Marks the Spot: Cross Stitch

You found the perfect picture. Now it has to become a pattern — and you still don't know how many skeins to buy. Marks the Spot turns any photo into a stitch chart, counts every thread you'll need, and lets you mark your crosses right on the pattern as you go. HOW IT WORKS Pick a photo — your dog, your garden, the view from last summer. Slide a wooden hoop over it to frame the part you love. Choose how wide it should be and how many colors you want to juggle. Your chart appears with symbols, a color key and the number of skeins for every shade. THREAD THE NEEDLE Tap a square and its color goes onto your needle. Everything else fades back, so only the squares you can stitch right now stand out. Drag your finger across the row and the crosses stitch themselves in, one soft tick at a time. Pick up the wrong color? The chart simply won't take it. NEVER RUN SHORT MID-ROW Keep your whole…