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Cross Stitch
Pattern Generator

Cross Stitch Chart Guides

Symbols, keys, color counts, confetti, page overlap and Pattern Keeper: how to read a chart and how to tell a good one.

Beginners

How to Read a Cross Stitch Pattern: Symbols, Keys and Grids

How to read a cross stitch pattern: symbols, the color key, 10×10 grid lines, backstitch, fractional stitches, and how to find the center of your chart.

Read · 9 min
Technique

How Many Colors Should a Photo Pattern Use?

How many colors for a cross stitch pattern? The trade-off between detail, confetti, skeins and time, with starting points by subject and finished size.

Read · 9 min
Technique

Confetti Stitches: Why They Happen and How to Cut Them

What causes the scattered single stitches in photo cross stitch patterns, how to cut them before you convert, and how to stitch the ones that remain.

Read · 13 min