Convert any image into an illusion knitting pattern — runs entirely in your browser
Rotate you image pre-upload, the image will be processed with the expected viewing angle being the bottom of the page.
Click or drop an image here
This tool converts images into illusion knitting charts using pixel analysis. You can select the granularity of the conversion with the "Stitch Detail" slider. This will convert a square (n x n pixels) into a single stitch in the final pattern.
When you upload an image it is processed using a simple Kmeans algorithm, with converts the image into 3 separate colours. These colours are then determined to be either light, medium, or dark and based on this determination a stitch will be formed in the pattern.
The resulting pattern creates an optical illusion when viewed from a specific angle—appearing as a flat geometric pattern from one view, but revealing the full image when seen from the side/bottom viewing angle.
The image processing takes advantage of WASM to keep your data and processing on your device. This may mean the time to process may be longer on low power devices but you data remains private and never leaves your device.
You can experiment with pre-processing your image for better results. The analogue method found 'woollythoughts.com' relies on the artist determining which parts of the image will be best desplayed as each stitch. This occurs with a greyscale image, however this process uses the colours as well as brighteness to determine the pattern make up.
By pre-processing your image you can influence how the image is adapted into a pattern.
For best results, prepare your image before uploading. Following these tips will dramatically improve your finished pattern:
The angle of viewing for the illusion will be from the bottom of this page, so the image should be rotated taking that into account pre-upload.
If your images is a simple block colour image this can result in poor patterns. For example if a image naturally only has 4 colours during this the conversion will convert this into 3 colours, meaning two of the colours will be merged in the final pattern. Better to avoid overly simple images.
The image is processed from top left to bottom right. On the final stitch for the rows and columns the stitch type can be dertermined with fewer pixels than the other stitches, this can lead to a small amount of distortion.
In the woollythoughts tutorials the pattern creation starts with the tigers eye, however this generates patterns starting at the top left. If you need the pattern to make a certain part of the image into a stich you will need to calculate that based on the images pixels and the location of the detail desired.
Before you start, understand the terminology:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ridge | 2 rows of knitting (in garter stitch) |
| Right Side (RS) | The side facing you when looking at the chart |
| Wrong Side (WS) | The back side of your work |
| Light yarn | Your lighter coloured yarn (e.g. cream, white, pale yellow) |
| Dark yarn | Your darker coloured yarn (e.g. black, navy, dark brown) |
Your downloaded pattern has three types of squares. Here's what each one means and what to do:
This area should appear as the LIGHT colour in the finished piece. Knit on light ridges, purl on dark ridges.
Intermediate shading where both colours blend. Knit on both light and dark ridges so neither colour dominates.
This area should appear as the DARK colour in the finished piece. Knit on dark ridges, purl on light ridges.
Illusion knitting works by making some stitches pop forward (visible) and others recede (hidden) depending on the viewing angle.
Every ridge is made up of two rows. Ridges alternate between light yarn and dark yarn throughout.
Print this and keep it next to you while knitting:
| Square Colour | On a LIGHT Ridge (WS row) | On a DARK Ridge (WS row) |
|---|---|---|
| White | KNIT | PURL |
| Grey | KNIT | KNIT |
| Black | PURL | KNIT |
When you purl a stitch on the Wrong Side, it creates a bump that pushes that stitch backward. From the straight-on view, both colours look equally mixed and you just see stripes. But when you tilt the piece and view from the bottom/side angle, the purled (receded) stitches disappear behind the knitted (forward) stitches — and the image appears.
The grey/medium squares are knit on both ridges, so neither colour fully dominates. This creates areas of intermediate tone, giving your image shading and depth rather than just harsh black-and-white contrast.
Choose light and dark yarns with strong contrast (e.g. cream and black, white and navy)
Use stitch markers or a highlighted chart to avoid losing your place on wide patterns
Gently steam or wet-block your finished piece to soften purl bumps and sharpen the illusion
The wrong-side row is where the magic happens — mistakes here directly affect the illusion
Approximate sizes based on common yarn weights:
| Yarn Weight | Needle Size | Per Stitch | 150 sts wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| DK / Light Worsted | US 5–6 (3.75–4mm) | ~3mm | ~18cm / 7" |
| Worsted | US 7–8 (4.5–5mm) | ~4mm | ~15cm / 6" |
| Bulky / Chunky | US 9–10 (5.5–6mm) | ~5mm | ~12cm / 5" |
Note: These are estimates. Always knit a swatch and measure your own gauge for accurate sizing.
Your privacy is our priority. This tool is designed with your security in mind:
This tool was inspired by the work of Pat Ashforth & Steve Plummer at Woolly Thoughts.
Their "Eye of the Tiger" illusion knitting tutorial series provided the foundational technique and methodology for this application. We're grateful for their generous sharing of illusion knitting knowledge.
If you create something beautiful with this tool, please credit both us and the original Woolly Thoughts pattern designers.