🧵 Cross-Stitch Pattern Maker
Turn a photo into a cross-stitch chart — pick the size and number of colours, match to DMC threads, and print a chart with symbols and a thread key.
Choose a picture or drop it here
Photos, drawings, logos — stays on your device
1 · Picture
Simple pictures with clear shapes and colours make the best patterns.
2 · Size & colours
3 · Print
💡 Thread colours on screen are approximate — check the DMC numbers against a real thread card before you buy. Two strands on 14-count Aida is the usual choice.
Pattern size calculator
Finished width for a design of a given number of stitches on common Aida counts:
| Stitches | 11-count | 14-count | 16-count | 18-count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 11.5 cm | 9.1 cm | 7.9 cm | 7.1 cm |
| 80 | 18.5 cm | 14.5 cm | 12.7 cm | 11.3 cm |
| 100 | 23.1 cm | 18.1 cm | 15.9 cm | 14.1 cm |
| 150 | 34.6 cm | 27.2 cm | 23.8 cm | 21.2 cm |
| 200 | 46.2 cm | 36.3 cm | 31.8 cm | 28.2 cm |
Tips for a great cross-stitch pattern
- Start from a picture with a clear subject and good contrast; crop tightly.
- Use fewer colours (8–15) for cartoons and logos, more (20–30) for faces and photos.
- Tick “Leave white areas unstitched” to skip a white background and save hours of stitching.
- Check the DMC numbers against a real thread card — screens show colours differently from thread.
About the Cross-Stitch Pattern Maker
🖼️ Any picture
Photos of pets and people, children's drawings, logos and pixel art all work. The picture is reduced to the stitch grid and a palette you choose.
🧵 DMC thread matching
Each colour is matched to the nearest of nearly 500 DMC stranded cotton shades by how the eye sees colour, and listed with its number and name.
🔣 Proper charts
Every colour gets its own symbol, with a bold line every 10 stitches and numbered rows and columns, split across pages for big designs.
📐 Finished size
Choose the fabric count and see the finished size straight away, plus a stitch count per colour to help estimate thread.
🎨 Simple or detailed
From 2 colours for a bold silhouette to 40 for a detailed portrait. Fewer colours are quicker to stitch.
🔒 Private
Your picture never leaves your device — the pattern is made in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many stitches wide should my pattern be?
On 14-count Aida, 100 stitches is about 18 cm (7 inches). Small motifs and cards look good at 40–80 stitches; portraits need 120 or more to show detail.
How many colours should I use?
8–15 colours suit most pictures. Cartoons and logos often need fewer; photos of faces look better with 20–30. More colours mean more thread changes.
Are the DMC colour matches exact?
They are close, but screens and thread differ, and the published RGB values for threads are approximations. Treat the numbers as a starting point and check them against a real DMC colour card.
How much thread do I need?
The key shows how many stitches each colour has. As a rough guide, one skein does about 1,500–2,000 full cross stitches on 14-count with two strands.
Can I leave the background unstitched?
Yes — tick "Leave white areas unstitched" and white or near-white parts of the picture become bare fabric, which saves a lot of stitching.
How do I turn a photo into a cross-stitch pattern?
Choose your photo, set the width in stitches and the number of colours, and download the PDF. You get a cover page with the thread key and finished size, then the chart split across pages.
Is this cross-stitch pattern maker free?
Yes — free, with no sign-up or watermark, and your photo never leaves your device.
