Pony beads are big, so a pony bead picture is small: a 12-bead-wide keychain is only 12 squares across. The trick is to start from a simple, high-contrast picture and let the converter find the few colours that matter.
How it works
- Choose a picture. Pick, drop or paste an image; it stays on your device.
- Set the width and colours. Width in beads, and up to 20 colours from the pony bead palette.
- Check the rows. The facts panel lists the first rows and the cord length, and warns about any row with a gap.
- Download. A PDF with the key, the chart and every row written out, plus PNG, SVG and a CSV list.
Tips for a pony bead pattern from a photo
Crop tightly. Fill the frame with the subject. Every bead of empty background is a bead you have to lace.
Use bold, flat colours. Cartoons, emoji-style drawings and simple icons convert best. Photos with soft shading turn into blotches at keychain size.
Keep it narrow. Wide pieces use a lot of cord and get heavy. If you want a bigger picture, make a tapestry to hang rather than a keychain.
Fill the background. Laced rows have no gaps, so leave Skip background on None and pick a background colour that contrasts with the subject.
Tidy single beads. One bead of a lone colour is easy to lose in the row list. Medium confetti cleanup removes most of them.
Before you start lacing
Print the PDF or keep the row list on your phone. Lace from the top row down, and tick off each row as you finish it.
What you get
| Sizes | 3–60 beads wide from a photo; editor up to 2,000 × 2,000 |
|---|---|
| Colours | 2–20, matched by CIEDE2000 colour difference |
| Palettes | Generic pony beads |
| Downloads | PDF (cover, colour key, numbered chart pages, optional colour pages), PNG, SVG, shopping list CSV, .cpat project |
| 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
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The chart is made in your browser and the picture never leaves your device.
Why are the chart cells taller than they are wide?
In a laced row each pony bead lies on its side, about 6 mm along the cord and 9 mm across. The chart and the preview use that shape, and the photo is sampled at the same proportions so it does not stretch.
What width should I choose?
For a keychain, 7 to 15 beads. Pony beads are big, so a picture needs to be simple to read at that size: a single object, a face or a logo-like shape works far better than a busy scene.
What if my picture has a transparent background?
Choose None under Skip background so every square gets a bead. A laced row cannot have a gap, and the tool warns you about any row that does.
How much cord do I need?
The facts panel and the PDF give an estimate for the whole piece. Cut a little more than it says.
Which beads does it use?
Standard pony beads in our own palette of 40 generic colours. Match them by eye to the beads you have.
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