. Fast and light.

72.0 ร— 65.4millimetres
1,523stitches, about 5 to 7 minutes
1colours, 0 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Navy blue (one thread for everything)Brother 406 Ultramarine1,523
Stitch preview of version 15. Moon silhouette
Stitch-by-stitch render of the real file on natural cotton. Every line is a stitch the machine will make.

15. Moon silhouette

Black wizard and cat cut out of a gold full moon. Two colours.

72.0 ร— 73.8millimetres
7,186stitches, about 13 to 18 minutes
2colours, 1 thread changes
#ColourClosest Brother threadStitches
1Gold (moon)Brother 206 Harvest Gold4,140
2Black (silhouette)Brother 900 Black3,046

At the library, step by step

  1. Put the file on a USB stick. Download the .pes file of the version you chose and copy it into the top folder of a USB stick (FAT32, which almost every stick already is). The Persona reads PES straight from the stick.
  2. Pick fabric and stabilizer. Medium-weight cotton, canvas, a tote bag or a denim pocket all work well. Hoop medium cut-away or tear-away stabilizer under the fabric, drum tight. For a t-shirt or anything stretchy use cut-away. Ask the staff which stabilizer they stock.
  3. Hoop it. Every version is under 80 millimetres, so even the Persona's small frame holds it. Centre the fabric where you want the wizard to land.
  4. Load the design. On the touch screen choose the USB icon, pick the file, and confirm. You should see the preview on screen with the colour list and the stitch count.
  5. Thread colour 1 from the table (blue), fit a size 75/11 embroidery needle and a filled bobbin, press start. When the machine stops, thread the next colour and press start again.
  6. Finish. The file asks the machine to trim its jump threads; snip any that remain, tear or cut away the stabilizer on the back, and press from the back with a cloth over it.

Good to know

โš ๏ธ The files have been checked in software but not yet sewn on a real machine. Stitch one on a scrap of the same fabric before the piece that matters. If the outlines land a little off the fills, the fabric is pulling: hoop tighter or use a heavier stabilizer.

How they are made: versions 1 to 5, 14 and 15 are drawn as a few dozen shapes in millimetres, filled with staggered rows of 2.8 millimetre stitches (tatami fill, 0.4 millimetres between rows, with an edge-walk underlay under the larger shapes), satin columns for staffs, wands and tails, and bean-stitch outlines (every outline segment sewn three times) so the cartoon lines read bold. Versions 6 to 13 started as pictures from an image model (gpt-image-2, asked for flat colours and a white background), then every colour's regions were traced into polygons and filled the same way; black sews last so the lines sit on top. The deco badge leaves its cream centre as bare fabric. The Brother thread numbers are the closest standard match; pick by eye from the drawer. The first draft, a purple bearded wizard, is still at first/wizard-cat.pes (preview).