Needlepoint Pattern Maker
Create custom needlepoint charts from scratch or convert any photo. Tent stitch on 10-28 mesh canvas, color-coded symbols, stitch counts per thread, and printable PDF export. Free to design in your browser; the PDF is $7.99.
Everything you need to design needlepoint charts
Pattern creation tools adapted for needlepoint canvas. Tent stitches render as a single diagonal per cell, just like the finished piece.
Tent Stitch Rendering
Cells render as a single continental diagonal — the actual stitch shape, not an X. Switch crafts at any time.
Canvas Mesh Sizes
From coarse 10-mesh rug canvas to fine 28-mesh — pick the mesh count and finished size in one place.
DMC Color Matching
Every color maps to real DMC codes. Switch between DMC, Anchor, Cosmo, and Madeira with one click.
Stitch Count Legend
PDF export includes exact stitch counts per color, plus skein and hank estimates for cotton, wool, and silk.
FLOW Score Analysis
Measure pattern quality before you stitch. Optimize for fewer thread changes and smoother flow across the canvas.
Printable PDF Charts
Export multi-page PDF charts with symbols, color legend, stitch counts, and page navigation guides.
Progress Tracker
Press F and the chart becomes a checklist: mark stitches as you work, highlight one color, and see how many evenings are left. Free, on any device, and it syncs across devices.
How to make a needlepoint chart
Choose Needlepoint and a mesh count
Pick the craft, then the canvas: mesh count is canvas threads per inch, so it decides the finished size before you draw anything. The measurement updates live as you change the stitch dimensions.
Draw with tent stitches
Brush, fill, line, shape, and gradient tools all place tent stitches. The toolbar offers continental and reverse direction, plus petite point for quarter-cell detail.
Add outlines and embellishments
Canvaswork uses backstitch outlines, French knots, and beads freely, and all three are available on needlepoint charts — not just cross stitch ones.
Export a printable chart
PDF export gives you symbol charts, a thread legend with stitch counts and skein estimates, and page navigation for working across a large canvas.
How needlepoint charts differ from cross stitch charts
The two crafts share a grid and a symbol system, which is why one editor can do both. What changes is the stitch, the ground, and how much of it you cover.
| Needlepoint | Cross stitch | |
|---|---|---|
| Stitch | Tent — one diagonal per hole | Full cross — two diagonals per square |
| Ground | Canvas, sized by mesh count | Aida or evenweave, sized by fabric count |
| Coverage | Every hole worked — the ground disappears | Fabric shows through as part of the design |
| Fine detail | Petite point — four stitches per intersection | Quarter and three-quarter stitches |
| Thread | Wool, silk, or cotton, matched to mesh | Stranded cotton, 1–6 strands |
Because the underlying grid is the same, you can switch an existing chart between the two crafts from Pattern Information and lose nothing. The needlepoint vs cross stitch guide goes into the differences in more depth, and the thread guide covers picking wool or silk for your mesh. Starting from a printed cross stitch chart instead? The cross stitch patterns for needlepoint guide covers the whole-stitch rule and Aida-to-mesh sizing. New to the craft entirely? Start with the how to needlepoint guide , then the needlepoint stitches guide for what to work beyond tent stitch and the canvas types guide for choosing mono, interlock, or Penelope canvas. Putting a name or monogram on the canvas? The needlepoint lettering guide covers letter height in mesh rows. Prefer stitching from paint instead of counting? You can paint your own canvas from a chart you design here. And if you're weighing your options, the needlepoint chart software review compares Stitchmate with seven other programs on wool support, tent stitch rendering, and mesh sizing.
Free needlepoint tools
Sizing a canvas? The canvas calculator turns stitch counts into finished inches at 10 to 18 mesh, with the margin you need for stretcher bars. Buying wool? The wool calculator works out skeins per color from your stitch count and mesh. Picking colors? The Appleton wool chart covers all 430 crewel and tapestry shades, and the Appleton ↔ DMC conversion matches a wool shade to floss and back when the chart you have is written in the other fiber. Starting from a photograph instead of a blank canvas? Use the photo to needlepoint converter . Would you rather receive a finished canvas than stitch from a chart alone? See our plans for a custom needlepoint kit from your photo , and tell us if you'd order one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a custom needlepoint chart?
Choose 'Needlepoint' when creating a new pattern, pick your canvas mesh size (10, 13, 14, 18, etc.), then use the drawing tools to place tent stitches. Export as a printable PDF chart when done.
What canvas mesh sizes are supported?
Stitchmate supports 10, 12, 13, 14, 18, 22, 24, and 28 mesh canvases. Mesh count is the number of canvas threads per inch (so 13 mesh works out to 13 tent stitches per inch), and 13 and 18 mesh are the most common.
Can I convert a cross stitch pattern to needlepoint?
Yes. Open the pattern, change the craft type to Needlepoint in Pattern Information, and save. Nothing is lost — backstitch outlines, French knots, and beads all carry over, and full cross stitches render as tent stitches automatically. Quarter and three-quarter stitches convert to tent, in a single undoable step.
Does the PDF export include a thread legend?
Yes. The PDF export includes color-coded symbol charts, a thread color legend with stitch counts per color, skein/hank estimates, and page navigation guides.
Can I use it to design a tapestry chart?
Yes. In the UK, needlepoint is usually called tapestry, so a tapestry chart and a needlepoint chart are the same thing: tent stitches on canvas, one square per stitch. Pick your canvas mesh (holes per inch), design or convert a photo, and the PDF lists wool or stranded cotton for every color, with Appleton tapestry and crewel wool shades available.
Is this needlepoint pattern maker free?
Yes. Stitchmate is a free online pattern maker that runs in your browser. Create patterns, edit designs, and export PNG previews for free. You only pay when you download the printable PDF: $7.99 for one pattern, with packs and passes for more.
Start designing your needlepoint chart
Open the editor and start placing tent stitches. No account required.