crossstitchtool.com

Needlepoint Pattern Maker

This needlepoint pattern maker turns a photo or drawing into a canvas chart for 10, 12, 13, 14 or 18 mesh, with the canvas size to cut, a yarn estimate per color and a true-size print for tracing.

Your photo never leaves your device.

or drop it here · JPG, PNG or WebP
Try a sample:

Pattern settings

Choose a picture or try a sample to see your chart here.

Hover over the chart to see the column, row and floss number.

Private by design: this tool runs entirely in your browser and nothing you type is uploaded. Your photo never leaves your device on any crossstitchtool.com tool.

How to use the needlepoint pattern maker

  1. Choose a picture or try the Sunset or Flower sample. The picture is read on your device and never uploaded.
  2. Pick the canvas mesh and type the width in stitches, inches or centimeters, or choose an ornament size.
  3. Set the margin of bare canvas (2 inches is standard) to get the size of canvas to cut.
  4. Choose your stitch: basketweave, continental or half cross. The yarn estimate updates for each.
  5. Download a standard chart for stitching from, or the actual-size 1:1 chart for tracing onto the canvas.

Choosing needlepoint canvas mesh

Mesh is the number of holes per inch. Lower mesh means bigger stitches, thicker yarn and faster progress; higher mesh holds more detail. As a guide:

MeshGood for130 stitches is
10Rugs, bold pillows, beginners, kids13.0 in
12Large pillows and wall pieces10.8 in
13Most projects: ornaments, belts, pillows10.0 in
14Slightly finer detail with the same yarns9.3 in
18Small pieces, faces, eyeglass cases7.2 in

The finished size is the stitch count divided by the mesh. The cut canvas adds the margin twice: a 130 × 130 design on 13 mesh is 10 × 10 inches, and with 2 inches each side you cut a 14 × 14 inch piece. To compare fabric and finished sizes for cross stitch instead, use the size calculator.

Needlepoint yarn estimate by stitch type

Tent stitches look the same on the front, but they use very different amounts of yarn on the back. Basketweave covers the back in a woven pattern and is the most hard-wearing; continental uses the most yarn and can distort the canvas; half cross uses the least but leaves the back thin. For the 130 × 130 example on 13 mesh with 20% waste, the tool estimates 154 yards for basketweave, 164 for continental and 111 for half cross.

The formula is shown under the chart: the yarn on the front (one diagonal, √2 squares long) plus the yarn on the back (2 squares for basketweave, √5 for continental, 1 for half cross), divided by the mesh, times the stitches and the waste allowance, then rounded up to whole yards for each color. It is an estimate. Thick wool, tight tension and frequent color changes all use more, so treat it as a minimum when buying hand-dyed yarn from a single dye lot.

Printing a needlepoint chart at actual size

Choose "Actual size 1:1" under chart print size to make every square the same size as a canvas hole. Each page shows its columns and rows, a page reference such as A1 or B2, corner crosses and center arrows, so you can tape the pages into one sheet and line them up. Print at 100% with "fit to page" turned off, then measure 10 squares with a ruler before tracing.

The standard chart uses bigger squares with symbols for stitching from by counting, and a page map on the cover shows how the pages fit together. Both include the yarn list with the nearest stranded-cotton color numbers, which you can match to wool or pearl cotton at your shop.

Needlepoint ornaments and small canvases

Ornaments are a favorite first project. Choose a 3, 4 or 5 inch round or square ornament and the design is fitted inside it with a quarter-inch edge: round shapes use the diagonal so the corners do not get cut off. To check other hoops, frames and ornaments for a design you already have, use the hoop size calculator.

Other pattern makers

For cross stitch on Aida, use the cross stitch pattern maker, or the photo to cross stitch page to crop and remove a background first. For text and names, the font generator charts letters square by square, and those charts work on canvas too.

Example results

Pillow on 13 mesh

Flower sample at 130 stitches: 130 × 130, 10 colors, 10 × 10 in finished, cut canvas 14 × 14 in, about 154 yd of yarn in basketweave.

4 in round ornament

Flower sample sized for a 4 in round ornament on 13 mesh: 32 × 32 stitches, 2.5 × 2.5 in, cut canvas 6.5 × 6.5 in, about 18 yd.

4 in square ornament

The same picture for a 4 in square ornament: 45 × 45 stitches, 3.5 × 3.5 in, cut canvas 7.5 × 7.5 in, about 24 yd.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between needlepoint and cross stitch patterns?

Both are charts of colored squares, but needlepoint is stitched on stiff mesh canvas with wool and covers the whole canvas, while cross stitch uses soft Aida with stranded floss and often leaves fabric showing.

Needlepoint charts also count holes per inch (mesh) instead of fabric count, and every stitch is a single diagonal tent stitch rather than an X.

What mesh canvas should I use for a needlepoint pattern?

13 mesh is the usual choice for most designs, including pillows, ornaments and belts. Choose 10 mesh for bold, quick projects and thicker yarn, and 18 mesh for fine detail, small pieces and faces.

The same chart gets smaller as the mesh goes up: 130 stitches is 13 in on 10 mesh, 10 in on 13 mesh and 7.2 in on 18 mesh.

How much yarn do I need for a needlepoint canvas?

Roughly 1 yard of yarn covers 115 to 140 stitches on 13 mesh in basketweave, so a 10 × 10 inch design of 16,900 stitches needs about 150 yards before rounding up per color.

The tool calculates an estimate for each color from the stitch type, mesh and waste allowance. Tension and yarn thickness change it, so buy a little extra for large areas.

How do I transfer a needlepoint pattern onto canvas?

Print the chart at "Actual size 1:1", tape the pages together using the alignment crosses, lay the canvas on top over a light box or window, and trace the color areas with a waterproof marker.

Check one page with a ruler first: 13 squares should measure exactly 1 inch on 13 mesh. If not, turn off "fit to page" in the print dialog.

How much margin should I leave around a needlepoint design?

Leave 2 inches of bare canvas on every side. It gives room for masking tape, stretcher bars or a frame, blocking and finishing into a pillow or ornament.

Small ornaments can get by with 1.5 inches; framed pieces that will be laced over board are easier with 3.

Can I make a needlepoint ornament from a photo?

Yes. Choose a 3, 4 or 5 inch round or square ornament under "Size for an ornament" and the design is sized to fit inside it with a quarter-inch edge.

On 13 mesh, a 4 inch round ornament holds a square design of 32 × 32 stitches and a 4 inch square ornament holds 45 × 45; use 18 mesh for more detail.