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Open OXS files online

Drop an .oxs file to preview your pattern and check its quality score — free, on any device. The printable PDF chart is what you pay for.

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Drop an .oxs file above to instantly preview your pattern. The tool reads the full grid, thread palette, backstitches, and French knots — then lets you analyze the pattern quality, remap thread brands, and re-download the result as OXS. The printable PDF chart is what you pay for.

What you get

  • Realistic stitch preview — see your pattern with lifelike thread textures. Pan and zoom to inspect details.
  • FLOW quality score — an instant breakdown of how practical your pattern is to stitch, rated across four metrics: fragmentation, color clustering, palette efficiency, and workability.
  • ConfettiScope overlay — a heat map that highlights where confetti stitches concentrate. See at a glance which areas will slow you down.
  • Thread brand remapping — switch your entire palette to any of 60+ supported thread brands with perceptual color matching.
  • Full color legend — every thread with codes, color names, and stitch counts.
  • Pattern info — dimensions, fabric count, and stitch breakdown.
  • PDF export (paid) — a print-ready PDF with symbol chart, color legend, and thread list. Compatible with Pattern Keeper. It's the one paid step here: $7.99 for one pattern, no expiry. Everything else on this page is free.
  • Open in editor — load the pattern into Stitchmate's full editor to clean up confetti, modify stitches, or redesign the palette.

Analyze patterns your software can’t

MacStitch and WinStitch are solid editors, but they don't tell you how a pattern will feel to stitch. Drop an OXS file here to see what they don't show you. (See how Stitchmate compares to WinStitch.)

Pattern quality, measured. The FLOW Score rates your pattern across four dimensions — fragmentation, locality, optimization, and workability. A pattern can look beautiful and score poorly because it's dense with scattered single stitches you'll spend weeks fighting.

Confetti, visualized. The ConfettiScope overlays a heat map on your pattern. Red zones are confetti hotspots. Green zones flow smoothly. You'll know instantly whether a pattern is a relaxing stitch or a frustrating one.

Any thread brand, one click. Remap the entire palette to any of 60+ brands — matched by perceptual color distance, not just closest numbers.

How it works

  1. Drop your file — the .oxs file is parsed in your browser to extract the grid, palette, backstitches, and French knots.
  2. Preview and analyze — the pattern renders with realistic thread textures and the FLOW Score calculates automatically. Toggle the ConfettiScope overlay to see confetti distribution.
  3. Adjust — remap thread brands to any of 60+ supported brands.
  4. Export — download OXS free, get a print-ready PDF with symbol chart and legend for $7.99, or open the pattern in Stitchmate's full editor for deeper edits.

Everything runs locally. Your files stay on your device.

Also supported: PCStitch .pat files · Pattern Maker .xsd files

FAQ

What is an OXS file?
OXS (Open XML Stitch) is an open cross stitch file format created by Ursa Software. It's supported by MacStitch, WinStitch, Cross Stitch Pro, and other programs. OXS files store the full pattern grid, thread palette, backstitches, French knots, and metadata in a human-readable XML format.
Why open an OXS file here if I already have MacStitch or WinStitch?
This tool shows you things those programs don't — a FLOW quality score that rates how practical the pattern is to stitch, a confetti heat map that highlights problem areas, and one-click thread brand remapping across 60+ brands. It's a quick way to analyze any pattern before committing to it.
Can I export to PDF?
Yes, and it's the one paid step here. Export a print-ready PDF with symbol chart, color legend, and thread list — compatible with Pattern Keeper. Opening, analyzing and downloading OXS stay free.
What is the FLOW Score?
FLOW stands for Fragmentation, Locality, Optimization, and Workability — four metrics that measure how practical a pattern is to actually stitch. A high FLOW Score means fewer confetti stitches, better color clustering, an efficient palette, and a manageable difficulty level.
What is confetti in cross stitch?
Confetti refers to isolated single stitches scattered across the pattern — stitches surrounded by different colors on all sides. They require constant thread changes and slow you down significantly. The ConfettiScope overlay highlights exactly where confetti concentrates.
Can I switch my pattern to a different thread brand?
Yes. Remap your entire palette to any of 60+ supported thread brands using perceptual color matching. You'll see the remapped colors instantly in the preview.
What stitch types are preserved?
Full crosses, half stitches, quarter stitches, three-quarter stitches, backstitches, and French knots — all preserved with correct orientation and color mapping.
Can I edit the pattern after opening it?
Yes — click Open in Stitchmate to load the pattern into the full editor, where you can modify stitches, clean up confetti, add text, and re-export. Editing is free; you only pay when you download the printable PDF.
Is there a file size limit?
No hard limit. Since everything runs in your browser, very large patterns may take a few extra seconds to load.