Cross stitch guide
28 count cross stitch fabric
28 count fabric is evenweave or linen with 28 threads to the inch. Each cross is worked over two threads, which gives 14 stitches to the inch: the same size as 14 count Aida. Use two strands and a size 24 or 26 tapestry needle.
On this page 11 parts
What 28 count is
A 28 count cloth has 28 threads in every inch (2.54 cm), across and down. The threads are woven singly, one over and one under, with a small hole between each pair. That is evenweave when the threads are cotton or a cotton blend, and linen when they are flax.
On this cloth a cross is not made over one thread. It is made over two threads each way. Two threads to a stitch turns 28 threads into 14 stitches to the inch, so a design comes out exactly the size it would on 14 count Aida.
If you searched for 28 count Aida
You are most likely holding one of two things.
- 28 count evenweave or linen. The lists of Aida counts that makers and guilds publish stop at 18 or 20. Cloth sold at 28 count is normally woven in single threads, not in Aida's blocks. Look closely: if you see single threads and no clear squares, it is evenweave or linen, and you stitch over two.
- A pattern that gives its size "on 14 count Aida or 28 count over two". Both give the same size. If you want blocks and clear holes, buy 14 count Aida.
28 count over two, at a glance
| On this fabric | 28 count evenweave or linen, over two |
|---|---|
| Stitches to the inch | 14 |
| Tapestry needle | Size 24 |
| Strands of six-strand cotton | 2 |
| 100 stitches measure | 7 1/8 in (18.1 cm) |
28 count over one, at a glance
| On this fabric | 28 count |
|---|---|
| Stitches to the inch | 28 |
| Tapestry needle | Size 28 |
| Strands of six-strand cotton | 1 or 2 |
| 100 stitches measure | 3 5/8 in (9.1 cm) |
Strands and needle
Over two: two strands. The stitch is the size of a 14 count stitch, so it takes the same two strands. Backstitch outlines are usually worked in one.
Over two: a size 24 or a size 26 tapestry needle. Needle charts split here. Some match the needle to the stitch and give a 24, as for 14 count Aida. Others match it to the finer holes and give a 26. Both are in common use.
Over one: one strand and a size 28 needle. Stitching over a single thread gives 28 tiny stitches to the inch, and is kept for very fine detail. The table above allows one strand or two. One is the usual choice at this size, and it is all a size 28 needle takes: its eye is delicate.
What a design comes to on 28 count over two
| Design, in stitches | Stitched size, inches | Stitched size, centimeters | Fabric to cut, inches | Fabric to cut, centimeters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 | 2 1/8 × 2 1/8 in | 5.4 × 5.4 cm | 9 × 9 in | 21 × 21 cm |
| 50 × 50 | 3 5/8 × 3 5/8 in | 9.1 × 9.1 cm | 10 × 10 in | 25 × 25 cm |
| 70 × 70 | 5 × 5 in | 12.7 × 12.7 cm | 11 × 11 in | 28 × 28 cm |
| 100 × 100 | 7 1/8 × 7 1/8 in | 18.1 × 18.1 cm | 14 × 14 in | 34 × 34 cm |
| 120 × 120 | 8 5/8 × 8 5/8 in | 21.8 × 21.8 cm | 15 × 15 in | 37 × 37 cm |
| 150 × 150 | 10 3/4 × 10 3/4 in | 27.2 × 27.2 cm | 17 × 17 in | 43 × 43 cm |
| 200 × 200 | 14 1/4 × 14 1/4 in | 36.3 × 36.3 cm | 21 × 21 in | 52 × 52 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 28 count over one
| Design, in stitches | Stitched size, inches | Stitched size, centimeters | Fabric to cut, inches | Fabric to cut, centimeters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 × 30 | 1 1/8 × 1 1/8 in | 2.7 × 2.7 cm | 8 × 8 in | 18 × 18 cm |
| 50 × 50 | 1 3/4 × 1 3/4 in | 4.5 × 4.5 cm | 8 × 8 in | 20 × 20 cm |
| 70 × 70 | 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 in | 6.3 × 6.3 cm | 9 × 9 in | 22 × 22 cm |
| 100 × 100 | 3 5/8 × 3 5/8 in | 9.1 × 9.1 cm | 10 × 10 in | 25 × 25 cm |
| 120 × 120 | 4 1/4 × 4 1/4 in | 10.9 × 10.9 cm | 11 × 11 in | 26 × 26 cm |
| 150 × 150 | 5 3/8 × 5 3/8 in | 13.6 × 13.6 cm | 12 × 12 in | 29 × 29 cm |
| 200 × 200 | 7 1/8 × 7 1/8 in | 18.1 × 18.1 cm | 14 × 14 in | 34 × 34 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.
How a stitch over two is made
Bring the needle up through a hole. Count two threads across and two threads up, and go down there, passing over the hole in between. Each leg of the cross covers two threads each way, and a small empty hole is left under the middle of the finished cross.
That middle hole is one reason stitchers choose this cloth. A quarter or three-quarter stitch can end in it, where on Aida the needle has to pierce the middle of a block.
Common mistakes
- Stitching over one thread or three by accident. Check now and then that every leg crosses two threads, no more and no fewer.
- Working out the size as if it were Aida. Divide the stitches by 14, not by 28, when you stitch over two. In a calculator, set "over two". If the size comes out half of what you expected, this is the reason.
- Leaving the edges raw. Evenweave and linen fray more than Aida. Bind or overcast the edges before you begin.
Questions people ask
Is 28 count the same as 14 count? In size, yes, when you stitch over two. In feel, no: 28 count has no blocks, so the background looks smoother and finer.
Can I use 28 count for a pattern that names 14 count Aida? Yes. The evenweave or linen that gives the same size has twice the Aida count: 28 for 14. Buy the same size of cloth.
Is 28 count hard to stitch on? It is different, not harder. The holes are smaller than on 14 count Aida, and you count two threads for every stitch.
Evenweave or linen? Evenweave threads are all the same thickness, so it is the easier of the two. Linen threads vary a little, which is part of its look and the reason it is usually worked over two.
Where to go next
See the size of your own design in the fabric calculator, set to 28 count over two. To learn the stitch itself, read how to cross stitch on evenweave and linen, over two threads, and for the cloth, linen for cross stitch. The matching Aida is 14 count. One step finer is 32 count. To draw a design at stitched size, print 14-count graph paper: one square is one stitch over two.