Needlepoint pattern maker
Turn a photo into a needlepoint chart for 13-mesh canvas: every cell is one tent stitch, colored and numbered with DMC thread codes, with a stitch count for each color and the finished size in inches and centimeters.
Updated
or drop or paste an image here. It stays on your device.
Your photo starts at 90 stitches wide (the sample below is 45 × 45); height follows the photo. Up to 150 wide free.
2 to 30 colors free; up to 80 with Pro.
Sample chart: a strawberry, 45 × 45 stitches (3.5 × 3.5 in on 13-mesh canvas) in 17 DMC colors. Every cell is filled, background included, since needlepoint is usually worked edge to edge. Choose a photo to chart your own at 90 stitches wide.
- Grid
- 45 × 45
- Finished size
- 3.5 × 3.5 in (8.8 × 8.8 cm)
- Colors
- 17 DMC
- Stitches
- 2,025
| Symbol | Swatch | DMC | Name | Stitches | Share of yarn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X | Ecru | Ecru | 1,249 | 61.7 % | |
| O | 498 | Red Dark | 212 | 10.5 % | |
| + | 350 | Coral Medium | 132 | 6.5 % | |
| # | 304 | Red Medium | 120 | 5.9 % | |
| @ | 321 | Red | 116 | 5.7 % | |
| % | 700 | Green Bright | 56 | 2.8 % | |
| & | 3047 | Yellow Beige Light | 44 | 2.2 % | |
| = | 347 | Salmon Very Dark | 24 | 1.2 % | |
| S | 523 | Fern Green Light | 20 | 1.0 % | |
| T | 937 | Avocado Green Medium | 20 | 1.0 % | |
| V | 3830 | Terra Cotta | 12 | 0.6 % | |
| Z | 309 | Rose Dark | 5 | 0.2 % | |
| H | 152 | Shell Pink Medium Light | 4 | 0.2 % | |
| N | 224 | Shell Pink Very Light | 4 | 0.2 % | |
| A | 3772 | Desert Sand Very Dark | 3 | 0.1 % | |
| K | 3687 | Mauve | 2 | <0.1 % | |
| M | 829 | Golden Olive Very Dark | 2 | <0.1 % |
Share of yarn is each color's part of all stitches. How much yarn that is depends on your yarn weight and tension: work a 10 × 10 swatch, weigh or measure the yarn it used, and scale by these counts. Thread and bead colors on screen are approximations of the real material.
Free PDF up to 60 × 60 stitches (vector chart with real text symbols, color key and estimates). PNG has no size limit.
Pro, $14 once: PDF at any size with a page map, 31 to 80 colors, symbol-only or color charts, a shopping-list CSV and saved projects.
What this needlepoint pattern maker makes
Needlepoint covers the whole canvas with tent stitches, so every cell of the chart is stitched, background included. The preset uses 13-mesh canvas, a common size for pillows and wall pieces, and the DMC palette for color numbers.
If you stitch in wool, use the DMC numbers as a color guide and match them on your wool card; tapestry wool ranges use their own numbering.
The needlepoint preset
| Grid material | 13-mesh canvas |
|---|---|
| Size of one stitch | 1.95 mm square |
| Stitches per inch | 13 |
| Stitches in 10 × 10 cm | 2,601 |
| Color palette | 489 DMC colors; DMC Mouliné stranded cotton (art. 117) |
| Suggested width | 90 stitches = 17.6 cm (6.9 in) |
| Suggested color limit | 20 colors (free tool: up to 30) |
| Shopping list in the key | stitch count per color (yarn amount depends on your yarn: measure a swatch) |
How big a needlepoint chart comes out
Finished width = stitches × 1.95 mm. The table uses the nominal grid (13-mesh canvas); real pieces vary slightly with the material, your yarn and your tension.
| Width (stitches) | Width (cm) | Width (in) | Square design: stitches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 needlepoint stitches | 12.7 | 5.0 | 4,225 |
| 100 needlepoint stitches | 19.5 | 7.7 | 10,000 |
| 130 needlepoint stitches | 25.4 | 10.0 | 16,900 |
| 195 needlepoint stitches | 38.1 | 15.0 | 38,025 |
The same 100-stitch design on other mesh sizes
The chart counts stitches, so the mesh decides the finished size. A 100-stitch-wide design measures:
| Mesh | Width (in) | Width (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| 10-mesh canvas | 10.0 in | 25.4 cm |
| 12-mesh canvas | 8.3 in | 21.2 cm |
| 13-mesh canvas | 7.7 in | 19.5 cm |
| 14-mesh canvas | 7.1 in | 18.1 cm |
| 18-mesh canvas | 5.6 in | 14.1 cm |
How to read a needlepoint chart
Each square is one stitch over one canvas intersection. Count holes, not threads: a 13-mesh canvas has 13 holes per inch in each direction.
Most stitchers work the design first and the background last, in basketweave for large areas because it distorts the canvas less than continental tent stitch.
Materials for needlepoint charts
- 13-mesh mono or interlock canvas, cut with at least 5 cm (2 in) of margin on every side.
- Thread or yarn for each color in the key; DMC numbers are given, wool users match by eye.
- A tapestry needle sized for 13-mesh, a frame or stretcher bars, and masking tape for the canvas edges.
- A waterproof marker if you prefer to ink the design on the canvas before stitching.
Make a needlepoint chart from a photo
-
Choose the photo
Pick an image with a clear subject. Plain backgrounds are easier to fill.
-
Set the width in stitches
The finished size updates for 13 stitches per inch; leave extra canvas for blocking.
-
Limit the colors
Twenty colors covers most pillow-sized photos; fewer for graphic designs.
-
Stitch the design, then the background
Work the motif in tent stitch from the chart, then fill the background in basketweave.
-
Block the canvas
Dampen, pin square and let it dry; needlepoint often pulls out of square while stitching.
Tips for needlepoint charts
- Basketweave for large areas keeps the canvas square; continental is fine for outlines and single rows.
- Wool covers 13-mesh canvas better than a single strand of cotton. Test a small patch to choose the number of strands.
- Thread amount depends on the yarn and the stitch, so the key gives stitch counts per color; stitch one square inch of a color, note how much it used, and multiply.
- Leave a generous margin; mounting a pillow or framing needs bare canvas to grip.
DMC color pages
Each page lists the color's hex value and its nearest equivalents in other brands by CIEDE2000.
Common DMC colors
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a needlepoint pattern from a photo?
Yes. Upload the photo, choose the width in stitches and the number of colors, and the tool makes a chart for 13-mesh canvas with DMC numbers and a stitch count per color.
What does 13-mesh canvas mean?
It has 13 holes per inch in each direction, so one inch of design holds 13 stitches. A 130-stitch design is 10 inches wide before blocking.
Can I use wool instead of DMC cotton?
Yes. The DMC numbers describe the colors; match them on your wool brand color card. Yarn amounts depend on the wool, so measure a test square.
How big is a 130-stitch needlepoint chart?
130 stitches at 1.95 mm each come out 25.4 cm (10.0 in) wide. A square design that size has 130 rows and 16,900 stitches.