THE WORKSHOP
Turn a photo into a cross-stitch pattern
Preview a free editable chart from a pet portrait, a flower, or a favourite photograph.
Start with a clear subject
Pick a picture with good light and a subject that stands apart from the background. The preview places one stitch in each grid square, so small details like an eye or a leaf need a few squares to read well.
Choose a finished size
Start at 64 × 64 stitches and 12 colors. On 14-count Aida that is about 11.6 cm across. Increase the grid if your subject loses important detail. Reduce it for a motif you can finish in an evening.
Refine the edges
Raise the cleanup control to reduce little clusters of disconnected colors. Dithering can smooth a gradient, but try the undithered chart first if you want longer runs of the same thread.