Embodiments herein describe mapping user drawn lines into an embroidery machine file. For example, a user can use a stylus or her finger to draw an embroidery design on a touch screen of a user device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.). An embroidery application executing on the user device can convert the user movements into needle point paths. The application can then convert the needle point paths into the embroidery machine file.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to execute a process. The process includes: obtaining image data; obtaining thread colors as available colors for sewing an embroidery pattern; setting a first color representing a target area; in a case where at least one color is assigned from the available colors as a color representing the target area, selecting a color close to the first color when combined with the at least one color assigned, from the available colors, as a candidate; determining whether a difference between color information representing the at least one color assigned and color information representing the candidate is smaller than a threshold value; in a case where the difference is smaller than the threshold value, adding the candidate to the at least one color assigned; and generating embroidery data associating thread color data with position data.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium stores computer-readable instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to execute a process. The process includes: obtaining image data; obtaining thread colors as available colors for sewing an embroidery pattern; setting a first color representing a target area; in a case where at least one color is assigned from the available colors as a color representing the target area, selecting a color close to the first color when combined with the at least one color assigned, from the available colors, as a candidate; determining whether a difference between color information representing the at least one color assigned and color information representing the candidate is smaller than a threshold value; in a case where the difference is smaller than the threshold value, adding the candidate to the at least one color assigned; and generating embroidery data associating thread color data with position data.

A computer-readable medium stores instructions for a processor in a sewing data generation device. When the instructions are executed, the processor acquires pattern data of embroidery pattern including partial patterns using different thread. If first common data indicating the same thread is included in first data of a first embroidery pattern and second data of a second embroidery pattern, the processor sets a sewing order in the first data, while causing the partial pattern using the thread of the first common data to be the partial pattern that is last in the sewing order in the first embroidery pattern, and sets a sewing order in the second data, while causing the partial pattern using the thread of the first common data to be the partial pattern that is first in the sewing order in the second embroidery pattern that is the embroidery pattern subsequently to the first embroidery pattern.

A computer-readable medium stores instructions for a processor in a sewing data generation device. When the instructions are executed, the processor acquires pattern data of embroidery pattern including partial patterns using different thread. If first common data indicating the same thread is included in first data of a first embroidery pattern and second data of a second embroidery pattern, the processor sets a sewing order in the first data, while causing the partial pattern using the thread of the first common data to be the partial pattern that is last in the sewing order in the first embroidery pattern, and sets a sewing order in the second data, while causing the partial pattern using the thread of the first common data to be the partial pattern that is first in the sewing order in the second embroidery pattern that is the embroidery pattern subsequently to the first embroidery pattern.