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How to Make Your Own Free Embroidery Pattern (and Download Others for Free)

Stitchboard Free Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

Free cross-stitch pattern created using design found in The Pattern Library.

If you've taken up cross-stitching, knitting, crocheting, or beading, you've probably worked off other patterns, and there will surely come a time when you wish you could design your own. Maybe you want to transform your puppy's photo into a masterpiece or are looking for contemporary designs that you can't seem to find online. That's where Stitchboard comes in handy. Their free cross-stitch pattern maker is a great free resource.

So how does it work? Just upload any image, whether a photograph, geometric pattern, or even text, select the type of craft you are creating—either cross-stitch, knitting, crocheting, or beading—and set your options. The pattern wizard can match the colors in the file to the most commonly used yarns and embroidery threads or you can select your own colors. If you sign up as a member—which is free—you also can access different settings to refine your image and select the final pattern size.

When you're done, you can download a PDF of your pattern for printing and, if you'd like, upload it to Stitchboard's community to share with other crafters. In fact, with over 2.5 million patterns created using the free pattern wizard, there's a huge selection of free patterns available for download. So even if you don't have an inspiring image you want to get started on, you can browse and download submitted patterns.

Stitchboard's free cross-stitch pattern maker is a powerful tool that helps unleash your creativity.

Stitchboard Free Cross Stitch Pattern Maker

Leather Nanuck by Claudio Guglieri via Free Pattern Library

The lead cross-stitch pattern was created using a section of Claudio Guglieri's Leather Nanuck design found on The Free Pattern Library. By cropping the image and selecting the embroidery thread colors on hand, it's possible to transform a virtual pattern into a crafting masterpiece.

You can transform any image, even one of your puppy, into a cross-stitch, knitting, or crocheting pattern—for free!

free pattern maker crotchet free knitting patterns

Or you can get playful by downloading a free font and merging graffiti lettering with crafting.

online pattern maker cross stitchStitchboard Free Cross Stitch Pattern MakerStitchboard: Website | Facebook

All images via Jessica Stewart/My Modern Met except where noted.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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