Design your own tapestry crochet patterns online. Draw colorwork grids, create patterns for bags or flat panels, follow row-by-row color changes, and export printable crochet charts. A free crochet tapestry pattern maker with graph tools built in.
This browser keeps only your latest tapestry chart. A blank grid, template, or photo import replaces it. Download work you want to keep; PNG/PDF files cannot be reopened here for editing.
Open the editor with a blank 30 × 30 grid, load a free template (heart, diamond, flower, checkerboard, mountain, or bag border), or use From photo to sample an image into stitches.
Need to crop or rotate your image? Start with Photo to Crochet Pattern, then choose Use for tapestry crochet to get written instructions for flat rows or continuous rounds.
Set stitch width and height, pick Flat rows or continuous spiral rounds, choose the working direction for row or round 1, and switch US (sc) or UK (dc) terms.
Optional gauge (stitches and rows per 10 cm) estimates finished size. In the round, width is circumference around the tube—not the flat panel width of a bag front alone.
Paint colors on the grid, flip if a motif faces the wrong way, and watch the results panel: color letters, run lengths, and color-change counts update as you draw.
Arrows on the chart show the working direction for each row or round. If a row shows many changes, simplify isolated stitches before you cut yarn.
Export a PNG overview with legend and a short instruction preview, or a PDF with numbered chart tiles and full row/round color-change text.
Print PDFs at 100% / actual size so stitch numbers stay readable. Join multi-page charts using the printed column and row (or round) numbers.
New to colorwork grids? Continue with the tapestry grid maker, then flat vs in the round, then the reading example.
Each square represents one crochet stitch (US sc / UK dc). Draw, erase, zoom, and pan on a grid up to 200 × 200 stitches. Start with a blank 30 × 30 grid and a few colors to practice carrying yarn before trying a larger design.
Add or replace yarn colors (up to 24). Palette order becomes letters A, B, C… in the written runs so the legend on your PDF matches the hook-side order. The stitch summary shows how many stitches use each color.
Written instructions follow the arrows, alternating direction for flat rows and keeping the same direction for rounds. Each instruction tells you how many stitches to work in a color before switching to the next.
Your latest tapestry chart saves in this browser, separate from the homepage, Photo, and Filet drafts. Clearing site data removes it. Download PNG or PDF when you need a durable copy; downloads cannot be reopened here for editing.
The same color picture needs different reading rules for flat panels versus bags and cylinders. Switch modes under Pattern settings; chart arrows and written instructions update immediately. The editor supports flat rows and continuous spiral rounds only—not joined rounds.
Work back and forth. Row 1 is the bottom of the chart. Direction alternates each row from your chosen start (right-to-left or left-to-right). Right-side and wrong-side rows both appear in the written runs; plan which face shows the cleaner color changes if your carry shows through.
Work in a spiral without joining. Every round keeps the same working direction. Chart width is the stitch count around one round (circumference). Place a stitch marker at the start of each round; spiral fabric can drift at the seam and motifs may jog slightly where rounds meet.
Use flat for hangings, pillow fronts, and blanket blocks. Use continuous rounds when the design wraps a cylinder and you will crochet without turning. This tool helps you plan color order; it does not draft bag bases, handles, or guarantee a seamless join.
Same 8 × 4 practice graph,
first as flat rows, then as continuous rounds.
Crochet row or round 1 is the bottom of the chart. Column 1 is the left edge of the picture. For flat work, the direction alternates each row. Follow the arrows and written directions for each row.
| Row | Read | Work these colors in order |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Right to left ← | 3 sc A, 2 sc B, 1 sc A, 2 sc B (8) |
| 2 | Left to right → | 5 sc B, 3 sc A (8) |
Each row above adds up to 8 stitches. Palette letter A is the light background; B is the motif. Left-handed crochet may still use these chart arrows if you keep the same start direction in the editor—set handedness as a note for yourself, then confirm the arrows match how you hold the work.
Round totals still equal 8 stitches each, but every round reads the same way—useful for bags where you never turn the work.
Use two smooth yarns of the same weight: A for the background and B for the motif. This small exercise uses US single crochet, both loops, and a right-to-left first row.
For rows 3 and 4, follow the flat-mode instructions above. Change to the next row’s first color on the last yarn-over of the current row when needed. This foundation method is for this flat practice piece, not a bag base or a universal starting-chain rule.
A run like 5 sc B, 1 sc A, 2 sc B means five stitches of color B, one of A, then two of B. Colors are labeled A, B, C… in the order shown in your palette. After changing a color, check the legend on your downloaded chart.
Tapestry crochet differs from a plain pixel picture because unused colors are often carried inside the fabric. Change color on the last yarn-over of the previous stitch so the new color sits on top for the next stitch. The results panel lists runs in working order and counts how many times you switch.
Totals and “complex” rows (many switches) appear while you edit. If one row needs a dozen changes, consider merging tiny islands or dropping a color before you commit yarn.
For nearby color changes, lay the unused strand along the top of the previous row and crochet over it. Keep tension even so the fabric does not pucker and the carried yarn does not grin through. On wrong-side flat rows, check which face will show.
Tapestry crochet encloses unused yarn inside the stitches. Separate bobbins for distant color blocks use an intarsia-style approach instead; exposed strands across the back are floats. These methods need different yarn handling. For this practice, carry the unused color and start with just two colors per row.
Yarn amounts depend on your yarn, hook size, tension, and how you carry unused colors. This tool counts stitches and color changes, but does not estimate yarn amounts. Make a swatch with your chosen yarn before planning a larger project.
The third stitch still counts as A even though you finish it with B. Don’t wait until the fourth stitch is complete to switch.
Yarn-path schematics, not stitch-scale drawings. Grey = A; purple = B. Keep the new loop loose enough to slide along the hook.
Enter stitches and rows per 10 cm in the editor.
Estimates update live and appear on PDF export.
Measure a swatch in the same single crochet colorwork method you will use (including carries if they change your tension). Wash or block it as you will the finished piece.
Chart 30 stitches × 36 rows, swatch 20 stitches and 24 rows per 10 cm:
Estimated finished size: About 15.0 x 15.0 cm (5.9 x 5.9 in) at your gauge
A square grid need not make square fabric if your stitch gauge and row gauge differ. Allow extra for borders and seams. Stitch counts still do not tell you how much yarn to buy.
For continuous rounds, the chart width is the number of stitches around the tube. The finished-size line reports circumference (and an approximate diameter) plus height—not a flat panel width.
Chart 60 stitches around × 40 rounds, same 20 sts / 24 rows per 10 cm:
Estimated finished size: About 30.0 cm (11.8 in) circumference · ~9.5 cm (3.8 in) diameter · 16.7 cm (6.6 in) tall at your gauge
Diameter is a circle estimate only. Real bags add base shaping, ease, and handle placement that this chart does not design for you.
Multiply the size in centimetres by your swatch count per 10 cm, then divide by 10.
A 20 × 20 cm panel at 20 stitches and 24 rows per 10 cm needs 40 stitches × 48 rows, before borders or seams. A 40 × 40 chart at that gauge would be only about 16.7 cm tall.
Round to whole stitches and rows, then adjust for any motif repeat. For a tube, use the target circumference in place of panel width. Swatch in the same flat or round method you plan to use.
Turn a picture into a limited-color graph,
with written instructions for flat rows or continuous rounds.
Use From photo in the tapestry editor to sample a JPG, PNG, or WebP into stitches. Choose stitches wide and max colors (2–16). Conversion runs entirely in your browser—images are not uploaded to our servers. The original photo is not kept after you leave; only the resulting graph can save locally.
Set stitches wide and max colors, upload, then tidy stray stitches in the grid. Good for simple logos and bold shapes when you do not need a precise crop.
Open Photo to Crochet Pattern for crop, rotation, and conversion previews. Edit the graph there until the silhouette reads clearly.
Choose Use for tapestry crochet on the Photo results panel. This page loads the graph with flat/round modes, direction arrows, and full color-run text for download.
Use smooth, similar-weight yarns with enough contrast to see the motif. Check both faces after a few rows, before making a whole bag or panel.
Total palette size is not the same as yarns handled at once. A four-color chart may use only two colors in each row; another may require all four throughout. For a first project, choose the former.
Choose an editable starter template →| What you see | What to try |
|---|---|
| Unused color shows through | Keep the carried strand inside the new stitches rather than against one face. If the fabric is too open, test a smaller hook on a new swatch and remeasure gauge. Don’t pull the carry tight to hide it. |
| Fabric puckers or narrows | Spread the completed stitches along the carried strand before continuing. Leave enough slack to match the fabric width; a tight carry can draw a row inward. |
| The motif looks squashed or stretched | Measure stitch and row gauge separately. Use the proportions example above to adjust the chart’s row count, rather than assuming square cells will produce square fabric. |
| The design leans in spiral rounds | Mark the first stitch of each round and recount. Single crochet can lean even when counts are correct; the editor does not compensate for stitch slant or the step between spiral rounds. Test a small repeat first. |
| A photo becomes scattered single stitches | Crop closer to the subject, reduce the conversion color count, and repaint isolated cells. Inspect the color runs before exporting; fewer speckles mean fewer switches. |
| Rows lose or gain stitches at the edge | In the practice method above, chain 1 is not a stitch. Work into the first actual sc after turning and mark the first and last stitches. Each practice row must total 8. |
Download charts you can mark up at the sofa,
with legend, directions, and written color runs.
Single image with the color grid, optional grid lines in the editor view, color legend with letters and stitch counts, work-mode note, and a short preview of the first row/round instructions. Handy for phones and quick reference.
Overview page, then numbered chart tiles (up to 40 × 40 stitches per page) with direction marks, full row/round color-change text, optional gauge size, carrying note, and US/UK terms. No account and no watermark.
Prefer a ready-made starter? Load a free editable template and export after you recolor it.
Original colorwork starters.
Load any example into the editor and edit every stitch.
A two-color heart motif for a flat panel, pillow front, or bag pocket.
Short color runs around the curves—good first flat tapestry chart.
A geometric diamond that reads cleanly in flat rows or spiral rounds.
Symmetric diagonals help you check alternating row directions.
A small blossom with a contrasting center for bags and panels.
Three colors with a few single-stitch accents—plan ends or carries.
A repeating check grid for swatches, straps, or full panels.
Regular color changes every few stitches—ideal for carry practice.
Layered peaks for a landscape band on a bag or blanket strip.
Horizontal color bands with stepped slopes; watch long carries.
A short repeating border designed for continuous rounds around a bag.
Load in continuous-rounds mode and mark the spiral start each round.
Yes. Blank grids, photo import, templates, flat and in-the-round settings, row-by-row color instructions, local saving, and PNG and PDF downloads are free. There is no account, subscription, or watermark.
Start with a blank grid, a free template, or a photo. Set width and height, choose colors, and paint the chart. Pick flat rows or continuous rounds so the working direction matches your project, then read the live color runs before you download.
Yes. Use From photo in the editor, or convert with crop controls on the Photo to Crochet Pattern page and continue here for tapestry modes and written color changes. Limit colors for cleaner tapestry fabric.
You can design colorwork for bags using continuous spiral rounds, where chart width is the stitch count around. The tool helps with color order and change counts; it does not draft handles, bases, or guaranteed seamless joins.
Row or round 1 is the bottom of the chart. Flat work alternates direction each row; continuous rounds keep one direction. Follow the arrows and the written labels (for example, right to left). Color letters match the palette legend.
Change on the last yarn-over of the previous stitch so the new color is ready for the next stitch. In tapestry crochet, carry unused yarn inside the stitches. Separate bobbins for distant blocks use an intarsia-style approach rather than the same carrying method.
Start with two colors per row. The total palette can be larger without making every row difficult: check how many colors appear together and how often they switch. The editor supports up to 24 palette swatches, but that is a tool limit, not a beginner target.
Yes. PNG gives an overview with legend and a short instruction preview. PDF adds numbered chart pages, direction marks, full row/round color-change text, optional gauge size, and US/UK terms. Print PDFs at 100% for readable numbers.
Tapestry-style colorwork is usually solid single crochet with yarn colors changing for a picture. Filet crochet is a lace grid of open and filled meshes with chain spaces. Use this page for tapestry color runs; open the Filet Crochet Pattern Generator for mesh charts and foundation chains.
Plan the carries, then download a chart you can crochet from.