SewIconz is software for displaying icons for the patterns stored in embroidery files, cross-stitch files, quilting files, and certain common image files. The icons generated by SewIconz appear in folders viewed by Windows Explorer© or the File->Open dialog of embroidery software. Information about the number of stitches, colors and pattern size (in either mm. or in.) appears as the cursor is moved over the icons as well as in the Windows Preview pane. SewIconz is fully Unicode compatible.

Download SewIconz

Use the Download button to install both the free 7-day Demo (no purchase necessary) and the retail version, as well as to update the software. Do not update during the DEMO period, as this will cause immediate expiration of the trial. Download the user manual for more details about the many features available in SewIconz. Google Chrome© users may have to right-click the appropriate download button.

All Windows versions (including Windows 11) can be installed from the MS Store.

There is no MAC version of SewIconz.

The free software CadQView is a useful adjunct to SewIconz. It allows you to view quilt files and convert many of them to embroidery file format (*.exp).

Once the product is purchased (use the appropriate Add-to-Cart button), you will be emailed the license information to register the software. Refer to FAQ #3 for our return policy.

SewIconz
SewIconz
Email download.
$25.00
SewIconz (CD)
SewIconz (CD)
CD (only shipped in the US), includes email download.
$43.00

Features

File Formats Supported by SewIconz

SewIconz can display icons for many home and commercial embroidery file formats. In addition, numerous quilting formats and common image formats can also be displayed. Below is a list (by category) of the file types supported by SewIconz:

Embroidery File Types

 Quilting
File Types

 Image File Types

.art  .art42
.art50  .art60   .c2s   .clf
.cnd  .csd .dem  .dsb  .dst .dsz  .emb
.emd  .exp  .gen  .gnc .hus  .jan  .jef
.jef+ .krz .ksm  .ngs  .pat  .pcd  .pcm
.pcq .pcs  .pec .pes  .phb  .phc .sew
.shv .sst  .sti  .tap  .t01 .tbf .tcf
.vip .vp3 .xxx .waf .wte .zsk


.4qb  .cqp  .hqf  .iqp  .plt  .qli


.bmp  .cdr  .cmx .draw .dxf
.gif  .jpg .png .studio .svg
.emf  .wmf

Setting Up and Using SewIconz

SewIconz is unlike our other software. After the initial installation and the setup are complete, it requires no further user interact to perform its tasks. It is a class of software known as an icon handler, which means it interacts with the Windows© Operating System rather than directly with the user.
 
After SewIconz is installed, you need to configure it by double-clicking its desktop icon to select the file types to iconize. This will open the setup dialog shown in the figure below. The setup dialog contains lists of embroidery and graphics file extensions (types) that you select to be handled (iconized) by SewIconz. Click on the types you want to iconize (hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple types). You may select the units (mm or in) for displaying file information. Also, for file types (like *.dst and *.exp) with no internal color palette, you can select the color palette by clicking on the Color Order button and following the steps on the palette dialog. You may also change the background, or fabric, color by pressing the Fabric Color button. This is useful, for example, when viewing white lace patterns which would otherwise be invisible on a white fabric background.

Finally, press the OK button to complete the setup process. This is the last time you need to interact with SewIconz– until you want to change the types of embroidery and graphics files to iconize or to uninstall the application. You will be given the option to reboot your system at this time. Most modern operating systems do not need to do this, but on some older (XP) systems, you may need to reboot to see icons for the selected files.

Setup dialog screen

Once SewIconz has been installed and you have selected the various viewing options, you will now see “icons” (or thumbnails) displayed when you open a folder (using Windows File Explorer) that contains embroidery files (see the figure below). These images represent the stitch pattern contained in each file. The figure shows an Explorer folder containing embroidery files with large-sized thumbnails displayed in the middle pane. The file “Assortment.PES” has been “selected” by clicking on it, and its magnified textured thumbnail is displayed in the right Preview Pane (available in VISTA and later versions of Windows).

File Explorer view showing icons produced by SewIconz. On the right is the preview pane.