Brother Embroidery Machine Software: What PE-Design Does and Which Version You Need

Brother offers a range of embroidery digitising software to work alongside their embroidery machines, from the accessible PE-Design Plus 2 through to the professional-grade Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio. If you own a Brother embroidery machine and want to move beyond pre-made design files, this guide covers what each version does, who it suits, and how to choose the right one for where you are with your embroidery.

What Is Embroidery Digitising Software?

Embroidery digitising software converts images and artwork into stitch files that an embroidery machine can read. Without it, your machine can only stitch designs that already exist as embroidery files. With it, you can create original designs from any image, edit and customise existing files, adjust stitch types and densities, and manage your design library.

For embroiderers who work primarily with purchased or downloaded designs, the software is optional. For anyone who wants to produce original work, personalised designs, or bespoke content for clients, it's the tool that makes that possible.

The Brother Software Range: Understanding the Tiers

Brother's current software range, available at Lords Sewing, runs across three products at different capability and price levels:

• PE-Design Plus 2 at £399: the entry-level option

• PE-Design 11 at £1,099: the mid-range option

• Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio at £2,199: the professional-grade top tier

It's worth clarifying one common point of confusion. PE-Design Next, which some users are familiar with, was an earlier version in the PE-Design line, roughly equivalent to version 9 in the historical numbering sequence. It is not the current top-tier product. PE-Design 11 is the current mid-range version, and the BE1 is the current flagship.

PE-Design Plus 2: The Entry-Level Option (£399)

PE-Design Plus 2 is the starting point for embroiderers who want to begin creating and editing their own designs. It covers the core functions: basic digitising tools, image to stitch conversion, text and lettering, and design editing at a foundational level.

It's a reasonable choice if you're new to digitising and want to understand whether creating your own designs is something you'll actually use. The workflow is more approachable than the higher versions, and the price reflects that. The limitation is that as your skills develop and your projects become more complex, you'll start to feel where PE-Design Plus 2 stops. The jump to PE-Design 11 becomes relevant once you're working regularly with original designs and want more control over the digitising process.

If you're purchasing a new Brother embroidery machine at the same time, Lords Sewing offers bundle options that save on the software price.

PE-Design 11: The Mid-Range Option (£1,099)

PE-Design 11 is the current mid-range version and the one most serious home embroiderers will find covers their needs comprehensively. It includes a significantly expanded set of digitising tools compared to Plus 2, more sophisticated image conversion capability, advanced stitch editing, and a more refined interface for managing complex designs.

For embroiderers working on original designs, multi-colour work, custom lettering arrangements, and personalised projects, PE-Design 11 provides the level of control that makes these tasks practical rather than frustrating. The stitch simulation function allows you to preview how a design will stitch before running it on the machine, which saves material and time on complex pieces.

The price reflects its position as professional-level software for serious home use. For most hobby embroiderers who have moved past what pre-made files offer, PE-Design 11 is the logical destination.

As with Plus 2, bundle pricing with a new machine purchase is worth asking about at Lords Sewing.

Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio: The Professional Tier (£2,199)

The Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio is the top-of-range product, developed in collaboration between Brother and Wilcom, one of the most established names in professional embroidery digitising software, used extensively in commercial and industrial embroidery production worldwide. The BE1 brings that professional-grade capability into a product designed for use with Brother machines, giving Brother users access to tools that previously sat firmly in the commercial software space.

The BE1 is aimed at embroiderers and small businesses whose work demands the most advanced digitising tools available. This includes high-volume output, complex commercial-standard designs, professional lettering systems, and the kind of precision that serious business use requires.

For hobbyists and home embroiderers, the BE1 is likely more capability than is needed. For anyone running an embroidery business or producing work at a level where the limitations of PE-Design 11 are genuinely felt, the BE1 is the right tool. The full product page is at Lords Sewing.

What Can You Do With Digitising Software That You Cannot Do Without It?

The most significant capability any of these products adds is original design creation. Without digitising software, every design you stitch was created by someone else. With it, you can take any image and turn it into a stitchable file.

Beyond creation, the software handles design management in ways that USB file transfer alone doesn't. You can preview stitch sequences, run simulations, check for potential issues like excessive thread trims or jump stitches, and make adjustments before a single stitch goes into fabric. For complex designs or expensive materials, that ability to validate a design before running it is genuinely valuable.

Higher-tier versions also allow you to combine and customise existing designs in ways that go well beyond what on-machine editing supports. Merging multiple design elements, adjusting stitch density across a design, and building bespoke layouts are all capabilities that sit in the software rather than on the machine.

Who Needs Software and Who Can Manage Without It?

Not every Brother machine owner needs digitising software. If you work happily with purchased or downloaded designs and don't have a specific reason to create original files, the software adds cost without adding value to your workflow.

Where it becomes relevant is when you hit a ceiling on what pre-made designs offer. Let's say you want to embroider a personalised design that doesn't exist as a commercial file, or you want to adapt an existing design significantly, or you want to start producing original work for gifts or sale. At that point, the software stops being optional and becomes the tool that makes those things possible.

For anyone developing their machine embroidery techniques more seriously, software is usually the natural step after you've worked through what the built-in designs and downloaded files can offer.

How the Software Connects to Your Brother Machine

All three products export files in Brother's native embroidery format, transferable to your machine via USB. For certain Brother models, a direct PC connection is also supported, removing the USB step. The needle guide on the Lords Sewing blog is a useful companion read for anyone optimising their setup, as needle choice affects stitch quality on any design regardless of how it was created.

Buying Brother Embroidery Software in the UK

All three versions of the software are available at Lords Sewing, an authorised Brother dealer stocking the full PE-Design software range. Bundle pricing with a new machine purchase is available on PE-Design Plus 2 and PE-Design 11. If you're unsure which version suits your machine and projects, the team at Lords Sewing can advise.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between PE-Design Plus 2 and PE-Design 11? PE-Design Plus 2 is the entry-level version with core digitising functions. PE-Design 11 is the mid-range version with a significantly expanded toolset, more advanced image conversion, and greater control over stitch editing and design management. PE-Design 11 is the version most serious home embroiderers will find meets their needs fully.

Is PE-Design Next the current top-tier version? No. PE-Design Next was an earlier version in the product line, roughly version 9 in the historical sequence. The current top-tier product is the Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio at £2,199, developed in collaboration with professional digitising software company Wilcom.

What is the Brother x Wilcom BE1? The BE1 is the professional-grade top tier of Brother's embroidery software range, developed jointly by Brother and Wilcom, one of the most established names in commercial embroidery digitising. It is aimed at embroiderers and businesses who need professional-standard digitising capability alongside Brother machine integration.

Can PE-Design open files from other embroidery machine brands? Yes. PE-Design can import a range of common embroidery file formats, not only Brother's native format. This allows you to open designs created for other machine types and adapt them for use on your Brother machine.

Do I need a subscription to use PE-Design? PE-Design products are sold as one-time purchases rather than subscriptions. Upgrading to a new version requires a separate purchase.

Where can I buy Brother embroidery software in the UK? Lords Sewing stocks all three versions: PE-Design Plus 2, PE-Design 11, and the Brother x Wilcom BE1 Embroidery Studio. Bundle pricing with a new machine is available on Plus 2 and PE-Design 11.