Photo to Cross Stitch Pattern Maker (Free)
Upload a photo of your pet, your kids or a favorite place and get a stitchable chart in DMC colors: symbol pages, color pages and a floss shopping list, ready to print on Letter or A4.
In short: Linecraft converts a JPG, PNG or iPhone photo into a counted cross stitch pattern in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded. Pick the width in stitches, fabric count and number of colors; every color is matched to the nearest DMC floss. Free patterns go up to 120 stitches wide and 30 colors with a PDF symbol chart, color chart and floss list. A pro export (1 credit) allows 300 stitches and 60 colors with no footer.
Upload a photo or pick a sample to see your cross stitch pattern here.
More photo crafts: turn a picture into line art with the photo to coloring page converter, number it with the color by number maker, or bind your pages with the coloring book maker.
How do you turn a photo into a cross stitch pattern?
Crop the photo to the part you want to stitch, then choose how many stitches wide the design should be and how many floss colors to use. The maker shrinks the picture to one square per stitch, groups similar colors, and swaps each group for the closest DMC floss using the CIEDE2000 color difference, which tracks how people actually see color. You get a chart with a symbol for each color, grid lines every 10 stitches and a floss list with stitch counts and skein estimates. Fewer colors and a close crop make a cleaner pattern; 60 to 120 stitches wide suits most first projects. Everything runs on your device, so your photo never leaves the browser.
- Free: 30-120 stitches wide, 2-30 colors, PDF with a small site footer
- Pro export: 1 credit for up to 300 stitches wide and 60 colors, no footer
- 454 DMC six-strand floss colors, matched by CIEDE2000
- Fabric: 11, 14, 16 or 18 count; finished size = stitches ÷ count
How to make a cross stitch pattern from a photo
Upload and crop
Choose a JPG, PNG or HEIC photo (or a sample) and drag the crop box over the part you want to stitch. Zoom in for a close crop.
Set size and fabric
Pick the width in stitches and your fabric count. The tool shows the finished size in inches and centimeters as you change them.
Choose colors
Set the number of colors, turn dithering, background removal and backstitch outlines on or off, and merge or swap any DMC color you don't like.
Check the preview
Switch between color, symbol and stitched views, zoom in, and tap a square to see its DMC number.
Download and stitch
Download the PDF (cover, symbol chart, color chart and floss list) or a PNG of the color preview, buy the floss and start in the middle.
Choosing the stitch count and fabric
The width in stitches decides how much detail survives; the fabric count decides how big the finished piece is. Count means squares per inch, so the finished size is simply the number of stitches divided by the count. A 140-stitch design is 10 inches wide on 14-count Aida and about 7.8 inches on 18-count. Add about 3 inches of fabric on every side for framing or a hoop.
| Stitches | 11-count | 14-count | 16-count | 18-count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 4.5 in / 11.5 cm | 3.6 in / 9.1 cm | 3.1 in / 7.9 cm | 2.8 in / 7.1 cm |
| 80 | 7.3 in / 18.5 cm | 5.7 in / 14.5 cm | 5 in / 12.7 cm | 4.4 in / 11.3 cm |
| 100 | 9.1 in / 23.1 cm | 7.1 in / 18.1 cm | 6.3 in / 15.9 cm | 5.6 in / 14.1 cm |
| 120 | 10.9 in / 27.7 cm | 8.6 in / 21.8 cm | 7.5 in / 19.1 cm | 6.7 in / 16.9 cm |
| 150 | 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 | 18.2 in / 46.2 cm | 14.3 in / 36.3 cm | 12.5 in / 31.8 cm | 11.1 in / 28.2 cm |
| 300 | 27.3 in / 69.3 cm | 21.4 in / 54.4 cm | 18.8 in / 47.6 cm | 16.7 in / 42.3 cm |
For a first project, 14-count Aida and 60 to 100 stitches wide is a comfortable size. Faces and pets need more stitches than simple shapes: under about 80 stitches, eyes turn into single squares. 16- and 18-count fabric gives a finer, smaller result but is harder on the eyes.
How many colors to use
Every color is another skein to buy and another thread change, so use as few as the picture allows.
- Logos, cartoons and silhouettes: 2 to 8 colors
- Pets and flowers: 12 to 24 colors
- Portraits and landscapes: 20 to 30 colors (or more with a pro export)
Dithering mixes neighboring stitches to fake in-between shades. It smooths skies and skin but scatters single stitches of a color ("confetti"), which is slower to stitch. Turn it off for bold, flat designs. If two colors look almost the same, merge them; if a color looks wrong, swap it for any other DMC number.
Tips for photos that stitch well
- Crop close: the subject should fill most of the frame, because every stitch spent on the background is one less on the face.
- Choose a simple, plain background, then switch on background removal to leave it as bare fabric.
- Good contrast and even light beat a sharp photo. Strong shadows turn into extra colors.
- Avoid tiny details such as text, jewelry or whiskers unless the pattern is wide enough to give them a few stitches.
- Backstitch outlines help a busy picture read from a distance; leave them off for soft, painterly designs.
Reading the chart
Each square on the chart is one cross stitch. The symbol chart shows a symbol per floss in black and white so it stays readable when printed on any printer; the color chart shows the same pages in color. Bold lines every 10 stitches make counting easy, and the numbers on the top and left edges count from the top-left corner of the design.
Large designs are split over several pages of up to 60 × 80 stitches. The last 2 columns and rows of a page are repeated in grey at the edge, so you can line the pages up; the page map on each page shows where it sits. Black triangles mark the center column and row: most stitchers start there and work outward. The floss list gives the DMC number, name, symbol, stitch count and an estimated number of skeins (assuming one skein covers about 1,600 stitches on 14-count with 2 strands, about 2,057 on 18-count).
Frequently asked questions
Is the photo to cross stitch pattern maker free?
Yes. Patterns up to 120 stitches wide with up to 30 colors are free, with no sign-up and no watermark on the chart, only a small linecraft.page footer. A pro export costs 1 credit and allows up to 300 stitches wide and 60 colors with no footer; new accounts get 3 free credits.
Does my photo get uploaded?
No. The pattern is calculated in your browser and the PDF is built on your device. For a pro export the site only charges the credit and sends back an unlock code; the photo and the pattern never leave your computer or phone.
Can I get Anchor numbers instead of DMC?
The maker uses DMC six-strand floss, the most widely sold brand. Anchor and other brands publish DMC conversion charts, but conversions are approximate: compare the actual skeins before you buy if you switch brands.
How big will my cross stitch be?
Divide the stitches by the fabric count. 100 stitches on 14-count Aida is about 7.1 inches (18.1 cm); on 18-count it is about 5.6 inches (14.1 cm). The tool shows the finished size in inches and centimeters as you change the settings; leave about 3 inches of extra fabric on each side.
How much floss do I need?
The floss list estimates skeins for each color, assuming one 8 m DMC skein stitched with 2 strands covers about 1,600 full stitches on 14-count fabric (more on finer fabric, fewer on 11-count). Tension and how you start and end threads vary, so buy an extra skein of the biggest colors.
Which pictures make the best cross stitch patterns?
Close-up photos with one clear subject, a plain background and good contrast. Pets, flowers, simple houses and portraits with even light work well. Busy group photos need a wide pattern and many colors to stay recognizable.
Can I change the colors after the pattern is made?
Yes. Merge two similar colors into one, or swap any color for another DMC number. The chart, symbols and floss list update instantly.