Free · Christmas pixel patterns

Christmas pixel patterns.

Twelve Christmas motifs we drew pixel by pixel, from a decorated tree and Santa to a snowman in a knitted beanie and a little gnome. Pick one and make it from the same grid: a corner-to-corner crochet square with every row and bobbin written out, a single crochet chart row by row, a cross stitch chart for 11- to 18-count Aida, a fuse bead pattern printed at bead size, or an alpha knot chart. Free, no sign-up.

  • Drawn by us, square by square. Not traced from a game, a film or a logo, and no licensed characters: our own tree, Santa, snowman, gingerbread man, reindeer and gnome on one 24 × 24 grid.
  • One grid, every square craft. Each square is a C2C tile, a single crochet, a cross stitch, a bead or a knot, so the motif comes out the same in every craft.
  • The whole C2C pattern. 29–66 bobbins per square, counted; every diagonal row written with its bobbins, and read back to rebuild the graph before you see it.
  • Beads at bead size. The bead pattern prints at 5 mm a bead, the standard size, or at your own board’s spacing once you measure it, so the sheet can sit under a clear board. 161–328 beads per motif.

Purlgrid · Christmas tree · Christmas pixel pattern · purlgrid.com/christmas-pixel-patterns/

Saved on this device

My projects ↗

Christmas tree · C2C crochet

A three-tier Christmas tree with a gold star, red and gold baubles and a little trunk.

51015205101520

A Oat (background) · B Midnight · C Evergreen · D Fir · E Candle · F Twig · G Cherry

  • Graph24 × 24 tiles · 7 colours · 47 diagonal rows · about 45.6 × 45.6 cm (18 × 18 in) with 1.9 cm tiles
  • Bobbins43 bobbins, never more than 8 hanging at once. Yarn is carried inside the tiles across gaps of up to 2 tiles.
  • Colour AA 362 tiles · 5 bobbins (2 from the ball), up to 2 at once · ≈ 225 m (247 yd) in all
  • Colour BB 68 tiles · 16 bobbins, up to 3 at once · ≈ 50 m (55 yd) in all
  • Colour CC 68 tiles · 4 bobbins, up to 2 at once · ≈ 50 m (55 yd) in all
  • Colour DD 46 tiles · 4 bobbins, up to 2 at once · ≈ 35 m (39 yd) in all
  • Colour EE 18 tiles · 7 bobbins, up to 1 at once · ≈ 15 m (17 yd) in all
  • Colour FF 8 tiles · 1 bobbin, up to 1 at once · ≈ 10 m (11 yd) in all
  • Colour GG 6 tiles · 6 bobbins, up to 1 at once · ≈ 10 m (11 yd) in all
  • Checked7 checks passed: the written rows rebuild your graph tile by tile and every bobbin is picked up where it was left.
Change it in the C2C bobbin calculator

Printing the bead pattern? Choose 100% or "Actual size" in the print window, then check it against your board.

Background yarn
Colours

Click a colour to match it to your yarn, thread or beads. The counts stay the same.

Yarn and tile

Carrying

Carrying works the yarn inside the tiles of another colour instead of cutting it. Fewer bobbins, a little more yarn.

Every row with its bobbins (47 diagonal rows)

The letter is the colour, the number the bobbin; numbers before them are tiles. * = join a new bobbin here. A bobbin named twice in one row is carried inside the tiles in between. ✂ = cut after this row, leaving a 15 cm (6 in) tail. Start at the bottom right corner: odd rows ↗, even rows ↙.

  1. Row 1 ↗ (1) 1 A1*
  2. Row 2 ↙ (2) 2 A1
  3. Row 3 ↗ (3) 3 A1
  4. Row 4 ↙ (4) 4 A1
  5. Row 5 ↗ (5) 5 A1
  6. Row 6 ↙ (6) 6 A1
  7. Row 7 ↗ (7) 4 A1, 2 B1*, 1 A1
  8. Row 8 ↙ (8) 2 A1, 1 C1*, 1 B1, 4 A1
  9. Row 9 ↗ (9) 4 A1, 1 B1, 1 C1, 1 B1, 2 A2*
  10. Row 10 ↙ (10) 3 A2, 1 B1, 1 C1, 1 B1, 4 A1
  11. Row 11 ↗ (11) 4 A1, 1 B1, 2 C1, 4 A2
  12. Row 12 ↙ (12) 4 A2, 1 B1, 2 C1, 1 B1, 4 A1
  13. Row 13 ↗ (13) 2 A1, 3 B1, 3 C1, 5 A2
  14. Row 14 ↙ (14) 5 A2, 1 B2*, 1 C1, 1 G1*, 1 C1, 1 B1, 1 F1*, 1 B1, 2 A1 ✂ G1
  15. Row 15 ↗ (15) 2 A1, 1 B1, 2 F1, 1 E1*, 3 C1, 2 B2, 4 A2 ✂ E1
  16. Row 16 ↙ (16) 5 A2, 1 C1, 1 B2, 1 E2*, 1 C1, 1 D1*, 1 C1, 2 F1, 1 B1, 2 A1 ✂ E2 B1
  17. Row 17 ↗ (17) 3 A1, 2 F1, 1 C1, 2 D1, 1 C1, 1 B2, 1 C1, 1 B2, 5 A2
  18. Row 18 ↙ (18) 6 A2, 1 B2, 3 C1, 2 D1, 1 C1, 1 F1, 1 B3*, 3 A1 ✂ B2 F1
  19. Row 19 ↗ (19) 4 A1, 1 B3, 1 C1, 1 D1, 1 G2*, 1 D1, 3 C2*, 7 A2 ✂ G2
  20. Row 20 ↙ (20) 7 A2, 1 B4*, 3 C2, 3 D1, 1 C1, 1 B3, 4 A1 ✂ B4
  21. Row 21 ↗ (21) 4 A1, 1 B3, 1 C1, 3 D1, 2 C2, 1 G3*, 1 C2, 8 A2 ✂ G3
  22. Row 22 ↙ (22) 7 A2, 2 B5*, 1 C2, 1 D1, 2 C2, 3 D1, 1 C1, 1 B3, 4 A1 ✂ B5
  23. Row 23 ↗ (23) 4 A1, 1 B3, 1 C1, 2 D1, 1 E3*, 2 C2, 2 D2*, 2 C2, 8 A2 ✂ C1 D1 E3
  24. Row 24 ↙ (24) 8 A2, 1 B6*, 2 C2, 2 D2, 1 C2, 3 D2, 1 G4*, 1 E4*, 1 B3, 4 A1 ✂ B6 G4 E4
  25. Row 25 ↗ (23) 3 A1, 1 B3, 1 C3*, 4 D2, 1 C2, 1 E5*, 1 D2, 1 C2, 1 E5, 1 C2, 8 A2 ✂ E5
  26. Row 26 ↙ (22) 7 A2, 1 B7*, 3 C2, 2 D2, 1 C2, 1 B8*, 3 D2, 1 C3, 1 B3, 2 A1 ✂ B7 D2 B8 B3
  27. Row 27 ↗ (21) 2 A1, 1 C3, 4 B9*, 1 C2, 1 G5*, 1 D3*, 2 C2, 1 D3, 1 C2, 7 A2 ✂ A1 C3 G5
  28. Row 28 ↙ (20) 5 A2, 2 B10*, 2 D3, 1 C2, 3 D3, 1 C4*, 1 B9, 2 A3*, 2 B9, 1 A3 ✂ B10 D3 B9
  29. Row 29 ↗ (19) 5 A3, 1 C4, 3 B11*, 1 C2, 1 G6*, 1 D4*, 2 E6*, 5 A2 ✂ A3 C4 G6
  30. Row 30 ↙ (18) 3 A2, 3 B12*, 1 E6, 2 D4, 1 C2, 2 A4*, 2 B11, 4 A4 ✂ B12 E6 D4 C2 B11
  31. Row 31 ↗ (17) 7 A4, 5 B13*, 2 E7*, 3 A2 ✂ A4 B13
  32. Row 32 ↙ (16) 2 A2, 1 B14*, 3 E7, 10 A5* ✂ B14
  33. Row 33 ↗ (15) 9 A5, 2 B15*, 2 E7, 2 A2 ✂ B15
  34. Row 34 ↙ (14) 1 A2, 1 B16*, 2 E7, 10 A5 ✂ E7
  35. Row 35 ↗ (13) 9 A5, 3 B16, 1 A2 ✂ A5 B16
  36. Row 36 ↙ (12) 12 A2
  37. Row 37 ↗ (11) 11 A2
  38. Row 38 ↙ (10) 10 A2
  39. Row 39 ↗ (9) 9 A2
  40. Row 40 ↙ (8) 8 A2
  41. Row 41 ↗ (7) 7 A2
  42. Row 42 ↙ (6) 6 A2
  43. Row 43 ↗ (5) 5 A2
  44. Row 44 ↙ (4) 4 A2
  45. Row 45 ↗ (3) 3 A2
  46. Row 46 ↙ (2) 2 A2
  47. Row 47 ↗ (1) 1 A2 ✂ A2

Checked

  • All 47 diagonal rows follow the increase/decrease rules at both edges
  • 576 tiles in total (24 × 24)
  • Every row's written colour counts add up to that row's tile count
  • The 47 written rows, read on their own, rebuild every tile of your graph
  • Replaying the 43 bobbins row by row gives every row's colours in working order
  • All 142 times a bobbin carries on into the next row, it is picked up next to where it stopped (at most 2 tiles away)
  • Each of the 576 tiles belongs to exactly one bobbin, and each colour's bobbins add up to its tiles

How one grid makes five crafts

A square is a tile, a stitch or a bead.

C2C crochet

Corner to corner works the square in diagonal rows of little tiles (a chain of 3 and 3 double crochet each). Start at the bottom right corner: odd rows go ↗, even rows ↙. Each colour area has its own bobbin; the plan tells you where to join a new one (*), where a bobbin carries on and where to cut (✂). At 1.9 cm a tile, a 24-tile square is about 45.6 cm (18 in) across; in bulky (2.6 cm) about 62.4 cm (24.5 in).

Single crochet

Each square is one single crochet, worked in rows from the bottom up: odd rows right to left, even rows left to right. Where a row has only two colours, carry the other yarn inside the stitches (tapestry crochet); where it has more, give each colour area its own small bobbin, the way graphgans are made.

Cross stitch

Each square is one full cross. The chart shows a symbol for every colour, a bold line every 10 squares and red arrows at the middle, where you start. Aida is sold by its count, the number of squares in an inch, so the same chart is 2 in across on 11-count and 1 in on 18-count.

Alpha knots

Each square is one knot on a base string, the way alpha friendship bracelets are knotted: forward knots left to right on odd rows, backward knots right to left on even rows, each knot tied by the string of the colour you see. 24 base strings make a small square piece, a keychain or a bookmark charm.

Fuse beads

Place one bead on each peg, following the pattern from the top left. Cover the beads with parchment paper and iron gently until they fuse, let it cool, then lift it off the board and iron the back. The motifs are 24 × 24 pegs at most, so each fits one 29 × 29 square board.

Fuse bead sizes and ironing: Wikipedia, Fuse beads · 29 × 29 boards: a large square pegboard with 841 pegs · C2C tile sizes and yarn: how much yarn do I need.

All twelve

Every motif, counted.

C2C with worsted tiles and carrying across 1–2 tiles; cross stitch on 14-count Aida; beads without the background.

MotifColoursC2C bobbinsCross stitch, 14-countBeads
Christmas tree6 + background4322 × 21 · 1.5 × 1.5 in214Make it
Santa6 + background4320 × 21 · 1.5 × 1.5 in304Make it
Snowman in a beanie6 + background4022 × 22 · 1.5 × 1.5 in248Make it
Gingerbread man6 + background3120 × 20 · 1.5 × 1.5 in250Make it
Christmas stocking6 + background3117 × 21 · 1.25 × 1.5 in253Make it
Candy cane6 + background3915 × 21 · 1 × 1.5 in161Make it
Bauble6 + background4018 × 22 · 1.25 × 1.5 in270Make it
Wreath5 + background6622 × 22 · 1.5 × 1.5 in300Make it
Gift box6 + background3320 × 20 · 1.5 × 1.5 in328Make it
Reindeer5 + background4020 × 20 · 1.5 × 1.5 in232Make it
Penguin5 + background2914 × 22 · 1 × 1.5 in234Make it
Christmas gnome6 + background4518 × 21 · 1.25 × 1.5 in226Make it

More pixel patterns

Other sets to try.

Every set works the same way: one grid, five ways to make it. All pixel patterns

8 motifs

Ocean pixel patterns

Explore the coast through eight original squares: a whale, sea turtle, jellyfish, seahorse, shore crab, scallop shell, reef fish and sailboat. Each drawing has a clear silhouette and a limited palette.

See the Ocean patterns

Questions

Before you start.

Is the reindeer anyone in particular?

No. Our reindeer has a brown nose and our snowman wears a knitted beanie: they are nobody’s character, just the shapes everyone draws at Christmas, and Santa is the folk figure in our own pixel style. There are no licensed characters, film looks or logos here.

Can I make ornaments from them?

Yes. In fuse beads each motif fits one 29 × 29 board and comes out about 12 cm across at most; glue or sew a hanging loop on the back. In cross stitch the christmas tree is 22 × 21 stitches, about 1.5 × 1.5 in on 14-count: small enough for a card or a hanging ornament.

Can I knit them on a stocking or a sweater?

These grids are made for crochet, cross stitch and beads, where every square can be any colour. For knitting, our Christmas stocking and Christmas sweater designers use Fair Isle bands drawn for knitting, where each round carries at most two colours.

Can I make a Christmas blanket from them?

Yes: make one C2C square per motif and join them. Each square is 24 × 24 tiles, about 45.6 cm (18 in) in worsted; twelve squares in four rows of three come to about 136.8 × 182.4 cm (54 × 72 in) before a border. Our free Reindeer Hearts C2C blanket is one whole graph instead.

How big is the cross stitch?

Small, about the size of an ornament or a greeting card: the christmas tree is 22 × 21 stitches, 1.5 × 1.5 in on 14-count. Choose 11-count for a bigger piece.

Can I change the colours?

Yes. Click any colour to match the yarn, floss or beads you have; for C2C you can also pick the background yarn. The chart, the counts and the bobbin plan follow.

Can I change the picture itself?

Open the C2C square in the C2C bobbin calculator: you can paint over any tile and it works out the bobbins again.

Is it free?

Yes. There is no account and nothing is sent to a server; the patterns are made in your browser. They are for your own personal use.

Back to the patternsAll free tools