KG Chart Image Conversion Tutorial

Here is how I convert a sprite to a cross stitch pattern.  I use KG-Chart for the cross stitch and an old version of Photoshop for the image editing.  You can use Paint just as easily for this type of work, but then you don't have as many options for layers and undoing steps.  Though I am doing this with a "sprite", it will work with any small image. 

This tutorial will show you how to go from a small sprite to a cross stitch pattern.

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Tutorial after the jump!

1. Get your image.  I was taking a sprite from a larger image, so my first step was to select it and copy to a new project.
   

2. Next, make sure that the background of your image is white, or another solid color.  This will help later when cleaning up the pattern in KG-Chart.




3. Crop the image down so that there is no extra white space.
   
   
4. Optional: tweak the image to clean up the edges.  I like to create a new layer so that I can toggle back and forth between the original and new outline.  For this sprite, I allowed some purple to be outside of the black outline because this Pokemon is ghost type.  Usually, though, I make sure to have the outline completely enclose the colors.
   
   
5. Save as file that KG-stitch can use (jpeg, png, gif). 
   
   
6. Check the size of the image in pixels.  The best conversions will have the same number of pixels and stitches.
   
   
7. Open KG Chart.
   
   
8. Choose "import" from the File menu and fill out the other information.  Inputting "1" for the "Linen Th./One Stitch" will tell you the correct size of the final product.  Make sure to input the pixel sizes for the Width and Height.
   
   
   This is what you will get.
   
9. Erase the white stitches from the background.  As far as I know, there is no other way to get rid of the background stitches that were imported.
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. Remember to save your project.
    
11. Print the pattern and you are ready to go!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Enjoy!