Cross stitch graph paper
Print blank grid paper true to the size of your fabric: one square is one stitch on 8 to 22 count Aida. Pick the count and the paper, check the preview and download a free PDF.
Pick the count of your Aida. For evenweave or linen stitched over two threads, halve the count: 28 count is the 14 grid. 8 and 10 give large squares for sketching.
Your sheet
- One square
- 1.81 mm (14 per inch)
- Squares on the sheet
- 107 × 139
- A full sheet stitched
- 7.6 × 9.9 in
Print at 100 % («Actual size»), not «Fit to page». The ruler at the bottom of the sheet is exactly one inch long.
What the sheet is for
Each square is one cross stitch at the count you pick, so a design drawn on the sheet is the size it will be on the fabric. Plan a motif, a name or a border in pencil, color the squares with the floss you will use, and count from the bold lines when you stitch. The PDF is one page: print as many copies as you need.
How big is one square on 14 count graph paper?
25.4 mm divided by 14, about 1.81 mm: the size of one stitch on 14 count Aida. On 11 count a square is 2.31 mm, on 16 count 1.59 mm, on 18 count 1.41 mm and on 22 count 1.15 mm.
How do I print the grid at the right size?
In the print dialog choose «Actual size» or 100 % scale, not «Fit to page». Then measure the ruler at the bottom of the sheet: it is exactly one inch (25.4 mm) long. If it comes out shorter, the printer scaled the page down.
How many stitches fit on one sheet?
At 14 count, an A4 sheet holds 104 × 149 squares and a Letter sheet 107 × 139, inside margins a home printer can print. Finer counts fit more. For a bigger design, print several sheets and tape them together along the grid.
Which grid do I use for 28 count evenweave or linen?
Stitched over two threads, 28 count gives 14 stitches per inch, so print the 14 count grid. For 32 count over two, use the 16 count grid, and for 36 count over two, the 18 count grid.
Why is every tenth line bold?
The bold lines split the grid into 10 × 10 blocks, as on printed patterns, so you can count stitches without losing your place. The arrows at the edges mark the middle row and column, where most stitchers start.
Can I use ordinary graph paper instead?
Only if its squares match the stitches of your fabric. School graph paper usually has 5 mm squares, about 5 per inch, so a design drawn on it looks much bigger than it will be on Aida.
Is there a quicker way to make a pattern?
Graph paper suits small motifs and lettering. For anything larger, the pattern editor turns a photo into a pattern or opens an empty grid you can draw on with DMC colors, and makes a PDF with the color key.
Have a picture in mind?
Turn a photo into a cross stitch pattern with DMC colors, symbols and skein counts, and print it as a PDF. Free, no sign-up.
Make a pattern from a photo