Cross Stitch Chart Maker | Free Printable Pattern Designer

Free online chart maker

Design cross stitch patterns that are yours alone

A full-featured pattern editor in your browser. Draw, fill, clean up confetti, match to DMC threads—then export a professional PDF ready for stitching or selling.

Start designing

Free. No account required.

Full, half & quarter stitches

DMC, Anchor, Cosmo matching

Pattern Keeper compatible

Most pattern software feels like it was built in 2005

Clunky desktop apps that crash. Steep learning curves. Export formats that don't work with Pattern Keeper. Confetti scattered everywhere with no way to clean it up. And subscription fees for features you'll use twice.

You want to design a pattern, not fight with software.

A chart maker that gets out of your way

StitchMate runs in your browser—no download, no installation. The tools work the way you'd expect. And everything auto-saves, so you never lose work.

Draw naturally

Brush, fill, line, and shape tools. Symmetry modes for mirrored designs. Undo anything—unlimited history, even after you close the browser.

Clean up confetti instantly

The confetti removal tool eliminates scattered single stitches—globally with one click, or precisely with a brush mask. No more tedious manual cleanup.

Real thread colors, your choice of brand

Every color maps to DMC, Anchor, Cosmo, or Madeira threads. Switch brands with one click—the palette remaps automatically.

Professional PDF export

Symbol charts with a print-optimized symbol library designed for legibility. Color keys, thread counts, page breaks—all handled automatically. Pattern Keeper compatible.

From simple samplers to full-coverage designs

Original artwork

Draw pixel-by-pixel or use shapes to build geometric designs. The grid snaps everything into place.

Text and quotes

Add text with the built-in text tool. Customize size and placement. Perfect for birth announcements, wedding samplers, or subversive stitching.

Pattern modifications

Import an existing pattern (PDF or image) and edit it. Change colors, resize, clean up confetti, remap to a different thread brand—make it yours.

Designs for selling

Export clean PDFs with professional formatting. Choose your own symbols for each color, or let the auto-assign pick from a library optimized for printing clarity.

How to make a cross stitch pattern

Start with a canvas

Choose your pattern size. 50×50 for a small motif, 200×200 for something ambitious.

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.

Everything you need to design patterns

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	Add letters and words to your design
Partial stitches	Half, quarter, and three-quarter stitches for detail
Confetti cleanup	Remove scattered stitches globally or paint over problem areas
Selection	Move, copy, rotate, or transform regions
Eyedropper	Pick colors from anywhere in your pattern

All tools include unlimited undo. Make a mistake three hours ago? Still fixable.

Your threads, your symbols, your way

Remap thread brands instantly

Designed with DMC but your shop only stocks Anchor? One click remaps your entire palette to the closest matches in any supported brand. Compare color accuracy before you commit.

Choose symbols that print clearly

The symbol library is optimized for legibility—no squinting at nearly-identical marks. Auto-assign symbols based on contrast and distinctiveness, or manually pick the exact symbol for each color.

Built for stitchers who design

Hobbyists creating 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

Professional PDF output with Pattern Keeper compatibility. Confetti cleanup, brand remapping, custom symbols—everything you need to ship polished patterns faster.

Experienced designers switching tools

Keyboard shortcuts, layer support, precise color control, print-optimized symbol assignment. A modern interface for people who've outgrown legacy software.

How StitchMate compares

Feature	StitchMate	PCStitch	Stitch Fiddle
Platform	Browser (any device)	Windows only	Browser
Confetti cleanup	Global + brush mask	Manual only	Limited
Thread brand remapping	One-click	Manual	Per-color only
Symbol customization	Full library, print-optimized	Basic	Limited
Pattern Keeper export	One-click	Requires workarounds	Limited
Partial stitches	Full support	Yes	Basic
Price	Free tier + one-time Pro	$50-80	€24/year
Last updated	2025	2016	Active

Every tool has tradeoffs. PCStitch has deep features; Stitch Fiddle is affordable. StitchMate focuses on modern workflow, confetti reduction, and export quality.

Frequently asked questions

Start with a blank canvas, choose your size, and draw using the brush, fill, or shape tools. Every stitch you place maps to a real thread color. When you're done, export as a printable PDF with symbols and a complete thread list—ready to print at home or send to a print shop.

Yes. StitchMate runs entirely in your browser—no installation needed. Works on Windows, Mac, iPad, or Chromebook. Your patterns save automatically.

Confetti refers to scattered single stitches that don't connect to neighboring stitches—tedious to stitch and frustrating to work. StitchMate's confetti cleanup tool removes them globally with one click, or lets you brush over specific areas to clean up selectively.

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.

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.

DMC, Anchor, Madeira, and Cosmo. Every color in your pattern maps to a real thread code. The PDF export includes a complete thread list with quantities.

Yes. Patterns you design are yours. The Pro tier removes watermarks and unlocks larger canvas sizes—everything you need for professional pattern sales.

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 pixel by pixel. Both tools include confetti cleanup and brand remapping.

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.

Yes. StitchMate is a free online pattern generator that runs in your browser. Create patterns up to 150×150 stitches with the free tier—no account or download required.

Cross Stitch Chart Maker — Design Your Own Patterns Online