Aztec Pattern
“Aztec pattern” and “Aztec print” are popular names for bold, stepped geometric prints. This maker builds them from 8 bands of our own (stepped diamonds, stepped triangles, zigzags, stepped hooks, arrow pairs, chevron rows, checks and plain stripes) stacked from top to bottom on a square grid of cells, so every corner sits on the grid. Choose up to six bands, a size for each and 2 to 5 colours. The repeat is worked out for you: the band heights add up to the tile height, and the tile width is the smallest number of cells every band repeats into. Download a seamless SVG tile at real size, a tile PNG, a 300 DPI PNG, or a PDF with the pattern at full size and a chart of one repeat (one square per cell, a symbol per colour) for cross-stitch, knitting or pixel art. The designs are our own and are not anyone’s traditional designs. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Page 1 is the pattern at full size with a 1 in test square. Page 2 is the chart of one repeat: one square per cell, a symbol per colour, row 1 at the bottom. The SVG tile repeats edge to edge.
Bands
Colours and size
Runs in your browser with our own code: nothing is uploaded or saved. You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to make an Aztec pattern
- Choose a preset, or pick up to six bands from top to bottom.
- For each band, choose a size, its ground colour, its main colour and a second colour.
- Pick 2 to 5 colours and the cell size in inches or centimetres.
- Check the line under the preview: rows, repeat width and real size.
- Download the SVG tile, the tile PNG or the PDF with the chart; print at 100% and check the 1 in test square.
What you can use it for
- Fabric, blanket and rug mock-ups
- Cross-stitch, knitting, crochet and bead charts
- Website, slide and phone backgrounds
- Gift wrap, scrapbook paper and cards
- Stencils and painted borders
- Pixel art and game tiles
The 13 presets
| # | Preset | Bands, top to bottom | Repeat (cells) | Repeat (real size) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Earth tones, diamonds and zigzags | Plain stripe, Zigzag, Stepped diamonds, Zigzag, Plain stripe | 12 × 21 | 3 × 5.25 in |
| 2 | Turquoise and coral | Checks, Stepped triangles, Arrow pairs (right and left), Checks | 56 × 15 | 11.2 × 3 in |
| 3 | Black and white | Plain stripe, Stepped diamonds, Plain stripe, Chevron rows | 40 × 15 | 8 × 3 in |
| 4 | Stepped hooks and triangles | Stepped triangles, Stepped hooks, Plain stripe | 16 × 12 | 3.2 × 2.4 in |
| 5 | Desert sand and rust | Zigzag, Stepped diamonds, Zigzag | 8 × 13 | 2 × 3.25 in |
| 6 | Blanket stripes | Plain stripe, Arrow pairs (right and left), Plain stripe, Stepped triangles, Plain stripe | 12 × 15 | 2.4 × 3 in |
| 7 | Navy and cream diamonds | Stepped diamonds, Checks | 12 × 12 | 2.4 × 2.4 in |
| 8 | Pastel zigzags | Zigzag, Zigzag | 8 × 10 | 1.6 × 2 in |
| 9 | Arrow rows | Arrow pairs (right and left), Plain stripe, Arrow pairs (right and left), Plain stripe | 12 × 16 | 2.4 × 3.2 in |
| 10 | Cross-stitch border (small cells) | Checks, Stepped triangles, Stepped diamonds, Checks | 24 × 12 | 2.4 × 1.2 in |
| 11 | Forest and mustard | Chevron rows, Stepped hooks, Chevron rows | 48 × 13 | 9.6 × 2.6 in |
| 12 | Large print (1 cm cells) | Stepped triangles, Stepped diamonds, Stepped triangles | 40 × 17 | 40 × 17 cm |
| 13 | Night sky, gold on navy | Plain stripe, Stepped diamonds, Zigzag, Plain stripe | 30 × 15 | 6 × 3 in |
Each preset only fills in the fields; change any band, colour or size afterwards.
The 8 bands
| Band | Repeat × rows for each size | Mirror | Colours used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stepped diamonds | 8 × 7, 10 × 9, 12 × 11 | Left to right and top to bottom | 3 |
| Stepped triangles | 6 × 3, 8 × 4, 10 × 5, 12 × 6 | Left to right | 3 |
| Zigzag | 4 × 3, 6 × 4, 8 × 5 | Left to right | 3 |
| Stepped hooks | 16 × 7 | Left to right | 2 |
| Arrow pairs (right and left) | 12 × 7, 14 × 9, 16 × 11 | Left to right and top to bottom | 3 |
| Chevron rows | 6 × 3, 8 × 4, 12 × 6 | Left to right | 3 |
| Checks | 2 × 1, 4 × 2 | Left to right and top to bottom | 2 |
| Plain stripe | 1 × 1, 1 × 2, 1 × 3 | Left to right and top to bottom | 1 |
Colours used counts the band ground; every band can also be drawn in one colour on its ground.
How the repeat is worked out
| Bands | Band repeats | Tile width | Tile height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stepped diamonds size 5 + zigzag size 4 | 12, 6 | 12 cells | 11 + 4 = 15 rows |
| Stepped triangles size 4 + arrow pairs size 4 | 8, 14 | 56 cells | 4 + 9 = 13 rows |
| Stepped hooks + stepped triangles size 4 | 16, 8 | 16 cells | 7 + 4 = 11 rows |
The width is the least common multiple of the band repeats; the height is the sum of the band heights. Our tests check both for every preset.
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Stepped geometric bands and a cell chart | Aztec Pattern (this page) |
| Ikat-style motifs with a feathered edge | Ikat Pattern |
| Meander borders | Greek Key Pattern Generator |
| Zigzag stripes | Chevron Pattern Generator |
| A chart from any grid or picture | Knitting Chart Maker |
Also handy: the Greek Key Pattern Generator, the Knitting Chart Maker and the Cross Stitch Pattern Maker.
More free tools
More pattern and print tools?
Pattern makers and print tools that run privately in your browser, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called an Aztec pattern?
“Aztec pattern” and “Aztec print” are names shops and designers use for this style of stepped geometric print. The designs on this page are our own drawings; we make no claim that they come from any people or tradition.
Is every shape on a grid?
Yes. Every band is made of whole cells of one square grid, so every corner of every shape sits on a grid line. The tile, the PNG, the PDF and the chart are all drawn from the same cells, one rectangle per run of a colour, and our tests check it.
Can I use it as a cross-stitch or knitting chart?
Yes. Page 2 of the PDF is one repeat with one square per cell, a symbol for each colour and row numbers from the bottom. Each square is one stitch, bead or pixel.
How is the repeat worked out?
The tile is as tall as all the bands together and as wide as the smallest number of cells that every band repeats into (their least common multiple). If that comes to more than 120 cells, the maker asks you to pick sizes whose repeats share factors.
Are the bands symmetrical?
Each band is a mirror image of itself as stated in the band table: left to right for all of them, and top to bottom too for diamonds, arrow pairs, checks and stripes. Our tests check every band at every size.
Will the tile repeat without a seam?
Yes. The pattern is the tile repeated cell for cell, so copies placed edge to edge join with no seam. Our tests compare copies placed side by side with the pattern drawn in one piece, by pixels and by shape.
How is this different from the Greek key and chevron makers?
The Greek key maker draws meander borders and the chevron maker draws zigzag stripes. This page stacks several stepped bands into one repeat and gives a cell chart for stitching.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.