Kandi Pattern Maker

Make a photo clearer before adding more beads

Start with the crop. If a pet’s head occupies a small corner of the original photo, increasing the entire grid also adds more background. Crop closer to the face first, keeping both eyes and the outer shape inside the frame. A clear, well-lit source makes it easier to separate details from shadows.

Drag the frame to choose the crop, then select Apply adjustments to rebuild your chart. Zoom and position changes remain pending until you apply them. If you have repainted cells, the tool asks before replacing those edits with a new conversion.

Choose a grid that can hold the important details

Compare 32, 48 and 64 columns as possible starting points, not prescribed sizes. A wider grid can give an eye or a small logo detail more cells, but also increases the chart and material count. Automatic rows follow the source aspect ratio; a fixed or custom row count gives you a specific rectangle to crop into.

The editor accepts whole-number dimensions from 1 to 200 on each side. A calculator result such as 19 × 11 can therefore be used exactly. A chart with those dimensions contains 209 positions, but its physical dimensions depend on beads, orientation and construction. Use a measured sample when fit matters.

Use fewer colors deliberately

Try a small palette and compare what happens to the outline, eyes and background. Eight to twelve colors can be a useful experiment for an image, but there is no best number for every source. A two-color logo and a shaded portrait need different decisions.

Disable colors you do not want the conversion to use. At least one color must stay enabled; a single enabled color produces a monochrome result. This setting restricts color choices, not inventory quantities. Review the finished count list against the beads you actually own.

Compare dithering with a cleaner outline

Dithering uses nearby cells of different colors to suggest tones between palette colors. It can help a broad gradient but may add isolated color changes around small facial details. Compare it on and off, then repaint stray cells rather than assuming more variation always improves the picture.

These are suggested comparison steps. We have not published an original pet-photo trial here, so there is no claimed measured likeness score or before-and-after photo test.

Edit individual beads and review the counts

Use Paint to assign the selected color, Erase to leave a position unassigned, and Pick to select a color already in the chart. Undo and Redo let you compare changes. On a phone, switch between Scroll and Edit beads so you can move around the chart without painting by mistake. A larger editing view may scroll inside its frame.

Keep small features intentional. A one-cell eye can disappear if it becomes the same color as the face. A letter may need a gap reopened after palette reduction. Change those cells while looking at the whole design, then check the updated color counts.

Filled cells and total positions are different. A 9 × 9 Heart has 37 filled cells and 44 unfilled positions. Select a white brush and use Fill blank cells with this color to get 37 red and 44 white beads. The new total is 81. Undo restores the original unassigned background.

Blank positions do not automatically mean you can omit structural beads from a woven cuff. Decide on a background or a construction that supports the intended gaps before treating the list as a complete materials plan.

Twin koi · Edit all 960 beads →

Download your chart and color counts

PNG saves a flat chart image. PDF gives A4 print pages and a color list. CSV records symbols, descriptive color names and counts, with the chart dimensions and unfilled count on the total row. The original photo is not included in these exports.

Inspect a PDF before printing all pages. Symbols appear only where cell size allows them. The 9 mm printed-grid option changes spacing on paper and may tile the chart across more sheets; it does not make the layout a life-size cuff. Check for clipping if printing on US Letter paper and use a suitable fit setting when needed.

For a step-by-step explanation of symbols, coordinates, grayscale limits and paper scaling, read how to read and print these kandi patterns.

Check your stitch before making a woven cuff

This tool makes square color charts. Peyote, Multi-Stitch and X-base can use different bead alignment, starting sequences and joins. The chart does not tell you how to thread them or preview a finished three-dimensional base.

Choose suitable construction instructions, make a test strip and measure the direction that will wrap around the wrist. Use the kandi cuff calculator to count chart positions or estimate columns from that measured spacing. It does not determine thread length or guarantee finished fit.

If you have never strung a bracelet, the single-strand kandi guide explains the materials, layout, fit check and cord-dependent finishing sequence. A single strand and a woven color panel are different projects.

Kandi pattern maker questions

Is this free and do I need an account?

The current editor and PNG, PDF and CSV downloads are free and do not require an account. Saving is local to your browser; there is no account-based project library.

Do the letters identify a bead brand?

No. W, K and other symbols belong to the selected chart palette. The listed color and screen swatch are approximations, not manufacturer SKUs or guaranteed matches. Compare the actual product before buying.

Can I use only one or two colors?

Yes. Keep the desired colors enabled, set the color cap and apply. With no colors enabled, the tool keeps your chart and asks you to select at least one. Cell edits made afterward use the brush color you choose.

Why does my imported chart look different from my photo?

A bead chart has fewer positions and colors than most photos. Check the crop, compare grid sizes, then inspect the palette and dithering. Repaint important details manually. The tool does not invent a stitch structure or guarantee a recognizable result from every image.

Can I make a chart without a photo?

Yes. Choose integer columns and rows, then create a blank chart. Paint cells or fill a background. You can also open an existing design or use the Kandi Word Pattern Maker for a pixel-letter layout.

Does the bead total tell me everything to buy?

It counts filled cells in the chart. Backgrounds you add, joins, edge details, decorative layers, cord and closures can require additional materials. For several copies, calculate each color separately and compare it with usable stock.