Cross-stitch pattern guides
How to turn photos of pets, people and places into cross-stitch patterns, and how to choose the size, fabric and colours.
- Turn a photo of your dog into a cross-stitch pattern
How to choose a dog photo that stitches well, what size and how many colours to use, and how to get a printable pattern with DMC thread numbers.
- Turn a photo of your cat into a cross-stitch pattern
Cats are harder to stitch than they look. How to choose the photo, handle tabby stripes and white fur, and pick the size and colours.
- A pet memorial cross-stitch from your own photo
How to make a memorial cross-stitch of a pet that has died, from the photo you love most, with tips for older or less sharp photos.
- Turn a wedding photo into a cross-stitch pattern
How to choose a wedding photo that works as cross-stitch, why size matters for faces, and how to plan a pattern as an anniversary gift.
- A cross-stitch pattern from a baby photo
How to make a birth keepsake cross-stitch from a baby photo: choosing the photo, soft colours, size, and space for name and birth details.
- A family portrait cross-stitch from your photo
Group photos are the hardest to stitch. How to crop, how wide to go, and when to choose one person instead of the whole group.
- Turn a photo of a house into a cross-stitch pattern
A first home, a family house or a wedding venue as cross-stitch. Which angle to photograph, how to handle sky and windows, and the size to choose.
- Which photos make good cross-stitch patterns?
What makes a photo work as cross-stitch: subject size, contrast, background and light. A checklist to use before you upload.
- How big will my cross-stitch be?
Finished size = stitches divided by fabric count. A table for 14, 16, 18 and 22-count fabric, and how much fabric to cut for framing.
- 14, 16 or 18-count Aida: which should you use?
What Aida count means, how it changes the size and look of the same pattern, and which count suits beginners and photo patterns.
- How many colours should a photo pattern have?
More colours mean more detail, but more thread to buy and more colour changes. How to choose between 6 and 18 colours for a photo pattern.
- How your photo's colours become DMC thread numbers
How a pattern maker picks DMC colours from a photo, why matches are close rather than exact, and how to check colours before buying thread.