Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

About the Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

This free tool converts any photo (JPG, PNG, WebP) into a printable counted cross-stitch chart using a curated palette of 110+ DMC thread colors. Pick a grid size from 50×50 to 250×250 stitches, choose your Aida fabric count, and the tool will match each stitch cell to the nearest DMC thread using CIE76 perceptual color distance. The chart overlay uses a unique Unicode symbol per color so it is readable on Aida fabric, and the legend shows the DMC code, symbol, color swatch, and stitch count for every thread you will need. No signup, no upload, no watermark, no daily limit.

How It Works

1. Upload your photo. Drag-and-drop or click to select a JPG, PNG, or WebP image up to 10 MB. Portraits, pets, simple logos, and landscapes all produce great results.
2. Choose a grid size. 50×50 stitches is a quick bookmark. 100×100 stitches is the most common starting size. 200×200 stitches is for advanced stitchers willing to spend 40+ hours on a project.
3. Pick an Aida count. 14-count (large stitches), 16-count (most common), 18-count (fine detail), or 22-count (extra fine). The tool will calculate the finished size in inches and centimeters and estimate how many thread skeins you will need.
4. Generate the pattern. The tool downsizes your photo to the chosen grid, averages the RGB in each stitch cell, converts to CIE Lab color space, picks the nearest DMC color by Delta E, and assigns a unique Unicode symbol to each color used.
5. Download and stitch. Export the symbol chart as PNG (one image) or PDF (multi-page printable with the full color legend). Print at 100% scale and start stitching from the symbol chart using the legend to look up DMC codes.

Why AI Chatbots Cannot Do This

ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can describe what a cross-stitch chart should look like, and some can generate a new image that looks like a cross-stitch from a text prompt. But they cannot:

• Take an existing photo and run pixel-level color quantization with a real DMC thread palette
• Match each stitch cell to the nearest DMC code using perceptual color distance (Delta E in CIE Lab space)
• Render a stitchable symbol grid where each color is a different Unicode symbol
• Estimate thread skein quantities based on Aida count and stitch density
• Produce a print-ready PDF chart that you can take to a craft store and stitch today

This tool runs the entire pipeline in your browser using deterministic JavaScript and the Canvas API. Your photo never leaves your device, and the output is a real, stitchable cross-stitch chart.

What is the curated DMC palette?

The tool ships with 110+ DMC thread codes covering whites, blacks, reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, browns, and grays. This is enough coverage for the vast majority of photographs. Each entry has the official DMC code, name, and approximate RGB hex value from the DMC color card.

What Aida count should I choose?

14-count Aida has 14 stitches per inch and produces a softer, more chunky look ideal for beginners and gifts. 16-count is the most popular count and balances detail with stitchability. 18-count and 22-count give fine detail but require more precise stitching. The finished size in inches is grid_size / aida_count, so 100×100 stitches on 16-count Aida finishes at 6.25 inches square.

How accurate is the color matching?

The tool uses CIE76 Delta E perceptual color distance in CIE Lab space, which means it picks DMC colors that look closest to the human eye rather than just numerically closest in RGB. This avoids the common mistake of converting a dark red to a near-black DMC code. For very dark or very light source colors the tool will pick the closest DMC match and you can always swap a single DMC code in the legend if you want a different thread.

Can I edit the pattern?

Yes. After generation you can see every DMC color used, its symbol, and how many stitches will use that thread. The Clear button resets everything so you can start over with a new photo or new grid size. To swap an individual color, simply re-generate with a different max-color setting.

How long will the project take to stitch?

A typical cross-stitcher completes 30 to 60 stitches per hour. A 50×50 project (2,500 stitches) takes about 50 to 80 hours total. A 100×100 project (10,000 stitches) takes about 200 to 330 hours. A 200×200 project (40,000 stitches) is a serious undertaking of 700 to 1,300 hours and is best done over several months.

Is the tool really free?

Yes. No signup, no daily limit, no watermark on exports, no tracking. The entire DMC palette and the color-matching algorithm are built into the page, so the conversion works even if you are offline. We do not see your photo and we do not store your pattern.

What does the PDF export include?

The PDF has two pages. Page 1 is the symbol chart with a thin grid overlay so you can read individual stitches. Page 2 is the color legend listing every DMC code used, the symbol assigned to it, the DMC color name, the hex swatch, and the stitch count. Print at 100% scale and use a 14 or 16-count Aida fabric for the standard sizing.

Can I use this for embroidery patterns?

The tool is built for counted cross-stitch, but the symbol chart and DMC legend also work as a reference for cross-stitch-style embroidery projects. If you want a pixel-art image rather than a stitch chart, use our photo-to-sketch or image-vectorizer tools instead.