Blog
Tips, tutorials, and updates for pattern designers.
Nordic Yarn Brands: Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic Yarn
Järbo from Sweden, Sandnes Garn and Dale Garn from Norway, Novita from Finland and Ístex from Iceland: who they are and which of their yarns to knit with.
6 min read
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Christmas gifts KnittingChristmas Gifts for People Who Knit, Crochet or Embroider
Christmas gift ideas from our craft shop: luxury yarn, sparkly yarn for party wear, sock tools, craft books, cross stitch kits and Nordic classics.
3 min read
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Knitting MittensLovikka Mittens: The History, the Yarn and How to Brush Them
How Erika Aittamaa created the Lovikka mitten in 1892, which yarn and needles you need, how much yarn it takes and how to brush the mittens.
3 min read
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Yarn MohairMohair, Alpaca or Merino: Which Yarn Should You Choose?
The difference between mohair, alpaca and merino: where the fibres come from, how they feel and what they are good for, with the yarns in our shop.
3 min read
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Knitting SweaterYarn for Nordic Sweaters: Peer Gynt, Plötulopi and Swedish Wool
The Marius sweater, the lusekofte and the lopapeysa in brief, and which yarn from Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Finland to knit these Nordic sweaters in.
3 min read
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Knitting SweaterYarn for Your First Sweater: How to Choose It and How Much You Need
Which yarn should you knit your first sweater in? How to choose weight, fibre and colour, and roughly how much yarn a sweater in size M/L takes.
2 min read
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Knitting GaugeA Hat or Scarf Pattern in Your Own Gauge: Cast-On, Crown and Yarn Worked Out
Enter your swatch and get a hat or scarf pattern written for your gauge: how many stitches to cast on, the rib, the crown decreases and how much yarn.
3 min read
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Knitting YarnJärbo Yarn: Svensk Ull, Lovikka and the Other Swedish Classics
A guide to Järbo yarns from Sweden: Svensk Ull 3-tr, Lovikka, Mohair Tweed and Alpacka Bouclé. Fibre, yardage, needles and what to knit.
3 min read
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Knitting YarnNovita Yarn: Every Range and What to Knit With It
A guide to Finnish Novita yarns: 7 Sisters, 7 Bröder Raita, Aura, Halaus, Hehku, Loisto and Laine 4PLY. Fibre, yardage, needles and what to make.
3 min read
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Knitting YarnSandnes Garn: Peer Gynt, Fritidsgarn and the Other Norwegian Classics
A guide to Sandnes Garn from Norway: Peer Gynt, Tynn Peer Gynt, Fritidsgarn, Double Sunday and Alpakka Ull. How they differ and what to knit.
3 min read
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News DiscoverDiscover Patterns by Craft, Search, and What's Top This Week
Discover now shows the craft on every pattern, has a search box and craft filters, and ranks the top patterns of the day, week, month, year or all time.
2 min read
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Knitting YarnSock Yarn: How to Choose It and How Much You Need for a Pair
What makes a good sock yarn, why most of it contains nylon, how many metres a pair takes in each size, and the sock yarns we stock in our shop.
3 min read
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News ChatgptYou Can Now Edit Your Patterns with ChatGPT
Open Knytstudio in ChatGPT's built-in browser and ask it to swap threads, add a border, merge colours or find a pattern. You watch every change on the chart.
3 min read
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Cross stitch Photo to patternWhat Is Confetti in Cross Stitch? Remove It in One Click, or With a Game of Snake
Confetti are the lone stitches scattered through a cross-stitch chart. Why they slow you down, how to clean them up, and the Snake game that eats them.
3 min read
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Cross stitch GuideLearn to Cross Stitch for Free: An Interactive First Lesson
Our free Craft Academy teaches cross stitch by doing: watch the needle, try each stitch on screen, read a real chart and make a heart bookmark in one evening.
2 min read
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Knitting GaugeHow Many Stitches to Cast On: The Formula, With Hat, Scarf, Blanket and Sweater Examples
Work out how many stitches to cast on for any width from your gauge, then round for ribbing, pattern repeats and seams. Worked examples for common projects.
5 min read
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Tools Cross stitchFree Cross Stitch and Knitting Tools: Charts, Calculators and Graph Paper
Nine free tools for stitchers and knitters: DMC colour chart, thread conversion, skein and yarn calculators, graph paper, increase evenly and a row counter.
4 min read
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Knitting YarnHow Much Yarn Do I Need? Yardage for Sweaters, Hats, Socks and More
Typical yarn amounts for sweaters, hats, scarves, socks, mittens and blankets in every weight, plus a swatch-weighing method to estimate any project.
4 min read
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Knitting GaugeHow to Knit and Measure a Gauge Swatch (and Fix Gauge That's Off)
Knit a swatch, block it and count stitches and rows in 10 cm. What to do when your gauge doesn't match the pattern, with the maths to adjust stitch counts.
4 min read
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Knitting ChartsHow to Read a Knitting Chart: Rows, Rounds, Symbols and Repeats
Where to start, which direction to read, what right-side and wrong-side rows mean, how repeat boxes and no-stitch squares work, with a worked lace example.
4 min read
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Knitting GuideKnitting Needle Sizes Chart: US, UK and mm Conversion
Knitting needle size chart: every size in mm, US numbers and old UK sizes, which size suits which yarn weight, and how to choose when a pattern gives none.
5 min read
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Knitting AbbreviationsKnitting Abbreviations: The Complete List with Meanings
Every common knitting abbreviation from k and p to ssk, sk2p, M1L and C4F, grouped by type, plus how to read repeats written with * and brackets.
5 min read
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Knitting SweatersSweater Size Chart and Ease: How to Choose the Size to Knit
Standard body measurements from XS to 5X, what positive and negative ease mean, how much ease each fit needs, and how to pick your size in any pattern.
3 min read
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Knitting YarnYarn Weight Chart: Every Weight with Gauge, Needles and Yardage
Lace to jumbo: what each yarn weight is called in the US, UK and Australia, its gauge, needle size, typical metres per 100 g and what to knit with it.
4 min read
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Guide AmigurumiWhy Every Amigurumi Pattern Goes 6, 12, 18, 24: Increases and Decreases Explained
How amigurumi shaping works: the magic ring, why rounds grow by six, spacing increases and decreases evenly, and how to size any ball or tube yourself.
4 min read
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Tutorial AmigurumiHow to Design Your Own Amigurumi (and Get the Pattern Written for You)
Design any crochet toy in 3D, stitch by stitch: start from an animal, change it with sliders and tools, and get the round-by-round pattern and a PDF.
5 min read
- Pattern Amigurumi
Free Amigurumi Bear Pattern (Beginner Friendly, Single Crochet Only)
A free amigurumi bear pattern in US terms: body, head, snout, ears, arms and legs in single crochet, with stitch counts and assembly notes.
4 min read
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Pattern AmigurumiFree Amigurumi Bunny Pattern with Long Ears (US Terms)
A free amigurumi bunny pattern: round body and head, long cone ears, arms, legs and a pom tail, all in single crochet with stitch counts.
4 min read
- Pattern Amigurumi
Free Amigurumi Cat Pattern (Small, Simple, Single Crochet)
A free amigurumi cat pattern in US terms: body, head, small cup ears, arms, legs and a tapered tail in single crochet, with counts and assembly.
4 min read
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Cross stitch TechniqueThe Cross Stitch Parking Method, Explained (and How to Never Lose a Parked Thread)
What the parking method is, when it beats cross-country stitching, how to park by row or by block, and how to keep track of every parked needle.
6 min read
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Cross stitch AppsCross Stitch Progress Tracker Apps Compared (2026): Pattern Keeper, Markup R-XP, Cross Stitch Saga, Stitchly and Knytstudio
Which app to track cross stitch progress on iPhone, iPad, Android or the web: platforms, backstitch, parking, sync and pricing models, compared honestly.
6 min read
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Floss StashOrganize Your Cross Stitch Floss Stash (and Stitch From What You Own)
Track your DMC floss stash online, see which pattern colors you already have, and convert photos using only the floss you own. Free in KnytStudio.
3 min read
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Guide NeedlepointNeedlepoint Mesh Counts Explained: 10 to 18 Mesh, Sizes and Charts
What canvas mesh count means in needlepoint, how it changes your finished size, and how to pick between 10, 12, 13, 14 and 18 mesh for any chart.
2 min read
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Guide Fuse beadsPegboard Sizes and Bead Counts: How Many Beads Do You Need?
Fuse bead pegboard sizes explained: midi, mini and maxi in cm, beads per board, and how to plan multi-board Hama and Perler projects with exact counts.
2 min read
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Tutorial Diamond paintingHow to Turn a Photo into a Diamond Painting Chart (Free)
Turn any photo into a custom diamond painting chart with real DMC drill codes, free and online. Guide to canvas sizes, drill shapes and color counts.
3 min read
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Tutorial Fuse beadsHow to Turn a Photo into a Fuse Bead Pattern (Free)
Turn any photo into a fuse bead pattern with real Hama and Perler colors, free and online. Step-by-step guide with pegboard charts and bead counts.
3 min read
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Cross stitch Community50 Cross Stitch Blogs Worth Following in 2026
50 active cross stitch blogs verified for 2026. Pattern designers, reviewers, FlossTubers, and communities.
13 min read
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Cross stitch GuideWhat Cross Stitch Count Should I Use? 11 vs 14 vs 18 Explained
14-count is the sweet spot for most stitchers — but the right count depends on your pattern and eyesight. Side-by-side sizes and a simple rule to choose.
20 min read
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Comparison Cross stitchBest Cross Stitch Pattern Makers 2026 (Free & Paid)
We tested every cross stitch pattern maker, free and paid. Compare prices, features, and real limitations, with honest picks for 2026.
18 min read
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Cross stitch GuideHow Long Does Cross Stitch Take? Real Times by Project Size
A coaster takes 4-8 hours, a full sampler 100+. Real time estimates by project size and skill level — and how to estimate your own pattern before you start.
8 min read
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Glossary Cross stitchCross Stitch Glossary: Every Term You Need to Know
What does frogging mean? What is a WIP? 100+ cross stitch terms explained in plain English, A to Z — from Aida and backstitch to waste canvas.
14 min read
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Cross stitch GuideCross Stitch Fabric Size: How Much Fabric to Buy (+ Charts)
Never cut your Aida too small. Enter your pattern size, get the exact fabric to buy — margins included. Free calculator plus size charts for every count.
11 min read
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Tutorial Cross stitchHow to Turn Any Photo into a Cross Stitch Pattern
A step-by-step guide to converting any photo into a printable cross stitch pattern for free using Knytstudio.
9 min read
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Announcement Cross stitchWelcome to the Knytstudio Blog
Introducing the Knytstudio blog - tips, tutorials, and updates for cross stitch and knitting pattern designers.
2 min read