How to turn a photo into a cross-stitch pattern
- Choose a clear photo. A single subject with good light and a simple background works best: a pet, a face, a house, a logo.
- Set the width in stitches. The height follows the photo’s shape. 80–120 stitches suits a first portrait; 150–250 gives fine detail but takes many more hours.
- Pick your fabric. The fabric count decides the finished size: the same pattern is smaller on 18-count than on 14-count.
- Choose the number of colours. Fewer colours make a bolder, quicker stitch; more colours give smoother shading.
- Check the preview, then download the PDF: a cover page, the DMC thread key with skeins to buy, and the numbered chart pages.
How big will it be? Stitches, fabric count and finished size
Fabric “count” is the number of stitches per inch. Divide the pattern’s width in stitches by the count to get the finished width in inches.
| Pattern width | 11-count | 14-count | 16-count | 18-count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 stitches | 5.5 in / 13.9 cm | 4.3 in / 10.9 cm | 3.8 in / 9.5 cm | 3.3 in / 8.5 cm |
| 100 stitches | 9.1 in / 23.1 cm | 7.1 in / 18.1 cm | 6.3 in / 15.9 cm | 5.6 in / 14.1 cm |
| 150 stitches | 13.6 in / 34.6 cm | 10.7 in / 27.2 cm | 9.4 in / 23.8 cm | 8.3 in / 21.2 cm |
| 200 stitches | 18.2 in / 46.2 cm | 14.3 in / 36.3 cm | 12.5 in / 31.8 cm | 11.1 in / 28.2 cm |
Evenweave and linen are usually stitched “over 2” threads, so 28-count evenweave gives the same size as 14-count Aida, and 32-count the same as 16-count. Buy fabric about 3 in (7.5 cm) larger than the design on every side, so there is room to frame or hoop it.
How many colours should a photo pattern have?
| Subject | Colours | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Logo, text, cartoon | 4–10 | Flat areas; extra colours only add noise |
| Pet or animal | 15–30 | Fur needs several shades of the same colour |
| Portrait | 25–40 | Skin tones change gradually; too few colours look blotchy |
| Landscape | 20–35 | Sky and foliage need gradients |
Every extra colour means another thread change and at least one more skein. If the preview looks speckled, try fewer colours or keep Remove stray single stitches switched on.
How the colours are chosen
The tool first finds the main colours in your photo (a k-means clustering in the CIELAB colour space, which matches how people see colour differences far better than plain RGB). Each of those colours is then matched to the closest real DMC floss using the CIEDE2000 colour-difference formula, the industry standard for “how different do these two colours look”. Every stitch is finally assigned to the nearest colour in that DMC palette. The result is a pattern you can buy thread for anywhere, not a list of screen colours.
How many skeins to buy
A DMC six-strand skein holds 8 m of thread made of six separable strands, so 48 m of single strand. One full cross stitch uses two diagonals on the front and roughly two cell lengths on the back, about (2√2 + 2) × the size of one square, for every strand you stitch with. The tool adds 50% for starting and ending threads and travel between stitches, which gives about 1,800 stitches per skein with 2 strands on 14-count. Each colour is rounded up to whole skeins. Dye lots can vary slightly, so buy the big colours together, plus a spare.
Tips for a photo that stitches well
- Crop tight around the subject before you start: background stitches take as long as the subject.
- Higher contrast reads better at stitch size. A slightly brighter, punchier photo usually gives a better pattern.
- Faces need size: under about 60 stitches across, eyes become one or two stitches and the likeness is lost.
- Plain light background? Tick Leave white background unstitched to let white Aida show through and save hours.
Frequently asked questions
Is this cross-stitch pattern maker really free?
Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no page limit on the PDF. It runs in your browser, so there is nothing for us to charge for.
Which thread colours does it use?
DMC six-strand embroidery floss (Mouliné Spécial, article 117): all 489 colours. Each colour on the chart lists its DMC number and name, so you can buy it anywhere.
How many colours should I choose?
Simple graphics and cartoons: 6–12. Pets and portraits: 20–35. More colours give a closer likeness but mean more thread changes and more skeins to buy.
How big will the finished piece be?
Width in stitches ÷ fabric count = inches. A 100-stitch-wide pattern on 14-count Aida is 7.1 in (18 cm) wide. The tool shows the finished size and the fabric to buy, with 3 in (7.5 cm) extra on every side for framing.
What is “remove stray stitches”?
Photos create lots of single stitches of one colour surrounded by others (called “confetti”). They are slow to stitch and barely visible. This option merges lone stitches into the colour around them.
How many skeins do I need?
The key shows an estimate for each colour from the stitch count, your fabric count and the number of strands. It is rounded up; buy one spare of the large colours, as dye lots can differ.
Last updated 2026-10-18.