Cross Stitch Fabric Calculator

How to make it

1. Enter the stitch countType the pattern width and height in stitches, usually printed on the chart cover or the first page of the key.
2. Choose fabric and marginPick the count, including over-one and over-two options for evenweave and linen, and set the border you want on each side.
3. Read the resultsSee design size, the fabric piece to cut, a strand suggestion, and a comparison table showing the same pattern on other counts.

The one formula behind every size

Finished size is stitches divided by stitches per inch. On aida the count is the number of squares per inch, so a 100-stitch-wide design on 14-count is 100 / 14 = 7.1 inches, or 18.1 cm. On evenweave and linen you normally stitch over two threads, so 28-count gives 14 stitches per inch and behaves like 14-count aida.

Height works the same way. The calculator rounds design sizes to one decimal and rounds the fabric to cut up to the next whole inch or centimeter, because nobody cuts 13.14 inches.

How much fabric to cut

The cut size is the design plus a margin on all four sides. The default is 3 inches each side, which leaves room to mat and frame. For a piece that stays in a hoop, 2 inches is usually enough; for a pillow or bag you might want more for seams. Change the margin field and the cut size updates.

Example: a 100 by 80 stitch design on 14-count aida stitches up at 7.1 by 5.7 inches (18.1 by 14.5 cm). With 3 inches each side the calculator suggests cutting 14 by 12 inches, or 34 by 30 cm. Buy a piece at least that big; fat quarters and pre-cut packs come in fixed sizes, so compare before you buy.

Margins matter more than people expect. Too little fabric and the hoop cannot grip it near the edges of the design, the framer has nothing to lace or tape, and a single miscounted start can push the motif off the cloth. Fabric is the cheapest part of a project, so err on the generous side.

Going the other way: stitches for a size

Sometimes you know the frame, not the pattern. The panel called How many stitches for a size takes a target width in inches and returns the stitch count for the chosen fabric. A 5-inch-wide ornament on 18-count needs about 90 stitches; on 14-count, about 70.

That number is exactly what you would enter as the width in the photo to cross stitch maker, so you can decide the finished size first and let the pattern follow. Narrow pieces need their own math; the bookmark patterns list finished widths on common counts.

Choosing a count

Lower counts mean bigger holes, bigger stitches and fewer stitches per inch. 11-count suits children, first projects and anyone who finds small holes tiring. 14-count is the common middle ground and what most kits use. 16 and 18-count give finer detail and a smaller piece from the same chart, which is why portraits and photo patterns often look better there.

Evenweave and linen have a flatter, more traditional look and allow fractional stitches more easily, but counting over two threads takes practice. The calculator also suggests a strand count for each fabric: three on 11-count, two on 14 to 18-count and the equivalent over-two fabrics, one on hardanger and on over-one work. For the reasoning, see strands and needles by count.

Fabric color and planning ahead

Size is only half the choice. If your pattern leaves the background unstitched, fabric color becomes part of the design, and a light blue or oatmeal aida can replace thousands of background stitches. Thread totals depend on count and strands too, so after settling the fabric, estimate skeins with the floss calculator.

Aida, evenweave and linen compared

Aida is a cotton fabric woven in blocks, with obvious holes at each corner. It is stiff, easy to count and forgiving, so most kits and beginners use it. Evenweave is woven from single threads of equal thickness in both directions; you usually stitch over two of them, which gives a smoother surface and a hole in the middle of each stitch for fractional stitches. Linen is woven from flax, with natural slubs and a slightly irregular count that many stitchers love for its traditional look.

Hardanger, at 22 count, is a fine block-woven fabric originally made for cutwork embroidery but also used for small, detailed cross stitch. Whatever the fabric, the calculator only needs to know the stitches per inch you will actually work, which is why each count is offered as over one or over two where it applies.

Fitting a design to a frame or hoop

If you already own the frame, measure its opening, not its outer edge, and subtract any mat border you plan to use. Enter that width in the stitches-for-a-size helper to get your maximum pattern width. For hoop displays, the design should sit at least an inch inside the hoop on all sides so the edge of the hoop does not crowd it.

Remember that height follows width: a portrait-shaped photo converted to 90 stitches wide might be 120 tall. Check both dimensions in the comparison table before buying fabric, so a design that fits the width does not overflow the frame at the top and bottom.