Needlepoint tool
Needlepoint belt calculator
How long do I stitch a belt, in inches and stitches?
Example
Length to stitch
30 to 32 in 76 to 81 cm
Belt size 36 in less 6 in, to belt size less 4 in.
Type your own numbers to change it.
On 18 mesh canvas
540 to 576 stitches long 22 stitches tall
30 × 18 = 540 and 32 × 18 = 576. Tall: 1.25 in × 18 = 22.5, so 22 whole stitches.
Repeats that fit
31 repeats of 18 stitches
The middle of the range is 31 in: 31 × 18 = 558 stitches, and 558 ÷ 18 = 31.
Repeats are counted at the middle of the range. Stitched to the short end there is room for fewer, to the long end for more. Our suggestion
Ask whoever will finish the belt for their exact length before you stitch the ends, and leave the ends as plain background so the length can be adjusted. Our suggestion
| Mesh | Long | Tall | Repeats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 300 to 320 | 12 | 17 |
| 12 | 360 to 384 | 15 | 20 |
| 13 | 390 to 416 | 16 | 22 |
| 14 | 420 to 448 | 17 | 24 |
| 18 | 540 to 576 | 22 | 31 |
“Our suggestion” marks advice that is this site’s own, not a figure from a published chart.
How it works
- Finishers work from belt size, not pant size. Belt size usually comes out 2 to 3 inches over pant size.
- Stitch 4 to 6 inches less than belt size. Published instructions differ: some say 4, some say 6, and they differ on where on the buckle to measure from.
- Most belt canvases are 1 1/4 inches wide, 22 stitches on 18 mesh. The answer above gives that width as 1.25 in tall. One maker's standard is 20 stitches and another asks for 24.
- Finishers ask for extra rows along the top and bottom to fold under: usually two, sometimes one or three, or a binding stitch instead.
- Leather covers the last inch or two at each end.
- Ask whoever will finish the belt for their exact length before you stitch the ends, and leave the ends as plain background so the length can be adjusted. Our suggestion
Worked examples
- Belt size 36 inches, 18 mesh, a pattern that repeats every 18 stitches
- Stitch 30 to 32 inches (76 to 81 cm): 540 to 576 stitches long and 22 tall. An 18-stitch repeat fits 31 times.
Questions
- How long should I stitch a needlepoint belt?
- Four to six inches (10 to 15 cm) less than belt size. Published instructions differ, so ask whoever will finish the belt before you stitch the ends.
- How many stitches wide is a needlepoint belt?
- Most are 1 1/4 inches wide, which is 22 stitches on 18 mesh. One maker's standard is 20 stitches and another asks for 24.
- How do I measure for a needlepoint belt?
- Finishers work from belt size, not pant size: a belt that fits, measured from the buckle to the hole you use. It usually comes out 2 to 3 inches over pant size.