Free online tool

Free Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

Upload a photo, set your grid and DMC colors, and download a stitchable chart on this page.

Drop a photo here, or click to browseJPG, PNG, or WebP. Large photos are scaled down automatically.

Stitch count

Grid 100 × 100 stitches (photo aspect kept). 7.1 × 7.1 in on 14-count Aida.

Number of colors

8 to 60 DMC shades. 24 is a good start.

Fabric count (Aida)

Higher count means a smaller finished piece and finer detail.

How to make a cross stitch pattern from a photo

Upload the photo you want to stitch
Drop a JPG, PNG, or WebP onto the box above, or click to browse. Portraits, pets, and simple objects work best. Very busy scenes still convert, but they need more colors and a larger grid to stay readable on fabric.
Set the stitch grid
Choose a preset such as 100 × 100 or 150 × 150, or drag the slider from 60 to 200 stitches on the long side. The short side follows your photo so the design does not stretch. The tool shows the finished size on 14-, 16-, or 18-count Aida as you adjust.
Pick a color count
Choose between 8 and 60 DMC shades (24 is the default). Each pixel in the grid is matched to the nearest DMC floss color. Tiny speckles under about 0.5% of the stitches are merged into a nearby shade so the key stays stitchable.
Generate the chart on this page
Click Generate Pattern. Processing happens in your browser, so the photo never leaves your device. When it finishes, the color chart, symbol chart, and DMC legend appear below the button. No extra page load.
Download a printable PNG
Save a high-resolution image of the chart plus the color key. The free file includes a small xstitchmaker.com watermark in the corner. Use it at home, take it to a copy shop, or keep it on a tablet while you stitch.

What is a cross stitch pattern maker?

A cross stitch pattern maker turns a picture into a counted chart: a grid where each square is one stitch and each color maps to a floss number you can buy. Instead of drawing the chart by hand, you upload a photo, choose how large it should stitch, and get a color chart, a symbol chart, and a shopping list of DMC colors.

XStitch Maker is a free online cross stitch pattern maker built for that job. It keeps the whole flow on one page, uses a DMC palette for the colors, and estimates how many skeins each color needs so you can walk into the shop with a list instead of a guess.

Choosing fabric count and color count

Fabric count is how many Aida squares fit in one inch. 14-count is the usual starting cloth: a 100 × 100 pattern finishes about 7.1 inches square. 16-count makes the same chart a little smaller (6.3 inches). 18-count is smaller still (5.6 inches) and shows more detail in the same physical space.

Color count is a tradeoff, not a quality score. Eight to twelve shades suit logos, silhouettes, and graphic pets. Twenty to thirty shades handle most portraits. Going past forty is useful for photographs with soft gradients, but the legend gets long and you will spend more time parking needles. If two neighboring colors look the same on the chart, drop the count and generate again.

Cross stitch pattern maker FAQ

How many colors should I use?

Start at 24. That is enough for most photos without a huge floss list. Drop to 12-16 for a bold, graphic look. Raise toward 40-50 only if skin tones or sky gradients look banded at 24. More colors never fix a grid that is too small.

What size should my pattern be?

For a first project, 80-120 stitches on the long side is comfortable. 150 stitches gives more likeness in a face. 200 stitches is a large piece (about 14 inches on 14-count) and takes many evenings. Check the fabric size under the slider before you generate so the finished piece fits the hoop or frame you own.

Which DMC colors will I need?

After you generate, open the Legend tab. Every used shade is listed with its DMC number, a color swatch, the chart symbol, how many stitches it covers, and an estimated skein count. The RGB values are published approximations of DMC floss. Match the number, not the screen color, when you buy thread.

Can I sell patterns I make here?

You can stitch and gift the piece, and you can sell a finished physical embroidery you made from the chart. Selling the digital pattern file as your own design is a different question: you need the rights to the original photo, and you should not present the XStitch Maker export as an official DMC product. If you plan to publish or sell the chart itself, talk to a copyright lawyer and only use photos you own or have licensed.

Is it really free?

Yes. Upload, generate, and download without an account. The free PNG includes a small semi-transparent xstitchmaker.com watermark in a corner so you can still stitch from it. A later paid option will remove that mark. There is no login and no payment on this page today.

What fabric count should I pick?

Use 14-count Aida if you are newer to counted work or want a larger piece. Choose 16-count when you want the same pattern a little finer. Choose 18-count for small ornaments or when you already like stitching on a tight grid. The stitch count does not change when you switch fabric. Only the finished inches change.

Does my photo stay on my computer?

Yes. The conversion runs in your browser with the Canvas API. The file is not uploaded to our servers to build the chart. If you later use a download, that PNG is also created locally, watermark included.