Pixel art to DMC cross stitch chart
Every pixel becomes one stitch. Transparent pixels stay bare and each color snaps to DMC.
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Photo prep
Background: Off
Pixel art: Off
Fine tuning
Color tools
DMC colors used (0)
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Updating…- Grid
- 120 × 120 stitches
- Stitches
- 0
- DMC colors
- 0
- Skeins to buy
- 0
- Finished size
- 8.57 × 8.57 in
- 21.8 × 21.8 cm
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- Cut fabric
- 14.57 × 14.57 in
- 37.0 × 37.0 cm
- Frame
- 14 in hoop
- Stitching time
- 0 hours
- Unstitched cells
- 0
- Islands under 10
- 0
- Stitches merged
- 0
- Edits · backstitch lines
- 0 · 0
Open one and edit it
Finished examples
The crest is 64 × 64 px, drawn in exactly 12 DMC screen colors.
Steps
Sprite to chart
- Upload the original PNGUse the sprite file itself, not a screenshot, so every pixel stays sharp.
- Check the scaleSprites under 40 px get the smallest whole scale that reaches 40 stitches.
- Review the DMC matchesOpen the color list and swap any shade that looks wrong in thread.
- Add backstitch where edges need itTrace corner to corner in a dark DMC color.
Use cases
Good uses for pixel charts
Measured by the engine
How sprite colors snap to DMC
A ΔE under 2 is hard to see. Over 5, compare the thread in person.
| Sprite color | Hex | Nearest DMC | ΔE2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hero red | #D92834 | DMC 349 Coral Dark | 3.8 |
| Coin gold | #FAC632 | DMC 725 Topaz Medium Light | 1.6 |
| Grass green | #5CB040 | DMC 702 Kelly Green | 3.4 |
| Sky blue | #5C94FC | DMC 322 Baby Blue Dark | 7.9 |
| Night navy | #181C40 | DMC 939 Navy Blue Very Dark | 4.8 |
| Skin tone | #FCBC94 | DMC 3825 Pumpkin Pale | 0.4 |
| Stone gray | #7C7C84 | DMC 169 Pewter Light | 5.3 |
| Potion violet | #943CCC | DMC 33 Fuchsia | 11.9 |
The match runs on CIELAB color, which tracks human vision better than RGB. If a sprite already uses DMC screen colors, they stay exact. That is why the crest keeps all 12 of its colors.
Reference
Sprite size and finished size
Scale multiplies the pixels; fabric count sets the finished size.
| Sprite | Scale | Chart | 14 ct | 18 ct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 × 16 px | ×3 | 48 × 48 stitches | 3.43 in | 2.67 in |
| 24 × 24 px | ×2 | 48 × 48 stitches | 3.43 in | 2.67 in |
| 32 × 32 px | ×2 | 64 × 64 stitches | 4.57 in | 3.56 in |
| 48 × 48 px | ×1 | 48 × 48 stitches | 3.43 in | 2.67 in |
| 64 × 64 px | ×1 | 64 × 64 stitches | 4.57 in | 3.56 in |
| 64 × 64 px | ×2 | 128 × 128 stitches | 9.14 in | 7.11 in |
| 100 × 100 px | ×1 | 100 × 100 stitches | 7.14 in | 5.56 in |
Scaling by 2 makes each pixel a 2 × 2 block, so a design takes four times the stitches and twice the width. Scale only when you want more size, because the detail stays the same.
Tips
Outlines and backstitch
Keep outlines one pixel wide and in one dark color, usually DMC 310 Black or a deep brown. Black outlines look heavy at 11 ct and refined at 18 ct.
If a sprite has a thin highlight line, backstitch can replace the pixels. Backstitch sits on the grid corners, so a diagonal stays crisp where pixel steps look jagged. All lines export to the PDF, the .oxs file and the SVG.
FAQ
Common questions
What does 1 pixel = 1 stitch mean?
Each pixel in your sprite becomes exactly one cross stitch, with no resampling or smoothing. A 48 × 48 sprite gives a 48 × 48 chart. Fully transparent pixels stay unstitched, so the fabric shows through in the same places your sprite was empty.
Why does my sprite need to reach 40 stitches?
Charts here run from 40 to 300 stitches per side. A smaller sprite gets the smallest whole scale that reaches 40: a 16 × 16 icon scales ×3 to 48 × 48, where each pixel is a 3 × 3 block of stitches. You can raise the scale up to ×8.
How are sprite colors matched to DMC?
Each color snaps to the nearest DMC number by CIEDE2000, a formula built to match how people see color differences. Colors that already equal a DMC screen value keep that number exactly. Close colors can land on one DMC number, so a 20-color sprite may use 17.
Should I use dithering on pixel art?
No. Dithering scatters stitches and destroys hard pixel edges, so this page opens with dithering at 0 % and confetti cleanup off. Every pixel you placed stays where you put it. Leave both off unless the source is a photo rather than real pixel art.
What size will a 64 × 64 sprite stitch up to?
At 1 pixel = 1 stitch it finishes at 4.57 × 4.57 in on 14 ct and 3.56 × 3.56 in on 18 ct. At ×2 it doubles to 128 × 128 stitches and 9.14 in on 14 ct. The table on this page lists the common sprite sizes.
How do I keep outlines crisp?
Use a dark outline color such as DMC 310 and keep it one pixel wide in the source. Add backstitch lines with the backstitch tool if an edge needs more definition. Backstitch runs corner to corner on the grid and exports to the PDF, OXS and SVG files.
Can I upload a screenshot of pixel art?
A screenshot usually has blurred edges and each sprite pixel covers several screen pixels, so colors multiply. Use the original PNG if you can. Upload files without JPEG compression, because compression adds new colors around every edge and they all become extra stitches.
Can I chart game sprites and sell them?
You can stitch sprites for yourself, but game characters and logos belong to their owners, so do not sell charts of them without permission. Original sprites you drew are yours to chart and sell. The Retro Pixel Gaming Crest sample is generic art made for this site.
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