Cross stitch tool
Cross stitch fabric and size calculator
How big will it be, and how much fabric do I cut?
Floss Field fabric calculator · flossfield.com/cross-stitch/tools/fabric-calculator/
Cross stitch size chart
Stitched size in inches for common square designs. Linen and evenweave stitched over two match the Aida column of half their count: 28-count is the 14-count column, 32-count the 16-count and 36-count the 18-count.
Scroll the table sideways to see every column.
| Design | 11-count Aida | 14-count Aida | 16-count Aida | 18-count Aida | 20-count Aida | 22-count Hardanger | 25-count over two |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 × 50 | 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 | 3 5/8 × 3 5/8 | 3 1/8 × 3 1/8 | 2 3/4 × 2 3/4 | 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 | 2 1/4 × 2 1/4 | 4 × 4 |
| 80 × 80 | 7 1/4 × 7 1/4 | 5 3/4 × 5 3/4 | 5 × 5 | 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 | 4 × 4 | 3 5/8 × 3 5/8 | 6 3/8 × 6 3/8 |
| 100 × 100 | 9 1/8 × 9 1/8 | 7 1/8 × 7 1/8 | 6 1/4 × 6 1/4 | 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 | 5 × 5 | 4 1/2 × 4 1/2 | 8 × 8 |
| 120 × 120 | 10 7/8 × 10 7/8 | 8 5/8 × 8 5/8 | 7 1/2 × 7 1/2 | 6 5/8 × 6 5/8 | 6 × 6 | 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 | 9 5/8 × 9 5/8 |
| 150 × 150 | 13 5/8 × 13 5/8 | 10 3/4 × 10 3/4 | 9 3/8 × 9 3/8 | 8 3/8 × 8 3/8 | 7 1/2 × 7 1/2 | 6 7/8 × 6 7/8 | 12 × 12 |
| 200 × 200 | 18 1/8 × 18 1/8 | 14 1/4 × 14 1/4 | 12 1/2 × 12 1/2 | 11 1/8 × 11 1/8 | 10 × 10 | 9 1/8 × 9 1/8 | 16 × 16 |
- 100 × 100 stitches on 14-count Aida is 7 1/8 × 7 1/8 in. See the fabric to cut
- 200 × 300 stitches on 14-count Aida is 14 1/4 × 21 3/8 in. See the fabric to cut
- 150 × 150 stitches on 18-count Aida is 8 3/8 × 8 3/8 in. See the fabric to cut
- 80 × 80 stitches on 16-count Aida is 5 × 5 in. See the fabric to cut
- 120 × 160 stitches on 28-count evenweave or linen, over two is 8 5/8 × 11 3/8 in. See the fabric to cut
- 100 × 100 stitches on 32-count evenweave or linen, over two is 6 1/4 × 6 1/4 in. See the fabric to cut
How the size is worked out
Divide the stitches by the stitches per inch. A design 120 stitches wide on 14-count Aida is 120 ÷ 14 = 8.57 inches, about 8 5/8. Multiply inches by 2.54 for centimeters. Then add the margin twice, once for each side, and round up: 8.57 + 3 + 3 = 14.57, so cut at least 15 inches.
How much fabric to leave around the design
A common allowance is 3 inches (7.5 cm) on every side for framing, 2 inches (5 cm) for a hoop finish and 1.5 inches (4 cm) for an ornament or card. These are starting points, not rules: check with your framer or your finishing instructions before you cut.
Over one or over two
Aida is stitched over one square, so 14-count Aida gives 14 stitches per inch. Linen and evenweave are usually stitched over two threads, which halves the count: 28-count over two also gives 14 stitches per inch, and 32-count over two gives 16. This calculator treats each fabric that way, so it works as an Aida calculator and a linen calculator.
Can I stitch a 14-count pattern on 16-count?
Yes. A chart is a number of stitches, not a size, so it can be stitched on any count. A higher count makes the same design smaller: 100 stitches are 7 1/8 inches on 14-count and 6 1/4 inches on 16-count. The thread colors stay the same; you need a smaller piece of fabric and, on finer fabric, sometimes fewer strands.
What size needle for cross stitch
Cross stitch uses a blunt tapestry needle. The size goes by the stitches per inch: the finer the fabric, the higher the number and the thinner the needle, and at 18 to the inch 36-count fabric stitched over two, whose holes are finer than 18-count Aida's, takes size 28 where the Aida takes size 26.
| Fabric | Stitches per inch | Tapestry needle |
|---|---|---|
| 6-count Aida | 6 | Size 18 |
| 8-count Aida | 8 | Size 20 |
| 11-count Aida | 11 | Size 22 |
| 25-count evenweave or linen, over two | 12.5 | Size 24 |
| 14-count Aida | 14 | Size 24 |
| 28-count evenweave or linen, over two | 14 | Size 24 |
| 16-count Aida | 16 | Size 26 |
| 32-count evenweave or linen, over two | 16 | Size 26 |
| 18-count Aida | 18 | Size 26 |
| 36-count evenweave or linen, over two | 18 | Size 28 |
| 20-count Aida | 20 | Size 28 |
| 40-count evenweave or linen, over two | 20 | Size 28 |
| 22-count Hardanger, over one | 22 | Size 28 |
How many strands of thread for cross stitch
Six-strand cotton is separated before stitching. The number of strands goes by the stitches per inch: more strands on coarse fabric to cover it, fewer on fine fabric so the stitches are not crowded.
| Fabric | Stitches per inch | Strands |
|---|---|---|
| 6-count Aida | 6 | 4 or more |
| 8-count Aida | 8 | 4 or more |
| 11-count Aida | 11 | 3 |
| 25-count evenweave or linen, over two | 12.5 | 2 |
| 14-count Aida | 14 | 2 |
| 28-count evenweave or linen, over two | 14 | 2 |
| 16-count Aida | 16 | 2 |
| 32-count evenweave or linen, over two | 16 | 2 |
| 18-count Aida | 18 | 1 or 2 |
| 36-count evenweave or linen, over two | 18 | 1 or 2 |
| 20-count Aida | 20 | 1 or 2 |
| 40-count evenweave or linen, over two | 20 | 1 or 2 |
| 22-count Hardanger, over one | 22 | 1 or 2 |