A small star on a pocket or a flower on a blanket starts with a chart you can follow. If you want to turn a picture into a knitting chart, Knitting Row Counter lets you start with an image, adjust the result and keep the design ready to knit.
The app is free to download for Android, iPhone and iPad. Its knitting-chart workspace brings image conversion, editing, previews and row-by-row following together. Here is the process using the little star shown below.
Start with a picture that reads clearly
Choose an image with one recognizable subject and a clear outline. The star works well because its shape, eyes and smile stand out from the background. You can recognize the character even when it is reduced to a grid of colored squares.
If you are making a knitting chart from a photo, look for a clear subject with distinct light and dark areas. A close view of a flower or a pet’s face gives you a useful starting point. For an illustration, simple shapes and a small, deliberate palette make the first chart easier to plan.
- Keep the important part: crop around the motif you want to knit.
- Check the contrast: the outline and small details should remain easy to pick out in the preview.
- Think about your yarn colors: look for a palette you would enjoy working with, rather than trying to preserve every shade in the original picture.
How to convert an image to a knitting chart
1. Choose your image
Open the knitting-chart workspace and select Image to Pattern. Choose the picture you want to use. It opens in the conversion screen, where you can see the image mapped onto a grid before creating the chart.
2. Adjust the crop, pattern size and colors
Open Crop to adjust the left, right, top and bottom edges. In the video example, trimming the surrounding space brings the star closer to the edges of the chart.
Use Pattern Size to adjust the chart size and Colors to choose how much color detail to keep. The summary below the preview shows the resulting dimensions and color count. Watch the star’s outline and facial details as you change the settings; choose a result that keeps the parts you want to knit clear.
The example uses Sharp under Color Mode. Take a moment to compare the whole shape and the smaller details in the preview before moving on.
3. Convert and refine the chart
Tap Convert to open the result in the knitting-chart editor. The design remains editable, so you can change individual squares, tidy an edge or adjust a small detail using the color palette and drawing tools.
For the star, the eyes, smile and dark outline are useful places to check first. A small edit there can change how the whole character reads. You can explore the wider editing workspace in our Pattern Designer manual.
4. Preview the motif and its repeats
Use Stitch View to inspect the design as rendered knitting stitches. This gives you another way to judge the balance of the colors and the shape of the motif.
For a design you want to repeat, open Repeat Preview and choose the horizontal and vertical counts. The video shows the star in a 3 × 3 layout, making it easy to see how neighboring motifs look together.
Before starting a larger piece, knit a small swatch with your planned yarn and needles to check the size and color contrast in your own fabric.
5. Name, save and follow your chart
Give the design a recognizable name using the pencil beside the title. The example is saved as cute star. When you leave the editor, choose Save and Exit.
Open the saved design from your library when you are ready to knit. The chart view has its own row and stitch controls, so you can follow your place directly on the design while you work.
Watch the picture-to-chart workflow
See how changes to the crop affect the preview, then watch the star move through editing, stitch and repeat previews, saving and chart-following.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a photo instead of a drawing?
Yes. Choose your photo through Image to Pattern, then use the crop, size and color controls to shape the chart. A clear subject with good contrast is a helpful first choice.
Can I edit the knitting chart after converting it?
Yes. Conversion opens the design in the knitting-chart editor, where you can refine individual squares and colors before saving it.
Can I see how the motif looks repeated?
Yes. Repeat Preview lets you choose horizontal and vertical repeat counts and inspect the resulting layout. It is useful for checking how motifs sit beside one another.
Create your next chart in Knitting Row Counter
The app’s knitting chart maker brings image conversion, editing and chart-following into the same workspace. Start with a picture you like, refine the details and save a chart you can return to as you knit.
Looking for motif ideas? Browse our free knitting charts for downloadable stars, flowers, animals and geometric designs.
Download Knitting Row Counter free from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android, and try it with your own image.