Is it safe to upload my photo here?

Yes: the image is processed inside your own browser and never leaves it. Nothing reaches a server — neither your file nor the generated chart — it all lives in the open tab.

How many thread colors should a pattern use?

For most projects 8–15 colors are enough. Fewer than ten gives a graphic, poster-like look; more than twenty barely improves the likeness while making both the stitching and the shopping list much harder.

What chart size should a beginner pick?

Start around 50–80 stitches wide, which is roughly 3.6–5.7 inches (9–15 cm) on 14 count Aida. A piece that size is finished in a few evenings, unlike a 200-stitch chart that tends to be abandoned halfway.

Why does my photo turn into a noisy chart?

Photos with fine detail, shadows and a blurred background produce many single stray stitches that are unpleasant to work. Cropping the frame to the subject, increasing the chart size, lowering the color count, or choosing an image with large flat areas — a close-up portrait, a silhouette, an illustration — all help. Any stray stitches left over are quick to clear with the eraser or repaint with the brush.

Can I stitch these charts with DMC threads?

Yes, though you will have to match the numbers yourself: the builder lists colors as HEX values rather than DMC codes. Take the HEX from the “Colors” panel and compare it against the manufacturer chart — automatic DMC matching is planned for the next version.

How do I print the chart?

The “Export” section has three buttons: “Download PDF” saves the chart as a file, “Save PNG” as an image, and “Print” sends it straight to the printer. The printed page holds only the chart with its symbols and edge numbering, without the editor panels. There is no color legend on the page yet: the threads with their symbols and HEX values are listed in the “Colors” panel.

Do I need to install a cross stitch app or software?

No. The builder runs right in your browser — on a computer, tablet or phone, with nothing to install and no account. Your photo is processed on your own device, and the finished chart can be printed or saved as a PDF straight away.

Will my chart disappear when I close the tab?

No: the latest chart and its settings are kept in your browser storage and restored when you come back. That storage is local to this device, so the chart will not appear on another computer.

Can I make a bead embroidery pattern?

Yes, and there is nothing to switch: a cross stitch chart and a round-bead chart are the same grid, because the bead sits in the same cell of the canvas. Setting “Cell display” to “Round” redraws the cells the way they will look in the finished piece, and the guide tells you which bead size suits your canvas: for Aida 14 the closest is 11/0.

Does it work for bead weaving — herringbone, peyote, loom?

No, and the reason matters: in bead weaving the rows are offset by half a bead, so a square grid simply does not describe it. The builder covers bead embroidery on fabric, where every bead sits in one cell.

How do I make a satin stitch pattern from a photo?

In the “New chart” window, choose “From a photo” and switch “Stitch type” to “Satin stitch”: each color area is laid in rows of horizontal stitches, and stitches that are too long are split into equal parts by the “Longest stitch” limit. You can then refine it by hand: “Line” lays a stitch from hole to hole at any angle, “Fill” covers an area with parallel stitches, and the scissors cut a stitch or join two neighboring ones. Satin and cross stitch can share one chart.

Can I chart bugle beads or backstitch?

Yes, with the same “Line” tool in “Satin stitch” mode: a bugle bead or a backstitch lies as a line from hole to hole, so on the chart it is the same stitch. They are not generated from a photo; you lay them by hand over the finished chart.

How much embroidery floss do I need?

Switch “Thread amount” in the “Colors” panel from “Cells” to “Meters”, and each color shows the length of working thread, rounded up to 0.1 m. For cross stitch this is a measured rate: an 8 m skein used two strands at a time gives about 24 m of working thread, roughly 1,750 stitches on Aida 14. For satin stitch the length comes from the stitches themselves with the same allowance. The cell size follows the fabric count, so a coarser fabric needs more meters.

Free Cross Stitch Pattern Maker from a Photo

Cross stitch and beads follow the cells: one cell is one cross, one half stitch or one round seed bead. Satin stitch works differently — straight stitches from hole to hole — so the editor treats it as a separate stitch type: from a photo each color area is laid in rows of horizontal stitches, and by hand a stitch can go at any angle and share the chart with cross stitch. Bugle beads and backstitch are drawn with the same “Line” tool, since they are also lines from hole to hole, and you lay them by hand.

A free cross stitch pattern maker that runs in your browser

Stitchka turns a photo into a counted cross stitch pattern you can edit, print and stitch. There is nothing to install and no account to create: it works on a computer, tablet or phone, and your photo is processed on your own device instead of being uploaded to a server.

Use it as a cross stitch pattern generator — drop in a photo and let it pick the colors — or as a pattern designer, starting from an empty grid and drawing every stitch yourself. Both paths end in the same editable chart, so you can generate a pattern from a photo and then fix it by hand. Instead of hunting for free cross stitch patterns that are almost what you want, you make the one you need.

What your cross stitch pattern includes

Every cell of the grid is one stitch, marked with a color and, if you like, a symbol, so the chart stays readable even on a black-and-white printout. Rows and columns are numbered along the edges, and a heavier line marks every tenth stitch, which makes counting on the fabric much easier.

Next to the chart is the thread list: each color with its symbol, HEX value and the number of stitches it covers — or, at the flip of a switch, how many meters of floss it needs — so you know which colors carry the design and which are just a few accents. The editor also shows the finished size for the fabric you chose, in inches or centimeters.

When the chart is ready, save it as a PDF, save it as a PNG image, or print it straight from the browser. The printed page carries the chart with its symbols and edge numbers; the thread list stays in the editor for now, so note your colors from there.

Photo to cross stitch pattern: which pictures work best

A photo with one clear subject and a quiet background gives the cleanest chart: a pet, a face in close-up, a single flower, a simple landscape. Busy scenes with lots of small detail turn into scattered single stitches that are tedious to work.

Crop tightly to the subject before you create the chart, and start with 8–12 colors. Each extra color is another skein to buy and another thread change mid-row, while the likeness barely improves past twenty. If the result still looks busy, lower the number of colors or make the chart a little wider.

Cross stitch pattern size in inches

The fabric, not the chart, decides how big the finished piece will be. On 14 count Aida you work 14 stitches to the inch, so a chart 70 stitches wide comes out at 5 inches, and 112 stitches makes 8 inches. The same 112 stitches on 18 count Aida shrink to about 6.2 inches.

You do not have to do the math: enter the width you want in inches, choose the fabric, and the editor works out how many stitches that is. For a first project, 50–80 stitches wide — about 3.6 to 5.7 inches on 14 count — is finished in a few evenings.

How to make a cross stitch or satin stitch pattern from a photo

Six steps from a picture to a chart you can print and stitch.

Start a new chart from a photo. In the “New chart” window, choose “From a photo”. It opens by itself on your first visit, and later from the “New chart” button on the panel. Drag an image into the box, click to browse, or paste one from the clipboard with Ctrl+V: JPG, PNG or WebP all work. If you would rather draw yourself, choose “From scratch” for an empty grid at the size you need.
Pick the crop. Use the frame on the photo to mark what goes into the chart: drag the frame, its edges or corners, and “Whole photo” brings back the full image. The chart preview updates next to it, so you can cut away the background before the first stitch.
Choose the stitch, size and fabric. The “Stitch type” switch decides how the whole chart is laid: “Cross stitch” fills cells, which also work for beads, and “Satin stitch” lays horizontal stitches along each color area. Then enter the finished width in inches or centimeters — the height follows the proportions of the crop. The canvas is what sets the finished size: the Aida 11, 14, 16 and 18 buttons fill in its count, and below the fields you see how many stitches that makes. For a first project, 50–80 stitches wide is comfortable.
Choose how many colors. The “Number of colors” field decides how many threads the project needs. Start with 8–12: that is enough for a recognizable image, and it is far more pleasant to stitch than thirty shades. Settle the colors here, before “Create chart”: in the editor, lowering the number removes the extra threads together with their cells.
Refine the chart. The brush paints cells, “Line” draws a straight line, “Fill” repaints a single-color area, the eyedropper picks a color straight from the chart and the eraser clears. With a selection you can move, copy or flip a piece, “Mirror” makes the chart symmetrical, and “Pattern” repeats a sample in a row, a column, diagonally or as tiles across the whole canvas. “Undo” takes back any step.
Save or print. In the “Export” section, press “Download PDF”, “Save PNG” or “Print”. If you are going to sew beads, switch “Cell display” to “Round” so the chart reads closer to the finished piece. Before you buy floss, switch “Thread amount” in the “Colors” panel to “Meters” to see how much each color needs.

Questions about making a pattern from a photo

Is it safe to upload my photo here?: Yes: the image is processed inside your own browser and never leaves it. Nothing reaches a server — neither your file nor the generated chart — it all lives in the open tab.
How many thread colors should a pattern use?: For most projects 8–15 colors are enough. Fewer than ten gives a graphic, poster-like look; more than twenty barely improves the likeness while making both the stitching and the shopping list much harder.More in the guides →
What chart size should a beginner pick?: Start around 50–80 stitches wide, which is roughly 3.6–5.7 inches (9–15 cm) on 14 count Aida. A piece that size is finished in a few evenings, unlike a 200-stitch chart that tends to be abandoned halfway.
Why does my photo turn into a noisy chart?: Photos with fine detail, shadows and a blurred background produce many single stray stitches that are unpleasant to work. Cropping the frame to the subject, increasing the chart size, lowering the color count, or choosing an image with large flat areas — a close-up portrait, a silhouette, an illustration — all help. Any stray stitches left over are quick to clear with the eraser or repaint with the brush.
Can I stitch these charts with DMC threads?: Yes, though you will have to match the numbers yourself: the builder lists colors as HEX values rather than DMC codes. Take the HEX from the “Colors” panel and compare it against the manufacturer chart — automatic DMC matching is planned for the next version.
How do I print the chart?: The “Export” section has three buttons: “Download PDF” saves the chart as a file, “Save PNG” as an image, and “Print” sends it straight to the printer. The printed page holds only the chart with its symbols and edge numbering, without the editor panels. There is no color legend on the page yet: the threads with their symbols and HEX values are listed in the “Colors” panel.
Do I need to install a cross stitch app or software?: No. The builder runs right in your browser — on a computer, tablet or phone, with nothing to install and no account. Your photo is processed on your own device, and the finished chart can be printed or saved as a PDF straight away.
Will my chart disappear when I close the tab?: No: the latest chart and its settings are kept in your browser storage and restored when you come back. That storage is local to this device, so the chart will not appear on another computer.
Can I make a bead embroidery pattern?: Yes, and there is nothing to switch: a cross stitch chart and a round-bead chart are the same grid, because the bead sits in the same cell of the canvas. Setting “Cell display” to “Round” redraws the cells the way they will look in the finished piece, and the guide tells you which bead size suits your canvas: for Aida 14 the closest is 11/0.More in the guides →
Does it work for bead weaving — herringbone, peyote, loom?: No, and the reason matters: in bead weaving the rows are offset by half a bead, so a square grid simply does not describe it. The builder covers bead embroidery on fabric, where every bead sits in one cell.
How do I make a satin stitch pattern from a photo?: In the “New chart” window, choose “From a photo” and switch “Stitch type” to “Satin stitch”: each color area is laid in rows of horizontal stitches, and stitches that are too long are split into equal parts by the “Longest stitch” limit. You can then refine it by hand: “Line” lays a stitch from hole to hole at any angle, “Fill” covers an area with parallel stitches, and the scissors cut a stitch or join two neighboring ones. Satin and cross stitch can share one chart.
Can I chart bugle beads or backstitch?: Yes, with the same “Line” tool in “Satin stitch” mode: a bugle bead or a backstitch lies as a line from hole to hole, so on the chart it is the same stitch. They are not generated from a photo; you lay them by hand over the finished chart.
How much embroidery floss do I need?: Switch “Thread amount” in the “Colors” panel from “Cells” to “Meters”, and each color shows the length of working thread, rounded up to 0.1 m. For cross stitch this is a measured rate: an 8 m skein used two strands at a time gives about 24 m of working thread, roughly 1,750 stitches on Aida 14. For satin stitch the length comes from the stitches themselves with the same allowance. The cell size follows the fabric count, so a coarser fabric needs more meters.

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