Text Tool

Basics

Text in cross-stitch is all about readability. The Text Tool lets you add lettering to your pattern with a live preview, then convert it into stitches when you're happy.

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Use it for:

• Names and dates.
• Small labels ("Home", "2026", initials).
• Simple titles on sampler-style patterns.

Text starts as a preview and becomes real stitches only when you place it. Tiny text can turn into mush fast — bigger is usually better.

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Quick start

1. Press T to switch to Text.
2. Choose a color.
3. Type your text in the sidebar.
4. Pick a font and size.
5. Click to place (or Escape to clear).

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Typing text

Type in the sidebar text area to set your text. As you type, a live preview appears on the canvas showing exactly how it'll look as stitches.

The preview follows your mouse cursor. Move the mouse to position it where you want.

• Backspace — delete the last character.
• Escape — clear the text input.

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Choosing a font

Two kinds of fonts, each with a sweet spot:

Pixel fonts — designed specifically for stitch grids. Each letter is a hand-crafted pixel pattern that maps perfectly to stitches. Best for small text.

Smooth fonts — regular fonts converted to the stitch grid. They look smoother but can have softer edges at small sizes. Best for larger text.

Switch fonts with the toolbar dropdown, or press > / < (period / comma) to cycle through the list and preview each one instantly.

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Pro tip: Pixel fonts are the way to go for small text (under 3 stitches tall). Smooth fonts shine at larger sizes where there are enough stitches to render curves properly.

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Font size

Pixel fonts: Size is a multiplier from 1 to 5. Size 1 = each dot in the letter maps to one stitch. Size 3 = each dot becomes a 3×3 block. Default: 1.

Smooth fonts: Size ranges from 8 to 72. Larger sizes produce more detailed letters with smoother curves. Default: 16.

Press W to increase size, S to decrease.

Rule of thumb:

• Small (pixel font size 1–2): initials, tiny labels.
• Medium (pixel font size 3, or smooth font 16–24): names and dates — usually safe.
• Large (pixel font size 4–5, or smooth font 30+): big titles, always readable.

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Bold & italic

Smooth fonts only. Pixel fonts have fixed letter shapes and don't support bold/italic.

• Cmd/Ctrl+B — Toggle bold.
• Cmd/Ctrl+I — Toggle italic.

Both can be combined. The preview updates immediately.

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Edge sharpness

Smooth fonts only. The Threshold slider (0–1, default 0.5) controls how crisp the letter edges are when converted to stitches.

• Lower values (0.2–0.4) — thicker, softer letters. More stitches are filled.
• Higher values (0.6–0.8) — thinner, sharper letters. Fewer stitches are filled.
• 0.5 — balanced default.

If your text looks fuzzy, try raising the threshold. If letters are too thin and breaking apart, lower it.

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Placing text

Desktop:

1. Move the mouse to position the text preview on the canvas.
2. Click to place. Stitches are painted in your active color.
3. The cursor advances rightward by the text width, ready for the next placement.

Mobile:

1. A draggable overlay shows the text preview.
2. Drag to position.
3. Tap Confirm to place.

Each placement is one Undo step. Click in different positions to place multiple copies.

Alt+Click activates the eyedropper to pick a color without switching tools.

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Common uses

• Add initials and a date in a corner — small pixel font, neat and traditional.
• Label parts while designing ("Top", "Bottom", "Section A") on a temporary layer, then hide it before export.
• Test text placement on a separate layer — flatten when you're sure.
• Outline text with Backstitch if it sits on a noisy background.
• Sampler-style title — larger smooth font, centered at the top.

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Dithering & eraser

Text supports the same dithering and eraser modes as the Brush:

• Single-color dithering — Text is placed with a scattered density, creating a textured fill effect.
• Two-color dithering — Stitches are split between primary and secondary colors.
• Eraser mode — Right-click or the global eraser toggle. Places the text shape as empty stitches instead of filled ones.

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Tips & gotchas

• Bigger is better. If you're squinting on screen, it'll be worse when stitched. Bump the size up.
• Thin fonts break at small sizes. Choose chunkier fonts (PixelSans, bold Helvetica) for small text.
• Busy backgrounds kill readability. Put text on a solid filled shape or use Backstitch outlines to make letters pop.
• Text becomes normal stitches after placing. There's no "live text" editing — to change it, Undo and retype.
• W / S for size is fast. No need to click the size input — just tap the keys.
• > / < to cycle fonts. Quickly preview how your text looks in different fonts without opening the dropdown.
• Edge sharpness takes experimenting. The ideal setting depends on the font, size, and what looks good to you. Try a few values.
• Use a separate layer for text experiments. Flatten when you're happy.
• Works with selection. If you have an active selection, text only appears within the selected area.
• Undo is your friend. If the placement is off, Cmd/Ctrl+Z and try again. Each placement is one step.