Palettes: Generic yarn · 20–200 knots wide · up to 30 colours
Free latch hook patterns to start with
What latch hook is, and why it suits beginners
Latch hook is one of the most forgiving textile crafts. Each knot takes a few seconds, there is no counting of stitches along a thread and no tension to manage, and a mistake is undone by pulling one piece of yarn out. The result is a thick, soft pile that makes rugs, cushions, wall hangings and bath mats. It is popular with children, with people who find fine needlework hard on the eyes, and with anyone who wants a big, tactile project.
Kits cover cartoon animals and geometric rugs, but there is surprisingly little choice if you want your own design: a pet, a team colour scheme or a child’s name. These tools turn your photo or lettering into a latch hook chart with a knot count for every colour and the size on real rug canvas, without uploading anything.
Choosing canvas, size and colours
Canvas. Most rug canvas has 3.75 holes per inch. A 60-knot-wide design on that canvas is 16 inches (about 41 cm) across. Five-hole canvas makes the same design about 12 inches wide with more detail, but needs more knots for the same area.
Size. Big shapes and bold outlines suit latch hook best. A cushion front is often 40 to 60 knots across; a bedside rug 80 to 120; a large rug 150 or more. Widths from 20 to 200 knots are supported.
Colours. Because the pile is shaggy, neighbouring colours blur. A design with 8 to 10 clearly different colours usually looks better than one with 20 similar shades. The default is 10.
How the tools fit together
The photo to latch hook tool converts a photo into a chart with a realistic pile preview, confetti cleanup to merge isolated single knots, and background removal for pet portraits and logos you have drawn yourself. The latch hook name maker sets names and initials in three pixel fonts with borders, which makes a lovely nursery rug or door mat. The latch hook editor lets you draw a design from scratch on a grid of any size or tidy a converted photo.
The PDF has a cover page with the finished size, a colour key with knot counts and packs to buy, and numbered chart pages with bold lines every ten knots, so it is easy to count holes on the canvas. The stitch tracker marks off rows as you hook, which helps on big rugs worked over weeks.
Common mistakes
- Using too much detail. Fine lines one knot wide disappear in the pile. Thicken outlines to two knots.
- Forgetting the edge. Leave at least four rows of bare canvas around the design to fold back and bind.
- Uneven yarn lengths. Mixing pieces of different lengths gives a patchy pile. Use one length throughout.
- Hooking out of order. Work row by row from the bottom so the pile falls the same way and the chart is easy to follow.
- Buying the exact count. A few pieces always go missing; the spare in the key is there for that.
Getting started
- Choose a simple, bold photo or a name.
- Pick 3.75 or 5-hole canvas and set the width to fit your rug or cushion.
- Keep the colours to around ten and check the realistic pile preview.
- Thicken thin lines and remove single knots in the editor.
- Download the PDF, order yarn using the knot counts, and start hooking from the bottom row.
Latch hook guides
Frequently asked questions
How does latch hooking work?
You fold a short pre-cut piece of yarn around the shaft of a latch hook, push the hook through one hole of the rug canvas and back up through the next, and pull. The latch closes and ties the yarn in a knot around one canvas thread. Each square of the chart is one knot, and the pile hides the canvas.
What canvas sizes are supported?
The two common rug canvases: 3.75 holes per inch, the standard for most kits, and 5 holes per inch, which gives finer detail. The tool calculates the finished size for whichever you choose.
How many yarn pieces do I need?
One pre-cut piece per knot. The colour key lists the knots for every colour plus 5 percent spare, and converts the total into packs of 320 pieces, a common pack size. Check the pack size of the yarn you buy, as it varies between suppliers.
Can I use my own yarn instead of pre-cut pieces?
Yes. Cut acrylic or wool yarn into equal lengths around a strip of card; about 6.5 cm (2.5 in) is a typical length for 3.75-hole canvas. Keep the length the same throughout so the pile is even.
How many colours should a latch hook rug have?
Fewer than you might think. The fluffy pile blends neighbouring colours, so 6 to 12 colours suit most designs, with up to 30 available. Strong contrast between areas matters more than subtle shading.
Which yarn colours do the charts use?
Our own named generic yarn shades, such as Pumpkin or Deep Teal, rather than one brand. Pick the closest pre-cut yarn you can buy for each shade; the swatches in the key show the target colour.
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