Cross-stitch size & printing guide.

Aida count tells you how many full stitches fit in one inch. Higher counts make the same pattern smaller.

From stitches to centimeters

Pattern width = stitches ÷ fabric count × 2.54 cm. A 100-stitch-wide pattern on 14-count Aida is approximately 18.1 cm wide. This is the stitched area; add your own margins for handling and framing.

Keep the subject simple

Start with a clear subject and good contrast. Crop away distractions before generating. Compare the three color limits, then inspect the eyes, edges and small details at a higher zoom.

Read the symbols

Each material color has its own symbol. White is a real material. An empty square has no material and does not count as a stitch. Use the color key and page coordinates to follow the chart.

Print for readability

The PDF chart is enlarged for reading and may span multiple pages. Its square size is not the size of your Aida holes. Match global row and column coordinates when assembling the chart. Counts are stitches, not thread lengths or skeins.

The cat, as a cross-stitch pattern

This original AI illustration is converted with the same local algorithm as your own image. This is the saved Balanced example with a limit of 16 colors. It is a pattern preview, not a photograph of a finished craft.

Original orange-and-white cat illustration on a transparent background — Source illustration · Original PNG

Converted cat cross-stitch grid: 100 by 100 cells, 9 colors — Actual conversion · 100 × 100 stitches

5,226 full stitches in 9 colors. On 14-count Aida, the design area is 18.14 × 18.14 cm before fabric margins.

Download the cross-stitch sample PDF

Read each PDF symbol against the color key. The chart is enlarged for reading; its printed squares do not determine the fabric size. Follow global row and column coordinates across pages. White cells contain material; blank cells do not. These demonstration colors are not brand codes. Physical materials, printing and board fit have not been validated.

View the sample color quantities

Generic demonstration materials · counts are stitches, not purchase quantities
Symbol	Demo color	Count
A	WhiteDEMO-01	1,513
B	IvoryDEMO-02	95
C	SandDEMO-03	71
E	CaramelDEMO-05	222
G	Dark brownDEMO-07	190
H	BlackDEMO-08	1,268
I	CharcoalDEMO-09	74
K	SilverDEMO-11	90
R	OrangeDEMO-18	1,703

Save the JSON project as well as the PDF. It contains your source image, applied settings, material snapshot and editable pattern.