Free tool · Cross-stitch grid maker

Cross-stitch grid maker — convert any photograph into a counted-stitch chart

Drop a reference image, overlay a counted grid, pick your Aida fabric count (14, 16, 18, or 22-count), and the tool generates a cross-stitch grid overlay with ten-stitch blocks, DMC thread color mapping, and a printable PDF pattern. Free, browser-only, image stays on your device. Used by counted-cross-stitch crafters, needlepoint pattern makers, and quilters.

Open the tool → See examples

Cross-stitch chart preview — cells colored to nearest DMC thread.

Fabric counts: 14 · 16 · 18 · 22 ct
Color palette: DMC, Anchor, J&P Coats
Stitch types: Full + half + back
Browser: Any modern
Free forever: Always
Export: PDF pattern + key

How to use the cross-stitch grid maker

Drop your reference image
Drag any JPG or PNG photograph. The tool reads it via the File API — nothing uploads. Photos with clear silhouettes and high contrast convert best; busy backgrounds simplify in the quantization step.
Set the Aida count grid and final size
Pick 14-count Aida (the standard), 16 or 18 for tighter detail, or 22-count evenweave for very fine work. The counted grid overlays the image with bold lines marking ten-stitch blocks so you can read the stitch count at a glance. Enter the finished width in inches; the tool calculates total stitch count (e.g., a 14-count chart at 8 inches wide = 112 stitches across).
Export the pattern PDF
Generate the multi-page PDF with the grid, the color-coded chart, a DMC thread key with stitch counts per color, and an overview thumbnail. Print, mount on a clipboard, and stitch.

Examples — five photo types and how they translate

Portrait — silhouette with strong contrast

Tight headshots with clean background convert excellently at 14-count. A 10×12 inch finished portrait at 14-count needs 140×168 stitches and around 30–45 DMC colors for a photo-realistic result.

Adapted from typical cross-stitch portrait commission specs.

Pet portrait — fur texture

Pet photos are the highest-volume use case. The tool handles fur transitions by clustering adjacent similar-DMC colors; the resulting chart usually has fewer than 50 colors, manageable for an intermediate stitcher.¹

Cross Stitcher Magazine, Issue 397, Sep 2024 — pet-portrait techniques feature.

Landscape — Constable cloud study

Cloud-and-field landscapes work at 16-count where the value gradients need more resolution than 14-count provides. Constable's Cloud Study, 1822 (Yale Center for British Art) converts particularly well.

Constable, John. Cloud Study, 1822. Yale Center for British Art.

Geometric pattern — Islamic tile

For high-contrast geometric source patterns (Islamic geometric tile, Art Deco motifs), 14-count and a tight palette of 8–12 DMC colors produces a clean, graphic chart.²

Necipoğlu, Gülru. The Topkapı Scroll: Geometry and Ornament in Islamic Architecture. Getty Center (1995). ISBN 0-89236-335-5.

Famous painting — Van Gogh sunflowers

Van Gogh's Sunflowers (1888) converts at 18-count with a palette of ~60 DMC yellows and golds; it's a long stitch project but the source is in public domain and the result frames well.³

Van Gogh, Vincent. Sunflowers, August 1888. National Gallery (London) NG3863.

Wedding sampler — text + photo

For wedding samplers combining a couple's photograph with stitched lettering, set the photo at 14-count and use the back-stitch layer for fine text. The PDF pattern includes both layers.

Standard wedding-sampler convention; see Patrick (1985).

Cross-stitch grid maker vs. alternatives

Feature	Grid Maker Pro	PCStitch	Stitch Sketch	Pic2Pat
Free	Yes	$49	$24.99	Web limited
Photo-to-pattern	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
DMC mapping	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Multi-fabric count	14/16/18/22	Many	Many	Limited
Backstitch layer	Yes	Yes	Yes	Limited
Image stays local	Yes	App	App	Upload required
Browser-only	Yes	App	App	Yes

Who this is for

Cross-stitch crafters

For personal photo-to-pattern projects. 14-count Aida and a 30–50 color palette is the standard hobbyist workflow.

Needlepoint + tapestry

For canvas-work projects at 13 or 18 stitches-per-inch; the tool's count is adjustable to match canvas mesh.

Quilters

For pixel-art quilt blocks and watercolor-quilt color mapping. Output the chart, treat each cell as a 1.5-inch fabric square.

Pattern designers selling on Etsy

For original pattern designs from your own photographs. Export PDF includes your watermark for resale-ready charts.

Why your photo stays on your device

The cross-stitch grid maker reads your photo via the browser File API and performs color quantization, DMC mapping, and PDF generation all client-side. Custom photos — pets, family portraits, wedding photos — never upload anywhere. There is no signup, no analytics on what photo you used, no shareable URL containing your image.

Common mistakes — and the fix

Picking too high a count for a complex photo

A busy photograph at 22-count produces a pattern with hundreds of single-stitch color changes — punishing to stitch.

Fix: 14-count is the right default. Drop count when stitch count exceeds 20,000.

Letting palette balloon to 100+ DMC colors

Above ~60 colors the chart becomes hard to follow and the DMC bobbin set is expensive. The tool's "reduce palette" slider clusters similar threads.

Fix: cap palette at 50; for fast projects, 30.

Ignoring fabric size in inches when ordering Aida

The chart count × inverse fabric count = inches. A 280-stitch wide chart at 14-count is exactly 20 inches; ordering 18-inch fabric leaves the project unsewable.

Fix: read the "finished size" panel before ordering fabric. Add 2 inches each side for mounting.

Forgetting back-stitch outlines

Photographs with strong silhouettes (animal portraits especially) need black or dark-brown back-stitching to read at distance; without it the silhouette dissolves.

Fix: enable "back-stitch detection" — auto-traces dark-edge transitions onto a back-stitch layer in the pattern.

Cross-stitch is the slowest possible way to digitize an image — and the only way that ends with an heirloom.— Yvonne Wakefield, Cross Stitcher, Sep 2024, Issue 397.¹

Pricing — free forever

The cross-stitch grid maker is free with no signup. Patterns export to printable PDF with DMC thread keys. Sell the resulting patterns commercially without restriction — credit Grid Maker Pro under CC BY 4.0 if you publish the tool itself in derivative work.

Frequently asked questions

Does the cross-stitch grid maker convert photos to DMC colors?

Yes. The tool maps every cell to the nearest DMC thread color using CIEDE2000 distance on the DMC official RGB chart.

Is it free?

Yes, free forever, no signup.

What's the difference between 14-count and 18-count Aida?

14-count has 14 stitches per inch (looser, faster project). 18-count has 18 (tighter, finer detail, slower project). 16-count and 22-count are also supported.

Can I use Anchor or J&P Coats threads instead?

Yes — switch the thread brand in the export panel. Mappings to Anchor and J&P Coats are bundled.

Can I sell the patterns I generate?

Yes. The patterns derived from your own photograph belong to you. If you publish patterns derived from copyrighted images you do not own, those copyright restrictions apply — the tool doesn't grant rights you don't have to the source.

How many colors will the pattern use?

Default ~40, adjustable from 6 to 200. Photo-realistic results need ~50; graphic / cartoon results need 10–25.

Does it generate the stitch count per color?

Yes — the PDF key shows each DMC color with its stitch count, so you can buy the right amount of thread.

Are half-stitches and quarter-stitches supported?

Half-stitches yes (a separate "half-stitch detection" toggle). Quarter-stitches no — they're rarely used and would multiply the chart symbol set unmanageably.

Can I save my work?

Yes — workspaces save to localStorage and reload on next visit. Save multiple presets for different projects.

How do I overlay a counted grid on a photo for cross-stitch?

Drop the reference image, choose the Aida count, and the tool draws a counted grid overlay directly on the photo with ten-stitch blocks marked by bolder lines. Adjust the cell grid until each cell maps to one stitch, then print to PDF.

Does the cross-stitch grid maker keep my image private with no upload?

Yes. This is a free cross-stitch grid maker with no upload — the reference image is read locally through the browser File API, so it never leaves your device. There is no account and no server-side image processing.

What Aida count should I use for a reference grid?

14-count is the common default for a counted grid overlay. Use 16 or 18-count for finer detail and 22-count evenweave for very fine work; higher counts pack more stitches per inch, so the cell grid is denser.

Does it support knitting or weaving charts?

Cross-stitch and needlepoint only. For knitting charts (different cell aspect ratio), use the pattern-overlay tool instead.

Related tools, pillars, and references

Drawing grid makerProportional transfer overlay Sacred geometry overlay20 sacred constructions for pattern crafts Pillar: quilting + cross-stitch compositionCraft-specific composition theory Specialty grids hubHexagonal, triangular, dot, and craft grids

References

Wakefield, Yvonne. "Photo to stitch — pet portraits at 14-count." Cross Stitcher Magazine, Future Publishing, Issue 397, September 2024.
Necipoğlu, Gülru. The Topkapı Scroll: Geometry and Ornament in Islamic Architecture. Getty Center for the History of Art (1995). ISBN 0-89236-335-5.
Van Gogh, Vincent. Sunflowers, August 1888. Oil on canvas. National Gallery (London), accession NG3863.
Patrick, Erica. The Encyclopaedia of Embroidery Stitches. Search Press (1985). ISBN 0-85532-573-8.
Sharma, Gaurav et al. "The CIEDE2000 color-difference formula." Color Research & Application, 30(1), 2005. DOI: 10.1002/col.20070.
DMC Threads. Color Card — Stranded Cotton. DMC (2024 ed.). Standard reference for DMC color codes used in conversion.
Wynn, Lesley. Cross Stitch: The Complete Guide. David & Charles (2009). ISBN 978-0-7153-2935-4.

Launch the cross-stitch grid maker

Free, browser-only, no signup. Photo → DMC chart → printable PDF pattern with stitch counts.

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