Symbols for Black-and-White Charts
Symbols let you create pattern charts that can be printed in black and white, where each color is represented by a unique symbol.
Opening Symbol Assignment
Go to Tools > Symbol Assignment to open the dialog. You will see a list of all colors in your palette with their current symbol assignments.
Available Symbols
Stitch A Lot Studio includes 60 symbols organized into four tiers:
| Tier | Symbols | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | ● ■ ▲ ★ ◆ ✕ ♦ ♥ | Filled shapes — bold, high visibility |
| Tier 2 | ○ □ △ ☆ ◇ ✚ ⬡ ♠ | Outline shapes — lighter, good for lighter colors |
| Tier 3 | A–Z, 0–9 | Letters and numbers (36 symbols) |
| Tier 4 | ◐ ◑ ◒ ◓ ⊕ ⊗ ⊞ ⊠ | Advanced shapes for additional colors |
Auto-Assign Modes
Click Auto-Assign to automatically assign symbols to all colors. Choose from three modes:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| By Usage | Most-used colors get the boldest symbols (Tier 1). Best for chart readability. (Default) |
| By Lightness | Dark colors get filled symbols, light colors get outline symbols. Best for visual consistency. |
| Sequential | Assigns symbols in a fixed order following the palette sequence. Simple and predictable. |
Manual Assignment
Click the Change button next to any color to open the symbol picker. Browse symbols by tier and select one. Symbols already assigned to other colors are shown as unavailable.
Clearing Symbols
Click Clear All to remove all symbol assignments at once.
Viewing Symbols on Canvas
Enable Show Symbols in Preferences to display symbol overlays directly on the canvas stitches. This helps you verify the chart will be readable before exporting.
Symbols in Exports
When exporting a PDF with the Symbols for B&W option enabled, the chart uses symbols instead of colors. This produces a clean, printable chart that works on any black-and-white printer.