I built a small, free, browser-only tool that turns an image into a single-crochet color chart. This post covers the one idea that makes it more useful than a plain pixelator: gauge.
Tool: https://crochet-graph-maker.netlify.app/ (no sign-up, images are processed locally in your browser)
The problem
A crochet stitch is not square. If your swatch is 16 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches, a stitch is 0.25 in wide and 0.20 in tall. A 24 x 24 grid looks square on screen but comes out 6 in wide and 4.8 in tall.
The fix
Compute rows from the image ratio and your measured gauge:
width_in = stitches * 4 / stitches_per_4in
height_in = rows * 4 / rows_per_4in
rows = stitches * (image_h / image_w) * (row_gauge / stitch_gauge)
For a square picture at 24 stitches with 16 st / 20 rows per 4 in: 24 * 1 * 20 / 16 = 30 rows. So the chart is 24 x 30.
How the tool works
- Draws the image to a canvas at the target grid size and reduces it to 2 to 6 colors
- Lets you paint cells to clean up stray single stitches
- Row counter, undo, save as JSON, export SVG, print
- Limits: 8 to 80 stitches wide, 2 to 100 rows
Honest limits
It is a chart tool, not a full pattern. It does not estimate yardage or pick a color-change technique. Photos with fine detail turn muddy at small grid sizes; simple graphics and logos work best.
More worked guides: https://crochet-graph-maker.netlify.app/gauge-guide.html
Disclosure: I am the maker, and this post was written with AI assistance.
Top comments (0)