Blog
Latest news, tutorials, and updates from the team
Printing a Cross Stitch Pattern, or Going Paperless
How to print a chart that is actually pleasant to stitch from, and when it is worth not printing at all.
How to Design Your Own Cross Stitch Pattern
Designing your first chart is less daunting than it sounds. Start small, work in blocks, and add outlines last.
DMC Thread Conversion Chart
Most charts are written in DMC numbers. Here is how conversion between brands actually works, and where it lets you down.
How Much Aida Do You Need? A Fabric Size Guide
Work out the finished size of any design, how much fabric to cut, and how much margin to leave for framing.
Cross Stitch Alphabets and Lettering: Getting Names to Look Right
Lettering is where personalised pieces are won or lost. How to choose an alphabet, space it properly, and keep it changeable.
How to Open a PAT or XSD File Without the Original Software
Old charts often come in formats tied to programs that no longer run. You can still open them, and you do not need a licence to do it.
Cross Stitch Pattern File Formats: PDF, OXS, PAT and XSD
Charts arrive as PDFs, .pat files, .xsd files and OXS. Here is what each one is, what it can hold, and which you should ask for.
Cross Stitch Apps Compared: What to Look For in 2026
An honest look at the cross stitch apps stitchers actually use, what each is good at, and where they fall down. Including where we do not win.
Cross Stitch Pattern Makers: What They Do, and How to Choose One
Pattern makers, generators, converters and charting software all overlap. Here is what the categories actually mean and which one you need.
Using a Cross Stitch Pattern Editor to Draw, Edit and Fix a Chart
A pattern editor is not only for designing from scratch. Most of its value is in fixing charts you already have.
Confetti Stitches: Why Photo Patterns Get Messy, and How to Tame Them
Single stitches scattered one at a time across a chart are the reason many photo patterns get abandoned. Here is what causes confetti and how to cut it down.
Marking Off Cross Stitch: Markup Apps, Trackers and Keeping Your Place
Highlighter, printout or app? How stitchers keep track of what they have already worked, and why marking off digitally has largely won.