How to read a cross-stitch chart
Short answer: each square on the chart is one cross stitch. The symbol in it tells you which thread to use, by looking it up in the key. Bold grid lines every 10 squares help you count.
The parts of a chart
- Squares: one square is one stitch on the fabric.
- Symbols: each colour has its own symbol, so you can tell colours apart even in black and white.
- The key: lists each symbol with its DMC number, colour name and how many stitches use it.
- Grid lines: a bold line every 10 squares, so you count in tens instead of single squares.
Charts over several pages
Large patterns are split across pages. In a PatternMyPhoto PDF, each page says which columns and rows it covers, for example "columns 1 to 60, rows 1 to 80", so you know where it fits in the whole picture.
Tips
- Mark off finished areas on a printed copy with a pencil or highlighter.
- Count from the nearest bold line, not from the edge of the page.
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Questions people ask
What do the symbols on a cross-stitch chart mean?
Each symbol stands for one thread colour. The key tells you which DMC thread it is.
Why are some grid lines thicker?
They mark every 10 stitches, to make counting easier.
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