Free Cross Stitch Pattern Generator
Import a picture or type a grid, then print a numbered chart with DMC thread numbers and skeins.
What is a Cross Stitch Pattern Generator?
This cross-stitch pattern generator turns a picture, pixel art or a grid you type into a printable counted chart. Each colour is matched to a DMC thread number, and the PDF holds a colour overview, a thread key with stitch counts and skeins, and numbered symbol charts split across pages.
Pictures are averaged into stitches and matched to the nearest of about 100 common DMC colours by how alike they look, then merged down to the number of threads you choose. Typed charts use a symbol per stitch, so you can draw a motif by hand or fix any square after importing.
Key Features
Picture to Pattern
Import a photo or pixel art and choose the width and colours.
DMC Thread Key
Each symbol names its DMC number, colour, stitches and skeins.
Numbered Charts
Bold lines every 10 stitches, numbered along the top and side.
Finished Size
Width and height on your fabric count, in inches and centimetres.
Printable PDF
Overview, key and chart pages on Letter or A4.
Perfect for everyone
- Cross-stitchers
- Pattern designers
- Embroidery teachers and pixel artists
How to Use the Cross Stitch Pattern Generator
Import a picture, or write a key and chart by hand. The chart, the key and the check all update as you work, so you can adjust the width, colours and fabric before printing a single page or buying any thread.
Import or Type
Import a picture, or write a key and a chart of symbols.
Set Width and Colours
More stitches add detail; fewer threads make it easier to stitch.
Choose the Fabric
The fabric count sets the finished size.
Print the Chart
Download the PDF and buy the threads in the key.
Charts, Counted
Each row is a pattern of the kind people chart for gifts, samplers and first projects, along with a few typing slips. Each answer is this tool’s thread key or its check, with the finished size worked out on the fabric.
“title: Strawberry fabric: 14 G 702 D 699 R 321 r 666 s 744 .....GG.G.... ....GDDGDG... ...GDDGGDDG.. ...RRGDDGRR.. ..RRRRRRRRrR. .RRsRRRRsRRrR .RRRRRsRRRRrR .RsRRRRRRsRR. ..RRRRsRRRrR. ..RRsRRRRRR.. ...RRRRsRR... ....RRRRR.... .....RsR..... ......R......”
“title: Little Heart fabric: 14 K 310 H 666 L 3326 .KKK...KKK. KHHHK.KHHLK KHHHHKHHHLK KHHHHHHHHHK .KHHHHHHHK. ..KHHHHHK.. ...KHHHK... ....KHK.... .....K.....”
“title: Little Heart fabric: 28 K 310 H 666 L 3326 .KKK...KKK. KHHHK.KHHLK KHHHHKHHHLK KHHHHHHHHHK .KHHHHHHHK. ..KHHHHHK.. ...KHHHK... ....KHK.... .....K.....”
“title: Initial A fabric: 16 N 820 G 725 ..GNNNG.. .GNNGNNG. GNNG.GNNG GNNNNNNNG GNNGGGNNG GNNG.GNNG GNNG.GNNG”
“X DMC 310 o ecru - 3865 XXXXXXX Xo-o-oX X-o-o-X XXXXXXX”
“title: Leaf G 702 B 9999 ..GG .GGB GGB.”
“S 3325 W White SSSSSS SWWwSS SSSSSS”
“title: Rose fabric: 18 R 321 G 699”
“X 310 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”
“title: Sampler border paper: a4 B 798 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B B......................................................................................................................B BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB”
Fabric Counts and Finished Size
The count is how many stitches fit in an inch of fabric, and the finished size is the stitch count divided by it. The same chart can be a large cushion front on 11-count or a small card on 18-count, so pick the fabric before you plan the frame.
11-count Aida
Big squares that are easy to see; usually three strands.
“How wide is 55 stitches on 11-count?”
14-count Aida
The usual starting fabric, stitched with two strands.
“How wide is 70 stitches on 14-count?”
16-count Aida
A finer weave for more detail in the same space.
“How many stitches fill 4 inches on 16-count?”
18-count Aida
Small, neat stitches for detailed designs and cards.
“Which is smaller: 18-count or 14-count?”
28-count evenweave
Stitched over two threads, so it works like 14-count.
“What count does 28 over two match?”
22-count Hardanger
A very fine weave, often stitched over two as 11-count.
“What is 22-count over two?”
How a Picture Becomes a Chart
Importing a picture runs a few steps in order, and knowing them helps you choose a width and a colour limit that suit the image. Everything happens on your device, and the result is an ordinary text pattern you can edit square by square.
Scaling to Stitches
The picture is divided into a grid as wide as the width you choose, and each square averages the pixels it covers.
Matching Threads
Each square takes the palette colour it looks most like, measured in CIELAB, a colour space built around human vision.
Merging Colours
The least-used thread merges into its closest neighbour, again and again, until the colour limit is reached.
Transparent Areas
Squares that are mostly transparent, like a cut-out PNG’s background, stay as bare fabric.
Symbols
The most-used thread gets X, the next O, then other shapes chosen to look different on paper.
Writing a Pattern by Hand
A pattern is plain text, so you can draw a motif, adjust an imported picture square by square, or keep patterns in a notes app. Settings come first, then the key, a blank line and the chart.
Settings
title, fabric and paper at the top, one per line.
Key Lines
A symbol, a space and a DMC number, such as X 310 or O DMC 321.
Chart Rows
One character per stitch, rows top to bottom.
Bare Fabric
A dot or a space leaves a square unstitched.
Picture Settings
width and colours only apply when importing a picture.
Stitching From the Chart
Habits that keep a counted project on track, from the first stitch to the last. Most mistakes in counted work come from losing your place, and these keep you anchored to the grid.
Start in the Middle
Fold the fabric in quarters to find the centre and stitch outward.
Count by Tens
The bold lines match every 10 squares of fabric.
Leave a Margin
Allow 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) of fabric on each side for framing.
Mark as You Go
Highlight finished squares on a printed copy.
Top Stitches One Way
Cross every stitch in the same direction for an even finish.
What People Chart
Anything with clear shapes and a handful of colours stitches well, from a pet photo to a line of lettering. Bold outlines and flat areas of colour convert best, while soft gradients need many more threads before they look smooth in stitches.
Pet Portraits
Import a photo and keep 12 to 20 colours.
Pixel Art and Sprites
Each pixel becomes one stitch, at its own width.
Samplers and Borders
Type repeating motifs and lettering by hand.
Gifts and Cards
Initials, hearts and dates for small projects on 18-count.
Teaching
Simple charts with three or four colours for beginners.
Pattern Pitfalls
Things that make a chart hard to stitch or a project come out the wrong size. A few minutes with the check and a printed test page costs far less than weeks of unpicking stitches later.
Too Many Colours
Photos can need dozens of threads; fewer often looks cleaner.
Busy Backgrounds
Crop a photo to its subject before importing.
Forgetting the Fabric
Finished size changes with the count, so check it before buying a frame.
Screen Colours
Swatches are approximations; check real floss before you start.
Look-alike Symbols
O and 0 or l and 1 are easy to confuse on a dense chart.