Free cross stitch pattern makerMake cross stitch patterns online, from a photo or from scratch
Drop in a photo and get a stitchable pattern in seconds, or start from a blank grid. Then edit any stitch, match every color to a real thread from 60+ floss brands, and print the PDF chart.
or start from a blank grid. Free to design, no account needed, and your photo is converted on your device, never uploaded.
Patterns up to 2000×2000 stitches
Backstitch & partial stitches
Pattern Keeper compatible PDF export
Mac, Windows, iPad, Chromebook
How to make a cross stitch pattern
Start from a blank canvas, a photo, or a chart you already have. It's the same four steps in any browser, on Mac, Windows, iPad, or Chromebook — and in the Mac and Windows desktop app if you would rather keep the files on your own machine and work offline.
Start with a canvas
Choose your pattern size. 50×50 for a small motif, 200×200 for something ambitious. Your Aida count determines the finished size.
Draw your design
Pick a color, pick a tool, start placing stitches. The preview shows exactly what you'll export.
Refine the details
Add partial stitches for smoother curves. Run confetti cleanup. Remap symbols until the chart is easy to read.
Export and stitch
Download a PDF with symbols, thread list, and page breaks. Load it into Pattern Keeper or print it.
Start from an idea, a photo, a name, or a chart you already have
From scratch
Open a blank canvas and design stitch by stitch with brush, fill, line, and shape tools. Mirror a motif with symmetry mode, or trace a reference with the image overlay. It's how you create your own cross stitch pattern without drawing a grid by hand. The design-from-scratch guide walks through size, layout, borders, lettering, and colors in order.
From a photo
The photo to cross stitch converter matches colors to real thread by how they look to the eye, not by raw RGB distance, and groups them into blocks you can stitch. On the same photo at default settings, it left 79% fewer confetti stitches than StitchFiddle. Then edit the result with all the same tools.
From a name or a quote
Type a name, date, or quote and the text tool charts it in one of 48 stitch-friendly fonts, straight onto the grid. Use it for alphabet samplers, birth announcements, wedding gifts, and monograms, on its own or layered over any design.
From a chart you already have
Open an OXS, PCStitch PAT, or Pattern Maker XSD file and keep its own colors and names. Resize it, clean up confetti, or remap it to a different thread brand.
Creating a cross stitch pattern is free: every design tool, confetti cleanup, the FLOW Score, PNG export, and a full preview of the PDF, for up to 10 patterns at a time. You pay only to download the printable PDF. You can make your own cross stitch pattern in the browser with autosave, and signing in syncs it across your devices.
Everything you need in a cross stitch design tool
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Brush | Freehand drawing, adjustable size, symmetry modes |
| Fill | Flood fill areas with a single click |
| Line & shape | Rectangles, ellipses, straight lines |
| Text | Names, dates, and alphabets in 48 stitch-friendly fonts |
| Partial stitches | Full cross, half, quarter, and three-quarter stitches for smooth curves and detail |
| Backstitch | Outline stitches for definition, lettering, and fine details |
| Confetti cleanup | One-click removal across the whole pattern, or a brush for selective cleanup. What confetti is |
| Thread brands | 60+ brands, including DMC (489 colors), Anchor (446), and Cosmo (500). Remap the whole palette to another brand in one click |
| Symbols | 397 chart symbols picked for legibility, auto-assigned or chosen per color |
| Selection | Move, copy, rotate, or transform regions |
| Eyedropper | Pick colors from anywhere in your pattern |
| Image overlay | Trace over a reference image with adjustable opacity |
| Progress tracker | Mark stitches as you work, one color at a time, backstitch included. Syncs across devices when you sign in. Free on every pattern |
Undo reaches back 10,000 steps. Made a mistake three hours ago? Still fixable.
Every color you place is a real, buyable thread, and which one it lands on is not a rounding of the RGB value. Matching runs on CIEDE2000, the perceptual distance metric professional color management uses, so a dusty rose matches a dusty rose instead of collapsing into a flat pink — across 60+ brands, where most pattern makers offer four. Check any match yourself in the DMC color matcher, or browse the whole DMC color chart.
Know your pattern is stitchable before you start
The FLOW Score is a 0–100 rating of how enjoyable a pattern will be to stitch. Stitchmate scores every pattern on confetti, how well colors cluster into zones, how practical the palette is, and how easy the chart is to follow. Scores of 85 and up mean smooth stitching. Below 60, expect friction, so fix it before you start.
Cross stitch pattern generator and printable charts
Whatever you call it, chart maker, pattern generator, or cross stitch design software, the output is a print-ready PDF: a symbol chart with 10×10 grid divisions, a thread legend with skein counts, stitch counts, and page tiling so you can stitch row by row without losing your place. Then adjust any of 90+ export settings, down to every text label.
As a free cross stitch pattern generator, it handles color reduction, dithering, and confetti cleanup for you, so a cross stitch generator that starts from a photo still hands you a chart you can stitch. As a cross stitch chart generator, it turns any pattern into a printable symbol chart that loads straight into Pattern Keeper, with full, half, quarter, and three-quarter stitches.
Built for stitchers who design
Hobbyists making personal projects
Turn your ideas into patterns you can actually stitch. No design software experience needed. If you can use a paint program, you can use this.
Pattern sellers on Etsy
Pattern Keeper compatible PDFs, confetti cleanup, and custom symbols, plus brandless PDFs and a commercial license with the Plus Pass. See seller features
Designers switching tools
Keyboard shortcuts, layers, and print-optimized symbol assignment, and it opens your PCStitch PAT, Pattern Maker XSD, and OXS files. A modern interface for people who've outgrown legacy software.
How does Stitchmate compare?
Every cross stitch program has tradeoffs. Here's how the common alternatives compare on price, platform, and pattern size, checked against each tool's own site in September 2026.
| Stitchmate | FlossCross | StitchFiddle | WinStitch / MacStitch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to design; printable PDF $7.99, or $2 each in a 10-pack | Free, including PDF export and commercial use | Free plan; Premium $5.50/month or $33/year, no auto-renewal | £46 one-time (Premium edition) |
| Runs on | Any browser, plus a desktop app | Any browser | Any browser | Windows (WinStitch) or Mac (MacStitch) |
| Largest pattern | 2000×2000 | 300×300 | 300×300 free, 1,000×1,000 Premium | 999×999 |
PCStitch 11 costs $49.95 and runs on Windows only; its free demo can't save your work.
What sets Stitchmate apart:
- ✓Confetti cleanup: automatic across the whole pattern, or brushed onto just the areas you choose
- ✓FLOW Score: a stitchability rating, so you know before you stitch
- ✓Pattern Keeper export: one-click compatible PDFs, no manual setup
- ✓Cross-platform: runs in any browser on Mac, Windows, iPad, or Chromebook
See detailed comparisons with PCStitch, WinStitch, StitchFiddle & FlossCross →
What it costs
- ✓Designing is free — every tool, confetti cleanup, the FLOW Score, PNG export, and a full preview of the PDF, for up to 10 patterns at a time, with no account.
- ✓The printable PDF is $7.99 for one pattern, or $2 each in a 10-pack.
- ✓A Personal Pass is $14.99 for 30 days or $99 once, for life — both unlimited PDFs. A Plus Pass adds a commercial license.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cross stitch pattern maker?
A cross stitch pattern maker is software for designing counted cross stitch charts. You place stitches on a grid, each color is assigned a real thread and a symbol, and the result exports as a printable chart with a thread legend. Stitchmate is one that runs in your browser: free to design, $7.99 for the printable PDF.
How do I make my own cross stitch pattern?
Open the editor, choose a canvas size (50×50 for a small motif, 200×200 for something ambitious), and place stitches with the brush, fill, line, or shape tools. Every color is a real DMC, Anchor, Cosmo, or Madeira thread. Add text or backstitch outlines, run confetti cleanup, then export a printable PDF chart with symbols and a thread list. No download or account is needed to start.
Can I design my own cross stitch pattern without software downloads?
Yes. Stitchmate runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to install. It works on Windows, Mac, iPad, and Chromebook, and your patterns save automatically.
What is cross stitch confetti and how do I remove it?
Confetti refers to scattered single stitches that don't connect to neighboring stitches. Each one means another thread change. Stitchmate's confetti cleanup tool removes them globally with one click, or lets you brush over specific areas to clean up selectively. Learn more in our guide to confetti in cross stitch.
Can I switch thread brands after designing?
Yes. The palette remapping tool converts your entire pattern from one brand to another: DMC to Anchor, Cosmo to Madeira, any combination. The algorithm finds the closest perceptual match for each color.
How do I choose symbols for my pattern?
Stitchmate auto-assigns symbols from a library optimized for print legibility: high contrast, distinct shapes, no confusing lookalikes. You can also manually assign any symbol to any color if you prefer specific marks.
What thread brands are supported?
Can I sell patterns I create?
Yes. Patterns you design are yours to stitch and gift. To sell them, the Plus Pass ($24.99 for 30 days or $149 lifetime) adds a commercial license, brandless PDFs, and your own logo and cover image. See selling patterns with Stitchmate for pricing and license details.
How is this different from converting a photo?
Photo conversion turns an existing image into a pattern. The chart maker lets you design from scratch: draw original artwork, create text samplers, or build geometric designs stitch by stitch. Both tools include confetti cleanup and brand remapping.
Can I make a custom cross stitch pattern from my own photo or a name?
Yes. A custom cross stitch pattern usually starts from something personal: a pet, a house, a wedding photo, or a name and date. Upload the photo to convert it, or type the name in the cross stitch text generator, then edit the result stitch by stitch and pick the threads. You get the same printable chart as a pattern drawn from scratch.
Does it support partial stitches?
Yes. You can place full cross stitches, half stitches, quarter stitches, and three-quarter stitches. Partial stitches are useful for smooth curves, detailed shading, and realistic effects.
Can I make cross stitch letters and alphabet patterns?
Yes. The text tool lets you type names, dates, or short messages and place them on your grid in a stitch-friendly font. Works for samplers, personalized gifts, and labels. For a name or an A–Z alphabet sheet on its own, the free cross stitch text generator does it in one step. Preview all 48 built-in fonts.
Is this cross stitch pattern maker free?
Yes, for designing. Creating and editing patterns, confetti cleanup, thread matching, partial stitches, backstitch, PNG export, and a full preview of the PDF are free for up to 10 patterns at a time, with no account. Downloading the printable PDF costs $7.99 for one pattern, or $20 for a 10-pack ($2 each). A Plus Pass adds a commercial license.
What is a cross stitch chart generator?
A cross stitch chart generator creates printable symbol charts from your design. Stitchmate generates charts with symbols, a color legend with thread codes (DMC, Anchor, Cosmo), stitch counts, and page breaks, ready to load into Pattern Keeper or print at home.
What is the best free cross stitch pattern maker?
It depends on what you need. FlossCross is completely free, including PDF export and commercial use, but caps patterns at 300×300 and offers DMC and Anchor only. StitchFiddle's free plan allows 15 charts up to 300×300 with 50 colors each; Premium ($33 a year, no auto-renewal) adds half stitches, layers, and PDF download. PCStitch is Windows-only, and its free demo can't save. Stitchmate is free for designing and editing up to 10 patterns at a time, at sizes up to 2000×2000, with 60+ floss brands, confetti cleanup, and a FLOW Score, and you pay only for the printable PDF. See the full comparison or read all 12 cross stitch software options compared.
Related Tools
- Photo to Pattern Converter — Turn photos into stitchable patterns
- DMC Color Chart — Browse all DMC thread colors
- Fabric Calculator — Calculate finished size and fabric needed
- Time Calculator — Estimate how long your pattern will take to stitch
Start creating
Open the editor, pick a size, and start placing stitches. See how the tools feel before you commit to anything. Or convert a photo to a pattern for a head start.
Open the pattern makerFree to start. No account required.