Embroidery & Charts

Choosing an embroidery chart: what the numbers don’t always tell you

An embroidery chart is a grid. Each square corresponds to a stitch, each symbol to a thread colour. On paper, it’s simple. In practice, the 205 designs in this category range in complexity from an 8-colour floral motif that can be completed in an evening to a composition of 14,000 stitches requiring several months’ work. Understanding these criteria before you choose will help you avoid giving up halfway through.

The first decisive factor is the density of the grid. A diagram designed for 14 threads per cm Aida canvas (the most common standard) produces stitches measuring 1.8 mm. On 18 threads per cm fabric, the same design shrinks by a third; the details are finer, but the time required increases by around 60 per cent for the same surface area. Diagrams in this category always specify the recommended fabric: check this before buying.

The second factor is the number of colours. A design using 6 to 12 DMC colours remains manageable even for an intermediate level. With more than 30 colours, you need to know how to organise your threads (numbered, stored in sachets or on a board), manage frequent colour changes and read a complex colour chart without making mistakes. It’s not a question of talent, it’s a question of organisation.

Cross-stitch charts versus freehand embroidery: two different approaches

Cross-stitch charts follow a strict grid. The work is predictable, reproducible and suited to those who like to work square by square with a guaranteed result. This applies to the vast majority of designs here.

Free-style embroidery patterns (backstitch, chain stitch, satin stitch) work differently: the grid indicates the outlines, but it is up to the embroiderer to decide how to fill them in. The final result depends more on the embroiderer’s touch. These designs are suitable for those who already have a basic understanding of embroidery accessories and who are looking to develop their own style rather than reproduce a design exactly.

Available formats: PDF or complete kit including diagram

This category offers two types of product. The diagrams alone (in printable PDF format or as a paper booklet) provide the pattern, a list of DMC or Anchor threads with their numbers, the final dimensions and set-up instructions. You then purchase your threads and canvas separately, often using the canvas accessories suitable for your project.

The kits with included charts provide everything in one: pre-printed or blank canvas, pre-measured threads, a needle and instructions. For a first project or a gift, this is the simplest option. For someone who embroiders regularly and already has their own threads, buying just the chart is often 30 to 50 per cent cheaper.

If you’re looking for designs suitable for children aged 7 to 12, the Children’s Kits feature simplified patterns with fewer than 8 colours and stitches of at least 2 mm, making the work quicker and less daunting for beginners.

Themes and styles: what’s really in vogue in 2024–2026

Botanical designs (wildflowers, herbariums, branches) have dominated sales since 2022. Next come stylised animals (foxes, birds, cats in graphic styles), Nordic landscapes and decorative alphabets. The ‘vintage redwork’ style has seen a marked resurgence since 2024, with monochrome red embroidery on a white background highly sought-after for interior decoration.

Large-scale patterns, intended to be framed or mounted on embroidery cushions, typically range in finished size from 30×40 cm to 50×60 cm. At 14 threads per cm, a 30×40 cm piece represents around 36,000 stitches: allow 80 to 120 hours’ work for a regular embroiderer.

Reading a chart without making mistakes: the most common errors

The classic mistake is to start right in the middle of the fabric without first locating the centre of the chart. Any chart worth its salt indicates the centre with arrows or a cross. Starting there ensures that the design is correctly centred, whatever the size of your fabric.

The second common mistake is ignoring the direction of the stitches. A cross stitch consists of two half-stitches. The basic rule is that all upper half-stitches should run in the same direction (left-to-right or right-to-left) throughout the piece. If you change direction partway through, the light won’t reflect off the thread in the same way and the result will look uneven, even if the colours are correct.

For projects on canvas using half-stitches or large stitches, the rules differ: the direction of the stitch varies depending on the technique (diagonal, horizontal) and the intended finish.

Comparison table: which level for which diagram

• Beginner: design measuring 5 to 10 cm on 14 threads per cm, 6 to 10 colours, full cross-stitches only, no half-stitches or fractional stitches
• Intermediate: design measuring 15 to 25 cm, up to 25 colours, quarter stitches permitted, reading multiple symbols in a single square
• Advanced: large composition (35 cm and over), 30 colours or more, colour gradients achieved by blending (2 threads of different colours on the same needle), special stitches (stem stitch, knot stitch)

How do you calculate the final size of a chart before buying it?

Divide the number of stitches across by the number of threads per centimetre of your fabric. A chart 140 stitches wide on 14 threads per cm fabric will result in a finished design measuring 10 cm. On 11 threads per cm fabric, the same chart will measure 12.7 cm. The product description always states the recommended size, but this calculation allows you to adapt it to the fabric you already have.

Can a cross-stitch chart be enlarged or reduced?

Yes, by changing the thread count of the fabric. The same chart on 18 threads per cm fabric will be smaller and finer than on 11 threads per cm fabric. This isn’t a matter of photocopying: the grid remains the same; only the physical size of the stitches changes. Some software programmes (PC Stitch, StitchFiddle) also allow you to automatically recalculate the pattern for a given fabric.

What is the difference between a DMC chart and an Anchor chart?

DMC and Anchor are two brands of thread whose colour numbers do not correspond. A chart designed for DMC 321 (red) is not interchangeable with Anchor 47 without a conversion table, and even with conversion, the shades are not strictly identical. Most charts in this category are referenced in DMC; if you are working with Anchor, a free conversion chart is available on both official websites.

Can PDF charts be printed in several parts for large projects?

Yes. Large PDF charts are usually provided as A4 pages that can be assembled (in a ‘tiled’ format). Each page represents a section of the grid with alignment marks. Print on ordinary white paper, tape the pages together on the reverse side, and you’ll have a complete grid to place next to your work. For projects larger than 200×200 stitches, this method is more practical than using a screen.

Completed embroidery pieces can be mounted in various ways depending on their intended use. Designs measuring 10 to 20 cm are well suited to framing under glass or for insertion into objects and decorations such as boxes, pouches or round bamboo frames. Larger pieces (40 cm and over) are usually stretched onto a hoop or mounted on a cushion.