Need help matching colors~ (first post)

[Hinata Kidou]

Hi, all, I'm a total newb at cross stitching. Though I've been lurking the wordpress blog for months now, this is the first time I've gathered enough courage to post.

So, uh.. I followed the pattern making tutorial with the grids and stuff, I just need a lot of help matching the colors to the thread >_<
I want to make this
http://i39.tinypic.com/2la8yvr.jpg

and this, and I think he is WAY TOO BIG... is there any way I might be able to make him smaller without sacrificing too much detail?

Thanks and I hope we all become quick friends

EDIT: Okay, I've figured out how to use PCstitch and I've made the Yuffie pattern. I just noticed that it has a bunch of colors that only require one or three squares in the whole image, and was wondering if I should keep them that way or replace them with another color?
Here's the pattern, by the way... please tell me if I'm doing this correctly or if I'm missing a step >_<

310 - black
317 - pewter gray
318 - steel gray - lt
400 - mahogany - dk
402 - mahogany - vy lt
543 - beige brown - ul vy lt
702 - kelly green
*721 - orange spice - md (2 stitches)
722 - orange spice - lt
739 - tan - ul vy lt
*741 - tangerine - md (4 stitches)
781 - topaz - vy dk
783 - topaz - md
798 - delft blue - dk
844 - beaver gray - ul dk
973 - canary - br
*975 - golden brown - dk (3 stitches)
986 - forest green - vy dk
*988 - forest green - md (2 stitches)
3031 - mocha brown - vy dk
3340 - apricot - md - 3340
*3345 - hunter green - dk (1 stitch)
3820 - straw - dk
3827 - golden brown - pl
*3852 - straw - vy dk - (2 stitches)
*3855 - autumn gold - lt (2 stitches)

[johloh]

great first pattern! couple things...Id do...

-change symbols so you dont have like big circle and small circle, its hard to read and will annoy you.
-def. simplify out some colors...it looks like youve marked those with a red * and I agree with all those choices. my rule of thumb is to simplify as much as possible.
-other colors to look at simplifying out - mocha brown, apricot, and golden brown

looks good!

[Kazzandra]

This is somewhat off-topic but-- when from where did you retrieve that Yuffie picture? I am intrigued because I cannot recall any instance in which she was dressed in such a manner.

[Hinata Kidou]

Thank you so much for your advice! I managed to get it down to 16 colors xD should I post it up here or do I make a topic in the patterns section? :3

@Kazzandra - I got it off the Gameboy Advance version of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
edit: here she is

[johloh]

go ahead and throw up a new post in the patterns section!