Cross stitch guide
22 count cross stitch fabric
22 count fabric is most often Hardanger cloth, woven in pairs of threads so that it looks and counts like a very fine Aida. Stitch it over one square for 22 tiny stitches to the inch, or over two for 11 stitches to the inch, the size of 11 count Aida.
On this page 10 parts
What 22 count is
A 22 count cloth has 22 squares in every inch (2.54 cm). The cloth most often sold at this count is Hardanger cloth. It is woven with its threads in pairs, and each pair acts as one. The result looks like a very fine Aida: small squares with a clear hole at each corner.
If you are looking for 22 count Aida, this is usually what you will find. The lists of Aida counts that makers and guilds publish stop at 18 or 20, and Hardanger cloth can be stitched just as Aida is.
Hardanger the cloth is not Hardanger the embroidery. The embroidery is a Norwegian whitework of satin stitch blocks and cut threads; the cloth is named for it, and cross stitch can be worked on it too.
Over one or over two
You can stitch 22 count two ways, and the pattern or your own plan decides which.
- Over one square (row 1 in the picture). One cross to each square gives 22 stitches to the inch. The stitches are tiny and the design is small: half the width and half the height it would have on 11 count.
- Over two squares (row 2). Each cross covers two squares across and two up, as on evenweave. That gives 11 stitches to the inch, the same size as 11 count Aida, on a finer and smoother ground.
22 count over one, at a glance
| On this fabric | 22 count Hardanger, over one |
|---|---|
| Stitches to the inch | 22 |
| Tapestry needle | Size 28 |
| Strands of six-strand cotton | 1 or 2 |
| 100 stitches measure | 4 1/2 in (11.5 cm) |
22 count over two, at a glance
| On this fabric | 22 count, over two |
|---|---|
| Stitches to the inch | 11 |
| Tapestry needle | Size 22 |
| Strands of six-strand cotton | 3 |
| 100 stitches measure | 9 1/8 in (23.1 cm) |
Strands and needle
Over one: one strand, sometimes two, and a size 26 or 28 needle. At 22 stitches to the inch a single strand covers the square; two give a heavier, denser stitch. Needle charts give a 26 or a 28. A size 28 has a delicate eye and takes one strand only.
Over two: three strands and a size 22 or 24 needle. The stitch is the size of an 11 count stitch and takes the same three strands. The table gives a size 22, the needle for a stitch this big. The holes of 22 count cloth are smaller than those of 11 count Aida, though. If a 22 pushes them out of shape, change to a 24, which still has room in its eye for three strands. Calculators that go only by the count of the cloth give a 26 or a 28 here too, but a 28 is a needle for a single strand.
As always, a few trial crosses in the margin settle it.
What a design comes to on 22 count over one
| Design, in stitches | Stitched size, inches | Stitched size, centimeters | Fabric to cut, inches | Fabric to cut, centimeters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 | 1 3/8 × 1 3/8 in | 3.5 × 3.5 cm | 8 × 8 in | 19 × 19 cm |
| 50 × 50 | 2 1/4 × 2 1/4 in | 5.8 × 5.8 cm | 9 × 9 in | 21 × 21 cm |
| 70 × 70 | 3 1/8 × 3 1/8 in | 8.1 × 8.1 cm | 10 × 10 in | 24 × 24 cm |
| 100 × 100 | 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 in | 11.5 × 11.5 cm | 11 × 11 in | 27 × 27 cm |
| 120 × 120 | 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 in | 13.9 × 13.9 cm | 12 × 12 in | 29 × 29 cm |
| 150 × 150 | 6 7/8 × 6 7/8 in | 17.3 × 17.3 cm | 13 × 13 in | 33 × 33 cm |
| 200 × 200 | 9 1/8 × 9 1/8 in | 23.1 × 23.1 cm | 16 × 16 in | 39 × 39 cm |
The fabric to cut leaves 3 inches (7.5 cm) on every side for framing, rounded up to a whole inch or centimeter. For a design of another size, open the fabric calculator on 100 × 100 stitches at this count and change the numbers.
What a design comes to on 22 count over two
| Design, in stitches | Stitched size, inches | Stitched size, centimeters | Fabric to cut, inches | Fabric to cut, centimeters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 | 2 3/4 × 2 3/4 in | 6.9 × 6.9 cm | 9 × 9 in | 22 × 22 cm |
| 50 × 50 | 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 in | 11.5 × 11.5 cm | 11 × 11 in | 27 × 27 cm |
| 70 × 70 | 6 3/8 × 6 3/8 in | 16.2 × 16.2 cm | 13 × 13 in | 32 × 32 cm |
| 100 × 100 | 9 1/8 × 9 1/8 in | 23.1 × 23.1 cm | 16 × 16 in | 39 × 39 cm |
| 120 × 120 | 10 7/8 × 10 7/8 in | 27.7 × 27.7 cm | 17 × 17 in | 43 × 43 cm |
| 150 × 150 | 13 5/8 × 13 5/8 in | 34.6 × 34.6 cm | 20 × 20 in | 50 × 50 cm |
| 200 × 200 | 18 1/8 × 18 1/8 in | 46.2 × 46.2 cm | 25 × 25 in | 62 × 62 cm |
The fabric to cut leaves 3 inches (7.5 cm) on every side for framing, rounded up to a whole inch or centimeter. For a design of another size, open the fabric calculator on 100 × 100 stitches at this count and change the numbers.
Common mistakes
- Not knowing which way a pattern means. "22 count" alone does not say. Over one, 110 stitches are 5 inches (12.7 cm) wide. Over two, the same 110 stitches are 10 inches (25.4 cm) wide. Look for "over one" or "over two" in the pattern's notes before you cut.
- Using three strands over one. Three are far too thick for squares this small. Use one.
- Skipping a square when stitching over two. Count two squares for every leg, across and up.
Questions people ask
Is 22 count the same as 11 count? Over two, a design comes out the same size as on 11 count Aida. The cloth is finer, so the ground between the stitches looks smoother.
Is Hardanger cloth only for Hardanger embroidery? No. It is a counted cloth with clear squares, and cross stitch works on it as on Aida.
How fine is 22 count over one? It is finer than 18 count Aida and coarser than 25 or 28 count stitched over one thread. Expect to want good light and perhaps a magnifier.
Where to go next
Open the fabric calculator on 22 count for a design stitched over one, and choose "over two" there for the larger stitch. The Aida of the same size as 22 count over two is 11 count. Other counts with no page of their own are in less common fabric counts. For the over two stitch, see how to cross stitch on evenweave and linen, over two threads, and for needles, needle sizes.