How to use the pattern maker

Upload a photo

Click Choose Image or drag a photo onto it. JPG, PNG and WebP all work. The pattern appears right away; everything after this just fine-tunes it.

Best photos: one clear subject, good light, a plain background. Crop the photo close to the subject before uploading — every stitch then goes to the part you care about.

1Size & fabric

Start with Small, Medium or Large (50, 80 or 130 stitches across). The line under the photo shows the finished size, for example 80×80 stitches · 14.5×14.5 cm at 14ct.

Stitch width / height

How many stitches across and down. More stitches = more detail, a bigger piece and more stitching time. Keep Preserve aspect ratio on so the picture is not stretched.

Fabric count

Holes per inch in your Aida. 14-count is the standard. A higher count makes the same pattern smaller. Use the size calculator to plan fabric.

2Colors & detail

Pick a look: Simple (10 colors, bold shapes — quick to stitch), Balanced (20 colors — right for most photos) or Detailed (36 colors — closest to the photo). Every color is a real DMC thread.

Max color limit

The most thread colors allowed. The pattern may use a few less when two colors match the same DMC thread.

Anti-confetti

"Confetti" is lone stitches of a color that make stitching slow. 1–2 removes only true strays and keeps eyes and thin lines; 3–5 simplifies more.

Smoothing

Evens out grainy areas. 0 keeps all texture; 3 also softens the photo first.

Min region size

Color patches smaller than this many stitches join the color around them.

Use the Whole pattern view above the preview to judge the result — it shows the entire design at once.

3Chart look

Chart mode

Color + symbols (the default) is the usual printed pattern: each square shows the thread colour and a symbol, so similar shades never get mixed up. Color shows colour only. Symbols and B&W print clearly on black-and-white printers and save ink.

Major grid every

A bold line every 10 stitches (the standard) so you can count your place.

Edge numbers

Every 10th stitch is numbered along the top and left edges of each page (10, 20, 30 …), and the arrows mark the centre — start stitching there.

4Paper & print

Choose Letter (US printers) or A4. Big patterns are split across several pages automatically — switch the preview to PDF pages to see exactly how they split. Cell size sets how large each printed square is: bigger squares are easier on the eyes but need more pages.

5Thread list

Every DMC color in your pattern with its symbol and stitch count. Click a thread to highlight where it is used in the preview. Need to check a color? See the DMC color chart.

6What goes in the PDF

Tick what you want: a cover page with your photo and finished size, the thread legend, stitch counts and page numbers.

Download

Click Download PDF. You can always choose the Free PDF (a short wait, supported by ads). Pro options are explained in the same window. Read how passes work.

The Pro editor

Open it from the download window or the panel — your photo and settings come with you. Everything in the Pro editor is free to try; downloads are SAMPLE PDFs until you have a pass for Cross Stitch.

Vector PDF

Sharp lines at any print size, ideal for large prints or print shops.

Paint & erase

Fix single stitches by hand — tidy an eye, remove a stray color.

Grayscale & black-only

Monochrome patterns, and a saturation boost for dull photos.

Grid lines & branding

Thicker or darker grid lines, your own watermark and no ficklestudio26 footer.