Bring your motifA flower, a geometric design, your own art.
YOUR PICTURE, A LITTLE MORE HANDMADE.
Tapestry Crochet
Pattern Maker
From a little inspiration
to a panel full of color.Turn a picture into a crochet graph with a color key, a size for your gauge and written rows to follow.
A FAVORITE PICTURE. A PANEL MADE BY YOU.
or drop it here · PNG, JPG, WebP, GIF
A PLAN FOR YOUR NEXT PANEL
Your colors & stitch plan.
Your color key and estimated size appear here.
Upload a picture to get letter-coded colors, stitch counts and a row-by-row guide for a rectangular panel.
Make it fit your stitchesSet colors and measure your swatch.
Follow the colorsA printable graph and row-by-row guide.
FROM PHOTO TO TAPESTRY CROCHET GRAPH
A picture you can
work into every row.
A tapestry crochet chart maps a picture onto stitches, with a letter for each yarn color. This free tapestry crochet pattern generator from image creates a flat panel chart, corrects the stitch-to-row proportions using your gauge and lists the color changes in the order you work them.
- Choose a clear, simple subject. Crop close to your motif before uploading. A bold silhouette or your own illustration is often easier to crochet than a detailed photograph. Transparent backgrounds become a worked background color.
- Start small and use fewer colors. Try 40 or 60 stitches wide and a small color limit. More stitches add detail and more work. Compare the reference colors against yarn you can actually use together.
- Measure the fabric you will make. Count stitches and rows in a swatch using the intended hook, yarn and carried colors. Enter those counts for 10 cm or 4 inches. The estimated panel dimensions and row count update together.
- Read from the bottom up. Row 1 starts at the bottom, and the arrows alternate because the work is turned. Choose the correct handedness, keep the color key beside the graph, and use the written runs to count each color group. For color-change technique, see Yarnspirations’ tapestry crochet guide.
For open and filled mesh, try the filet crochet pattern maker. Working with embroidery floss instead? Use the cross stitch pattern maker for DMC references and Aida dimensions. For bead placement, try the Perler bead pattern maker. For a digital version of the image, use the pixel art maker.
BEFORE YOU PICK UP YOUR HOOK
Your crochet chart questions,
answered.
How do I turn a picture into a tapestry crochet pattern?
Upload a PNG, JPG, WebP or GIF, choose the chart width in stitches and limit the colors. Enter the stitch and row counts from your swatch. This tapestry crochet pattern maker calculates the rows needed for the image proportions, generates a color key and writes each row in working order. GIFs use a still frame.
Is this tapestry crochet pattern maker free?
Yes. Image conversion, fabric and symbol previews, color counts, row instructions, PNG/CSV downloads and printable charts are free. No account or watermark is required. Images are processed locally in your browser.
What crochet stitch and project type does it support?
This version creates rectangular tapestry colorwork charts for flat, turned rows of US single crochet, called double crochet in UK terminology. Each square is one stitch. It is useful for motifs and panels, but does not calculate bag bases, straps, garment shaping, increases, decreases or continuous spiral rounds.
Why does the row count change when I enter my gauge?
Stitches and rows do not necessarily have the same physical size. The tool uses both gauge counts to choose a row count that approximately preserves your image proportions in the finished fabric. For example, at 20 stitches and 24 rows per 10 cm, a square 60-stitch-wide motif needs about 72 rows. Rounding and the 200-stitch/row limits can affect the result.
How should I measure my swatch?
Make a swatch using your intended yarn, hook, stitch and carried colors, then measure the stitches and rows over the selected length: 10 cm or 4 inches. The starting values of 20 stitches and 24 rows are examples, not a standard for every yarn. Enter counts for the length selected; 4 inches is exactly 10.16 cm. Finished dimensions are estimates and exclude borders, seams and finishing.
How do I read the chart and row instructions?
The graph is shown from the right side with Row 1 at the bottom. For right-handed crochet, odd rows run right to left and even rows left to right. Left-handed mode reverses these directions. Each letter identifies a yarn color. The written runs are already in working order, so A × 5 means work five US single crochet stitches in color A.
Does the pattern include a foundation chain?
Yes. For a panel W stitches wide, the suggested start is chain W + 1, then work from the second chain from the hook across in the Row 1 colors. Chain one and turn between rows; this turning chain does not count as a stitch. Finish off after the final row. The chart gives a rectangular colorwork panel rather than a complete finished-item construction pattern.
Can I print or save the crochet graph as a PDF?
Choose Print / Save PDF to open a printable preview with the gauge, size, color key, chart sections and all row instructions. Use the print button inside it, then select your printer or Save as PDF. Sections contain up to 40 × 40 cells with global coordinates. Complete the whole row across sections before turning. Square graph cells are schematic; the fabric preview shows gauge-based proportions.
Does it match actual yarn colors or calculate how many skeins to buy?
The tool reduces your image to between 2 and 12 reference colors; simple images may use fewer. Letters and HEX values help you match your own yarn, but they are not manufacturer shade codes. Counts are visible single crochet stitches, not yarn lengths or skein estimates. Carried yarn, tension, fiber, hook and finishing all affect yarn use.
What happens to transparent areas and busy photo backgrounds?
Transparent pixels are blended against your selected background yarn color. Every grid cell is worked, so transparency does not make a hole in the fabric. Crop or simplify a busy background before uploading. Smaller charts and fewer colors usually make a more manageable project. Both chart edges are capped at 200; files must be under 20 MB and images under 40 megapixels.