What is inside the PDF
Before printing, it helps to know what each part of the file is for, because you may not need every page on paper.
| Section | What it contains | Print it? |
|---|---|---|
| Cover page | A preview, the pattern size in cells, the finished size, a page map and, for cross stitch, the fabric to buy with a 3-inch margin | Yes, as a reference |
| Colour key | Symbol, swatch, code, name, count and amount for each colour, plus the nearest code in the other brand | Yes, you will use it constantly |
| Symbol chart pages | The pattern grid with a symbol in every cell | Yes, these are what you follow |
| Full-colour chart pages | The same grid with coloured cells (optional) | Only if you find them helpful |
| Written rows | Row-by-row instructions for alpha bracelets, C2C crochet, knitting and pony beads, and the word chart for peyote and brick stitch | Yes, for those crafts |
The chart pages share a few landmarks across every craft. Bold lines appear every 10 cells in most crafts, with numbers along the edges and arrows marking the centre; the PDF cover states the spacing for each pattern. Fuse beads use every 29 beads, so each bold square matches one 29 × 29 pegboard; brick mosaic every 16 pieces (every second bold line is a 32 × 32 baseplate edge); alpha bracelets and pony beads every 5; pixel art every 8.
Getting the size right
Choose Letter or A4 when you download
CraftPatterns PDFs come in two paper sizes:
| Paper | Size | Commonly used in |
|---|---|---|
| US Letter | 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm) | The United States and Canada |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm (8.3 × 11.7 in) | Most other countries |
The two are close but not identical. A4 is slightly narrower and taller. If the file and the paper do not match, your printer has to either shrink the page or crop its edges, and neither is good for a chart. Pick the size of the paper in your printer when you download, and re-download if you change printers.
Print at 100%
This is the setting that matters most. In your print dialog, look for one of these and select it:
- Actual size
- 100% or Scale: 100
- No scaling
Avoid Fit to page, Shrink oversized pages and similar options. They shrink the whole page slightly, which makes every cell and symbol smaller than intended.
What fit to page does to the squares
Standard chart squares are 3.1 mm across and large-print squares 4.6 mm. When the file and the paper do not match, fit to page shrinks the whole page to fit, and every square with it:
| PDF size → paper | Scale | Standard square | Large-print square |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching (actual size) | 100% | 3.10 mm | 4.60 mm |
| US Letter file → A4 paper | 97.3% | 3.02 mm | 4.47 mm |
| A4 file → US Letter paper | 94.1% | 2.92 mm | 4.33 mm |
A few per cent sounds small, but symbols shrink with the squares, and on a dense chart it is the difference between reading comfortably and squinting. The page margins are 12 mm, comfortably inside the area most home printers can print, so there is no need to shrink anything.
A quick check after printing the first chart page: count the cells between two bold lines on paper and make sure the grid looks evenly spaced, without squashed rows or columns.
Multi-page charts
Most patterns bigger than a small motif span several chart pages. The page map on the cover shows how they fit together, with each page numbered by its position.
How many pages a chart needs depends on its size, the paper and large print. These are computed with the same code that builds the PDF:
| Design (stitches) | Letter | A4 | Letter, large print |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 × 40 | 1 (1 × 1) | 2 (2 × 1) | 1 (1 × 1) |
| 60 × 60 | 2 (2 × 1) | 2 (2 × 1) | 4 (2 × 2) |
| 80 × 80 | 4 (2 × 2) | 2 (2 × 1) | 6 (3 × 2) |
| 100 × 100 | 4 (2 × 2) | 4 (2 × 2) | 6 (3 × 2) |
| 120 × 160 | 9 (3 × 3) | 6 (3 × 2) | 16 (4 × 4) |
| 150 × 150 | 6 (3 × 2) | 6 (3 × 2) | 16 (4 × 4) |
| 200 × 200 | 12 (4 × 3) | 12 (4 × 3) | 30 (6 × 5) |
| 250 × 300 | 25 (5 × 5) | 20 (5 × 4) | 49 (7 × 7) |
Each chart page overlaps its neighbours by two cells. The last two columns of one page reappear as the first two columns of the page to its right, and the same applies to rows between a page and the one below. Use that overlap to line pages up and to confirm where you are; do not work those cells twice.
If you like one big sheet:
- Lay the pages out following the page map.
- Trim the margin from one edge of each overlapping pair.
- Line up the two repeated columns or rows exactly, then tape from the back.
Many crafters prefer to keep pages loose in a binder with clear sleeves instead, working one page at a time. It is also easier to carry.
Large print and colour pages
Large print makes each cell bigger, so each page covers fewer cells and the chart spans more pages. It is worth choosing if you find small symbols tiring, work in low light, or simply like to see the chart from arm’s length. The cover page map shows how the extra pages fit together.
Colour pages are an optional extra set of chart pages with each cell filled in its actual colour. They are useful for seeing where shapes and shading sit, especially in photo patterns. Many people follow the symbol pages for counting and keep a colour page beside them for orientation. Colour printing uses a lot of ink, so consider viewing the colour pages on screen and printing only the symbol pages.
If symbols are hard to tell apart even in large print, change the chart symbol set before downloading. The “Shapes first” set is designed to stay distinct for colour-blind readers, and “Letters” suits people who prefer reading characters.
Using the PDF on a tablet
You do not have to print at all. A tablet makes a very good chart holder:
- Zoom freely in any PDF reader app to make cells as large as you like.
- Use the colour pages without spending ink.
- Annotate, if your reader supports it, to mark finished areas.
Even better, open the PDF in the stitch tracker. Because every CraftPatterns PDF contains the editable project, the tracker rebuilds the full pattern from it. You can tap or drag over cells to mark them done, highlight one colour, highlight the current row and see progress for each colour. It saves automatically on your device and works offline, so it is ideal for travelling or stitching away from Wi-Fi.
The same embedded project means the PDF doubles as your backup. If you clear your browser data and lose a pattern from My projects, opening the PDF in the editor brings it back.
Paper and binding tips
Ordinary printer paper works perfectly well for chart pages, but a few small choices make them last longer through a big project:
- Slightly heavier paper resists tearing and curling when it spends months in a project bag.
- Clear sleeves or a binder keep pages clean and let you mark progress with a dry-wipe pen, which can be wiped away if you make a mistake.
- A working copy and a clean copy are a good idea for large charts. Mark the working copy freely and keep the clean one as a reference.
- A magnetic board and ruler, popular with cross stitchers, hold a page upright and keep your place on the current row.
Printing checklist
- Download in the paper size your printer uses: US Letter or A4.
- Choose large print and colour pages if you want them, and pick a symbol set you can read easily.
- In the print dialog, select actual size or 100%, never fit to page.
- Print the cover and colour key first, then the chart pages you need.
- Check one page with a quick count between bold lines.
- Keep the cover page map handy for finding your way between pages.
If you are new to reading charts, our guide on how to read a cross stitch chart explains symbols, bold lines and centre arrows in more detail, and the same principles apply to every craft on the site.