Design Your Own Crochet Pattern Chart
Tapestry crochet and pattern charts are some of the most striking things you can make — bold geometric designs, pixel art portraits, intricate repeating motifs. But behind every beautiful colorwork piece is a grid chart that maps out exactly which color goes where, stitch by stitch and row by row.
Before digital tools existed, crochet designers did this entirely by hand — and honestly, many still do. I still have pages of my earliest colorwork designs sketched out on plain graph paper with a pencil, working out chevrons, diamonds, and geometric repeats square by square. There's something deeply satisfying about drawing out a pattern by hand and watching the design take shape on the grid. That's exactly where this template came from.
If you've ever wanted to design your own crochet pattern — or adapt an existing design into a crochet chart — this is where you start. Whether you prefer sketching on paper or working digitally, the process is the same: one square, one stitch, one row at a time. The Crochet Pattern Chart Template brings that same grid-paper experience online, so you can plan, visualize, and refine your design before you pick up a hook.
"Every crochet pattern design starts as simply grid. One square, one stitch."
You don't need special software or design experience. Just an idea, a color palette, and a grid. This guide walks you through how colorwork charts work, how to read them, and how to use the template to design your own.
WHAT IS A CROCHET PATTERN CHART
A crochet pattern chart is a grid where each square represents one stitch and each row of squares represents one row of crochet. You fill squares with color to show which yarn color to use for each stitch. When you work the pattern, you follow the chart row by row, switching colors as the grid tells you.
Charts are used in tapestry crochet, mosaic crochet, intarsia, and any technique that involves carrying or switching colors across a row. They're much easier to follow than written color instructions — one glance at the chart tells you everything.
HOW TO READ A CROCHET PATTERN CHART
Reading a colorwork chart feels confusing at first, but once you understand the direction pattern it becomes second nature. The key is knowing which direction to read each row.
If you're working in the round (like a bag or a hat), every row is read in the same direction — right to left — because you're always working on the right side of the fabric.
HOW TO US THE CROCHET CHART TEMPLATE
1
SET YOUR GRID SIZE
Choose how many columns (stitches across) and rows (rows of crochet) your design needs. Start small if you're new to charting — a 20 x 20 grid is a great starting point for a motif or repeat.
2
PICK YOUR COLORS
Choose up to 6 colors to work with — one for each yarn color in your design. Click a color to make it active, then click squares on the grid to fill them in.
3
DESIGN YOUR PATTERN
Click individual squares to fill them, or click and drag to fill multiple squares at once. Use the eraser tool to clear squares and start fresh on any section.
4
READ YOUR CHART AS YOU CROCHET
Start at the bottom row of your chart and work upward. Odd rows right to left, even rows left to right — or all right to left if working in the round.
Want a printable copy? Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) with the chart open on screen. Set it to print the page and you'll have a paper copy to work from at your craft table.
DESIGN SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL
Your colorwork ideas deserve a proper home. Use the chart template to plan, visualize, and refine your design before you pick up a hook.
Have questions about this tool or need help with your project? Drop them in the comments below — I'd love to help! Whether you're just starting out or you've been crocheting for years, no question is too big or too small. Let's figure it out together. 🧶