Pantograph Format Converter
Open a longarm design file in any of 12 formats and download it in all 12 — free, in your browser, nothing uploaded anywhere.
Everything happens in your browser — the file never leaves your computer.
Every computerized longarm reads its own pantograph format — QLI on Statler, HQF on Pro-Stitcher, IQP on IntelliQuilter, QCC on Quilt-EZ, PAT on Innova, and so on — and until 2026 converting between them meant buying desktop digitizing software. NiftyFifty's pantograph converter is a free browser tool that reads and writes 12 machine formats. All of them describe the same thing — a continuous stitching line measured in inches — so a design converted here stitches identically on any machine. Files are processed locally in the browser and never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a QLI file to HQF (or any other longarm format)?
Drop the file into the converter above. It reads QLI (Statler), HQF (Pro-Stitcher), IQP (IntelliQuilter), QCC (Quilt-EZ), PAT (Innova), BQM (Bernina Q-matic), CSQ (CreativeStudio), DXF, PLT (QBot), TXT (PC Quilter), CQP (CompuQuilter), and SSD (Side Saddle), then gives you a zip containing the design in all 12 formats. It's free and runs entirely in your browser.
Is my design file uploaded anywhere?
No. The converter runs completely in your browser — the file is read locally on your computer and never sent to a server.
Why would I need to convert pantograph formats?
Longarm machines each read their own format, and designs are usually sold as a multi-format zip. If you have a design in one format and a machine that needs another — say a QLI from a Statler library and a Pro-Stitcher that wants HQF — a converter saves you buying digitizing software just for this. Historically that meant a paid desktop program.
Does converting change the design?
The stitch path is preserved as drawn. All 12 formats describe the same thing — a continuous line in inches — so the converted file stitches the same design. Curved-arc encodings from some formats are flattened to fine line segments, which every machine accepts.
What about encrypted formats like PPF or 4QB?
Encrypted and vendor-locked formats can't be converted — that's a restriction the vendor built in on purpose, and this tool doesn't attempt to break protection. Every open format we could document is supported.
Keep going
- Panto Designer — draw your own pantograph and export it to every format
- Longarm Quilting Hub — pricing, mail-in studios, and prep guides
- Longarm Cost Calculator — what quilting your top should cost