How it works
- Add a photo. Choose, drop or paste a JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP or AVIF file. iPhone HEIC photos are decoded on the spot.
- Set size, colours and brand. Pick the width in stitches, the maximum number of thread colours (2–120) and DMC or Anchor.
- Check the preview. Flip between Chart, Realistic thread, Symbols and Colour views, and click any colour in the key to highlight where it sits.
- Download. Get a PDF chart in A4 or US Letter with a cover page, colour key and page map, or export OXS, PNG, SVG or a CSV shopping list.
Tips for a great cross stitch pattern from a photo
Crop before you shrink. A cross stitch chart has far fewer “pixels” than your camera, so every stitch has to earn its place. Use the crop setting to trim empty sky, floor or background from each edge so the subject fills the width you are paying for in stitches.
Think in fabric count, not just stitches. The same 100-stitch chart is about 9 inches wide on 11-count Aida and under 4 inches on 28-count evenweave worked over one. If you want a certain finished size, decide the fabric first, then set the width. The fabric size calculator does the conversion for you, including the “over two” case.
Fewer colours often looks better. It is tempting to max out at 80 or more threads, but most photo patterns look clean between 20 and 40. Every extra shade means more thread changes and more half-empty skeins. Start at the default of 24 and only add colours if a face or sky looks blotchy.
Use dithering sparingly. Diffusion dithering can make skin tones and sunsets look smoother on screen, but it creates the speckled stitching many people find tiring. Ordered dithering gives a regular texture that some stitchers like for backgrounds. For most projects, leave it at None and lean on confetti cleanup instead.
Skip the background. If your subject sits on a plain wall or white backdrop, set skip background to white or pick the colour with the dropper. Those areas stay unstitched, letting the fabric show through and saving hours of filling.
Pixel art needs exact colours. For sprites or logos you drew yourself, tick “Preserve exact colours” so the generator does not blend neighbouring shades together.
Mind the strands. Two strands is typical on 14-count Aida. On 18-count and finer fabrics many stitchers drop to one strand, which changes coverage and your skein estimate, so set it to match how you actually stitch.
After you generate
Every chart can be opened in the cross stitch editor to tidy a stray stitch or swap a thread you do not own. When you start stitching, load the PDF into the stitch tracker to mark off cells as you go.
What you get
| Sizes | 20–400 stitches wide from a photo; editor up to 2,000 × 2,000 |
|---|---|
| Colours | 2–120, matched by CIEDE2000 colour difference |
| Palettes | DMC, Anchor |
| Downloads | PDF (cover, colour key, numbered chart pages, optional colour pages), PNG, SVG, shopping list CSV, .cpat project, OXS |
| Files accepted | JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, AVIF, iPhone HEIC; .cpat and OXS patterns; PDFs made by CraftPatterns |
| Privacy | Runs in your browser. Images are never uploaded. |
| Price | Free — no sign-up, no watermark |
How it compares with other free tools
What you can expect here, every time — no tiers, no trial.
| Free printable PDF | Yes, with no watermark |
|---|---|
| Sign-up needed | No |
| Image uploaded to a server | No — processed on your device |
| Editor | Yes — pencil, fill, line, rectangle, mirror, undo |
| Progress tracker | Yes — free, works offline |
| Switch the same pattern to another craft | Yes — one tap |
Frequently asked questions
Which thread brands can the generator match to?
You can choose DMC® (489 colours) or Anchor® (444 colours). Whichever you pick, the colour key also lists the nearest code in the other brand, so you can shop with whatever your local store stocks. These are colour matches by eye-distance, not official brand conversions.
How big should I make my pattern?
The width can be anything from 20 to 400 stitches, and the default is 100. At 14-count that is just over 7 inches across. Portraits usually need at least 120–150 stitches wide before faces read clearly, while simple shapes and logos look crisp at 60–80.
Why does my chart have lots of single stitches scattered around?
Those isolated stitches are often called confetti. Open the advanced settings and raise confetti cleanup from Light towards Strong; it merges lone cells into their neighbours while keeping deliberate highlights such as a catchlight in an eye.
Does my photo get uploaded anywhere?
No. Decoding, colour matching and PDF creation all happen inside your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, there is no account, and the chart has no watermark.
Can I open the pattern in other cross stitch software?
Yes. Besides the PDF, PNG and SVG exports, you can download an OXS file, a format many cross-stitch programs can open. The .cpat project file reopens the pattern here for further editing.
What does the stitchability score mean?
It is a 0–100 rating of how pleasant the chart is likely to be to stitch, looking at things like scattered single stitches and how many colours are in play. Below the score you get up to two plain-English tips for raising it, such as reducing colours or turning up cleanup.
How are skeins and fabric worked out?
Skeins are estimated from the stitch count of each colour, your fabric count and the number of strands. At 14-count with 2 strands, one 8 m skein covers about 2,200 full stitches. The cover page lists fabric to buy with a 3-inch margin on every side for framing.
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