How do I make my own cross-stitch pattern?

October 22, 2013 9:24 AM

There is a quote I'd like to cross-stitch for my aunt for Christmas. I have lots of experience with doing cross-stitch from patterns, but zero artistic ability when it comes to creating something from scratch that looks the way I want it to. Is there an easy way for me to generate a pattern? Like, something where I can choose a font and maybe some little accent details and put it together and it gives me a pattern? Mine is a Linux/Android household, but I could probably borrow something from a friend if there's a great Windows/Mac/iOS application.

The quote, for the curious:

Grant me the wine to accept the things I cannot change, and the coffee to change the things I can.

posted by rhiannonstone to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (8 answers total)

There's a site here that lets you create a cross-stitch design.
posted by essexjan at 9:40 AM on October 22, 2013

Another one here.
posted by essexjan at 9:42 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

I think a lot of people use PCStitch. I haven't done this in a long time, and last time I tried it I thought the software was clunky. I am really picky about how my cross-stitch fonts look, I usually end up using graph paper and writing the words out and then cutting and pasting the words on another piece of graph paper. There are a ton of free fonts out there, including some on my favorite Subversive Cross-Stitch.

(also that is a great quote and gift idea)
posted by radioamy at 10:00 AM on October 22, 2013

Yeah there are web-based generators but I never found any of them to work very well personally. Usually for projects like that I do the design manually...as in pick out a cross stitch alphabet I like and work out the design I want. I am on a mac and there is only like 1 or 2 programs, both retailing for like 30$ which was more than I wanted to spend for a hobby so I use a pixel/sprite editor (Pixen for the mac I think) which works pretty well and is free. I imagine there are similar programs with a linux port.
posted by Captain_Science at 11:06 AM on October 22, 2013

PCStitch. You can use the trial version to create charts, but you can't save them ... which is fine as long as you're willing to create the chart in one go, or can leave the program open on your computer. You can download the trial version (no save function) here. I think it comes with several installed stitch alphabets, and some decorative thingies, so you can experiment with what they already have.

I own PCStitch Pro, and have for several years (like, at least 12 years), they are very good with customer service and with free upgrades to new versions for existing users. (I probably paid $20 for it initially and in 12 years I've paid for a $10 upgrade one time, to move from standard to pro when they did a total revamp of the software.) There is a learning curve and lots of features I never, ever bother with, but it is the best at what it does. Anyway, if I can help you out at all with a chart, I'd be happy to do that, although I am not even a little artsy.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:20 AM on October 22, 2013

There are free x-stitch alphabets available online. I normally print out a copy, look at that for reference, and use graph paper + colored pencils to plot it out.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:23 PM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

I also make mine the old-fashioned way. Pick out a font you like, grab some graph paper and a pencil and just work it out.
posted by raisingsand at 1:10 PM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]

I'm gonna suggest the old fashioned route and recommend that you go to a craft store/hobby shop and look at sampler books. They usually have a good variety of alphabets. [granted, it's been years since I've really looked at them, so programs like PCStitch might've reduced the demand for them significantly]
posted by girih knot at 9:38 PM on October 22, 2013