Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

Turn a photo of your pet, your family or a favorite drawing into a cross stitch pattern in real DMC floss colors. Choose how many stitches wide it should be and which fabric you stitch on, limit the number of colors, and see the finished size before you buy anything. Change single stitches or whole colors by hand, then download a printable PDF chart with a symbol for each color, row and column numbers, and a color key with how many skeins to buy. Your picture stays on your device.

How to Make a Cross Stitch Pattern from a Photo

1. Pick a good picture. A clear, well-lit photo with one main subject works best. Crop it close to the subject first; a busy background only adds colors.
2. Add it to the page. Choose the file, drop it onto the page or paste it. iPhone HEIC photos work too.
3. Set the size. Enter the width in stitches and choose your fabric. The finished size is shown in centimeters and inches, so you know which piece of fabric and which hoop or frame you need.
4. Choose the colors. Set the maximum number of colors. Turn on Leave the background empty for a subject on plain fabric, and keep Remove stray single stitches on for a calmer chart.
5. Edit. Remove a color with × in the color key and it is replaced by its nearest color. Choose a color in the key and use Paint or Erase to fix eyes, edges and small details.
6. Download and print. Download the PDF pattern and print it at 100% scale, or the PNG and the shopping list.

Finished Size by Fabric Count

Add 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) of fabric on every side for framing or a hoop.

Tips for a Pattern That Looks Like the Photo

• Size decides detail. A face needs about 80 to 120 stitches across; at 40 stitches only the outline and main colors survive. Cartoons, logos and pixel art look good small.
• Fewer colors, cleaner chart. Start with 15 to 20 colors and raise the number only if the picture looks flat. Photos of people usually need more skin and shadow tones than you expect.
• Brighten dark photos. Use Adjust the picture to lift brightness or contrast before the colors are chosen. Dark photos turn into many very similar dark browns.
• Dithering for photos only. Smooth color blending mixes neighboring stitches to imitate in-between shades. It suits landscapes and skies, but it adds many single stitches, so leave it off for cartoons.
• Check the eyes. Eyes and small highlights decide whether a portrait looks right. Zoom in and paint them by hand if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn a photo into a cross stitch pattern?

Add the photo on this page, choose the width in stitches, your fabric count and the maximum number of colors. The picture is turned into a grid of DMC floss colors with a symbol for each color. Remove colors or paint stitches until you like it, then download the PDF pattern and print it.

How many stitches wide should my pattern be?

Decide the finished size first. On 14 count Aida, 14 stitches make 1 inch, so a 7 inch wide design is about 100 stitches. Faces and pets need at least 80 to 120 stitches across to be recognizable; simple shapes and cartoons look good at 40 to 60.

How many colors should I use?

10 to 20 colors are enough for cartoons, logos and simple pictures. Photos of people and pets look natural with 25 to 40. Every extra color is another skein to buy and another thread change, so start low and add colors only where the picture needs them.

How much floss do I need?

The color key lists the number of 8 m (8.7 yd) skeins for each color, worked out from the number of stitches, the fabric count and the usual number of strands, with about 30% added for starting, ending and carrying the thread. One skein covers roughly 1,500 to 1,800 full stitches on 14 count Aida with 2 strands.

What fabric count should I choose?

14 count Aida is the usual choice and the easiest to see. 11 count makes a bigger, quicker piece and suits beginners and children; 16 and 18 count make a smaller, finer picture. 28 count evenweave or 32 count linen stitched over two threads gives the same size as 14 or 16 count Aida.

Can I make the background empty?

Yes. Turn on Leave the background empty and the plain area around the subject is left unstitched, so the fabric shows through. A picture with a transparent background is handled automatically. Use the tolerance slider if too much or too little is removed, and the Erase tool for the last few stitches.

Can I use the pattern with Pattern Keeper or print it?

The PDF has one symbol per color, a bold line every 10 stitches, row and column numbers and red arrows at the center, and it prints on A4 or US Letter paper. It is a normal PDF, so you can open it in any PDF reader or stitching app that imports PDF charts.

Is my picture uploaded?

No. The pattern is made inside your browser, and the picture never leaves your device.

Is it free?

Making, editing and previewing patterns is free, and so is the color key. Downloading the PDF, PNG or shopping list counts as one use per picture, with a free daily allowance; a membership raises the limit for people who make patterns every day.