How to Read a Symbol Chart: Page Maps, Overlaps and Centre Marks

A FlossPixel PDF has four parts: the page map, the chart pages, the colour key and the size table. Knowing what each is for makes the first hour of stitching much calmer.

The page map

Page one shows the whole design small, with a rectangle over each region and its page number. Large charts print across several sheets; the map tells you which sheet holds which part.

Overlap guides

Each chart page repeats a few columns and rows from its neighbours, marked with a grey band. Line those up when you tape sheets together — or simply stitch from one page and switch when you reach the band. Never count the band twice.

Bold lines and centre marks

Every tenth line is bold so you can count in blocks of ten instead of single squares. Arrows on the edges mark the centre column and row; find the centre of your fabric, start there, and the design will sit where the size table says it will.

The colour key

Each row is a symbol, a colour swatch, a floss code and name, the stitch count and the skein estimate. Symbols are chosen for contrast at small sizes — filled shapes for dominant colours, outlines for rarer ones.

Printing

Print at 100% scale, not "fit to page", so the grid is identical on every sheet. If the symbols look small, print at 120% — the overlaps still line up because every page scales together. Highlight stitched areas as you go; a photocopy of the chart is fine for your own use.