Cross-Stitch Fabric Count and Finished-Size Math

Why the same chart comes out different sizes

A cross-stitch chart never tells you how big the finished piece will be. It only tells you how many stitches wide and tall the design is. The fabric decides the rest. Stitch the same 98 by 140 stitch chart on two different fabrics and one version can be almost two inches narrower than the other. If you know the fabric count, you can work out the size before you cut anything, then buy enough cloth and pick a frame to suit.

Count is the number of stitches (or squares) that fit into one inch of fabric.³ A higher count means smaller squares, so smaller stitches and a smaller finished design.¹ Counted cross-stitch fabric comes in two broad families, and they count differently, which is where most beginners get confused.

Aida, evenweave and linen

Aida is a cotton cloth woven specially for cross stitch. Zweigart, the German mill that describes itself as Aida's inventor, explains that the threads are grouped in blocks of four in each direction, which leaves small, clearly visible holes between the blocks.⁴ You stitch one cross over one block, from hole to hole. On Aida, the count printed on the label is the stitch count: 14-count Aida gives 14 crosses per inch.

Evenweave has single threads of the same thickness running both ways, so it has the same number of threads per inch horizontally and vertically. Linen used for cross stitch is a type of evenweave woven from flax. On these fabrics you count threads rather than blocks, and you normally work each cross over two threads across and two threads up.¹ Zweigart notes that cross stitch is generally worked this way.⁵

Working over two halves the effective count. A 28-count evenweave has 28 threads per inch, but each cross uses two of them, so you get 14 crosses per inch. Zweigart makes the same point: a design on 14-count Aida comes out close to the same size as on 27-count linen.⁵ For quick planning, treat 28-count over two as equal to 14-count Aida, 32-count over two as 16-count Aida, and 25-count over two as 12.5-count.

The formula

Finished size in inches = number of stitches divided by stitches per inch.

Do the width and the height separately. If you are on evenweave or linen worked over two, first divide the fabric's thread count by 2 to get stitches per inch. Zweigart writes the same idea in metric: stitches multiplied by 2 threads, divided by threads per centimetre, gives the design size in centimetres.⁵ To convert inches to centimetres multiply by 2.54; to convert a count to threads per centimetre divide by 2.54 (18-count is about 7 per cm).⁵

A 4-H project sheet from West Virginia University Extension shows how quickly the numbers change: a nametag design 56 stitches wide measures 4 in on 14-count, 3 5/8 in on 16-count and 3 1/8 in on 18-count.³

Worked examples: a 98 by 140 stitch design

Take a chart that is 98 stitches wide and 140 stitches tall. Here is the arithmetic on three fabrics.

• 14-count Aida: 98 / 14 = 7.0 in wide, and 140 / 14 = 10.0 in tall. That is 17.8 by 25.4 cm.
• 18-count Aida: 98 / 18 = 5.44 in wide, and 140 / 18 = 7.78 in tall, or about 13.8 by 19.8 cm. The design shrinks by more than 1.5 in across and over 2 in from top to bottom.
• 28-count evenweave over two: 28 / 2 = 14 stitches per inch, so the result is 7.0 by 10.0 in, identical to 14-count Aida. The look is different (finer threads, rounder holes) but the size matches.

On 11-count Aida the same chart grows to 8.91 by 12.73 in (22.6 by 32.3 cm). On 25-count evenweave over two (12.5 per inch) it measures 7.84 by 11.2 in.

Finished-size table

Rounded to two decimal places in inches, with centimetres in brackets. Use the nearest column, or apply the formula for any other stitch count.

Adding margins and buying fabric

The design size is not the fabric size. You need bare fabric around the stitching to hold it in a hoop while you work and to wrap around a mounting board for framing. DMC advises leaving a clear border of at least 3 in (8 cm) on every side if the piece will be mounted and framed.² Yarn Tree's calculator sheet suggests about 2 in on all four sides for finishing, on top of any unstitched border you want to show inside the frame.⁶ Between 2 and 3 in per side covers most projects; go to 3 in or more for anything going to a framer.

So the fabric size is the design size plus twice the margin, in each direction. For the 98 by 140 design with 3 in margins:

• On 14-count: 7.0 + 6 = 13 in wide, and 10.0 + 6 = 16 in tall. Cut 13 by 16 in (33 by 41 cm).
• On 18-count: 5.44 + 6 = 11.44 in and 7.78 + 6 = 13.78 in. Round up to 12 by 14 in.
• On 28-count over two: the same 13 by 16 in as 14-count Aida.

Round up to the next whole inch every time. A margin that turns out too tight cannot be fixed once the stitching is done, and the fabric costs little next to the hours you will put in. Before you start, fold the cut piece into quarters to find the middle (see finding the centre) and protect the raw edges so they do not fray while you work. The starting and finishing lesson covers the first stitches.

Converting a pattern between counts

Kits and magazine charts often state a finished size for one fabric. If you want a different fabric, you can recalculate from the stitch count, or convert the stated size directly: new size = old size multiplied by old count, divided by new count. Zweigart uses this method in its own example, multiplying the original size by the old thread count and dividing by the new one.⁵

Example: a chart says 7 by 10 in on 14-count and you want 16-count Aida. 7 x 14 / 16 = 6.13 in, and 10 x 14 / 16 = 8.75 in. Going the other way works too. If you own an 8 by 10 in frame and want the design to fill a 6 by 8.5 in window, divide stitches by inches: 98 / 6 = 16.3 and 140 / 8.5 = 16.5, so 16-count is the nearest fabric that fits.

A change of count has one more effect: it changes how many strands of floss you need to cover the fabric.

Strands of floss for each count

Six-strand embroidery floss (see cross-stitch materials) is pulled apart and used a few strands at a time. Thicker fabric squares need more strands to cover; finer fabric needs fewer, or the stitches crowd and distort the holes. Colonial Needle's starting points for cross stitch are listed below.⁷ A pattern's own instructions take priority.

Backstitch outlines are usually worked with one strand fewer than the crosses. Stitch a few test crosses in a corner of the margin and look at them from arm's length: if fabric shows between the arms, add a strand; if the holes look stretched, take one away. The needles and floss lesson covers separating strands without tangles.

Which count suits a beginner

DMC recommends 14-count Aida for people starting out.¹ The holes are big enough to see without magnification, and a size 24 tapestry needle passes through them easily. Two strands cover the fabric well, so even the first row looks neat. Yarn Tree notes that size 24 or 26 tapestry needles are the usual choice for this kind of work.⁸ On Aida every stitch sits in an obvious hole, so you only count blocks, not threads.

11-count is even easier to see and is good for children or anyone with tired eyes, though finished pieces are larger. Move to 16 or 18-count once you can keep your tension even. Try evenweave after that, starting with 28-count over two, since it gives the same size as 14-count Aida and lets you compare directly. The fabric lesson shows what each cloth looks like close up.

Common mistakes

• Reading 28-count as 28 stitches per inch. On evenweave worked over two it is 14. Halve the thread count before using the formula.
• Buying fabric the size of the design. Add 2 to 3 in per side, and more for framing.
• Measuring the stated size on the kit and assuming it applies to your fabric. Check which count the size refers to.
• Keeping the same number of strands after changing count. Three strands on 18-count will look lumpy; one strand on 11-count will look thin and gappy.
• Forgetting the frame. Work out the opening size first, then choose a count that fits it with the mat or border you want.
• Rounding down. A design that comes out 0.2 in too big for a frame window cannot be trimmed.

A quick check before cutting: write the stitch count, the count of your fabric, the finished size and the cut size on the chart margin. For the 98 by 140 design on 14-count Aida, that note reads 7 x 10 in finished, cut 13 x 16 in.