Aida fabric count explained: how big will your cross stitch be?
The same pattern can come out the size of a coaster or the size of a cushion. Only the fabric decides. Here’s what the count number means, the one formula you need, and how much cloth to buy.
Short answer
The count is the number of stitches per inch. To find the finished size, divide the pattern’s stitches by the count: an 84-stitch-wide design is 84 ÷ 14 = 6 inches wide on 14-count Aida, 7.6″ on 11-count and 4.7″ on 18-count. Buy fabric that is the design size plus about 3 inches (7–8 cm) on every side for hooping and framing. The usual choice is 14-count with 2 strands of floss.
Try it on your photo Gingham shows the whole pattern before you pay anything.
What “count” means
Aida is woven in a grid of little squares with holes at each corner. Each square takes one cross stitch. The count is how many of those squares fit in one inch. Higher count means smaller squares, smaller stitches and a smaller finished piece.
- 11-count: big, easy-to-see squares. Good for beginners, children and anyone whose eyes get tired.
- 14-count: the standard. Most kits and patterns assume it.
- 16-count: a little finer, with more detail in the same space.
- 18-count: small, fine stitches. Lovely detail, harder on the eyes.
The one formula
and the other way round: stitches = inches × fabric count
Work out the width and height separately. A pattern that is 84 stitches wide and 112 tall on 14-count is 84 ÷ 14 = 6″ wide and 112 ÷ 14 = 8″ tall.
For centimetres, divide the result in inches by 0.3937, or multiply it by 2.54: 6″ is about 15 cm.
The same 84 × 84 design on each count
| Fabric | Finished size | Fabric to buy (+3″ each side) | Typical strands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-count | 7.6″ × 7.6″ (19 cm) | about 14″ × 14″ | 3 |
| 14-count | 6″ × 6″ (15 cm) | about 12″ × 12″ | 2 |
| 16-count | 5.25″ × 5.25″ (13 cm) | about 11¼″ × 11¼″ | 2 |
| 18-count | 4.7″ × 4.7″ (12 cm) | about 10¾″ × 10¾″ | 1–2 |
Strand counts are the usual guidance for full crosses with six-strand embroidery floss. Try a few stitches on a scrap: if the fabric shows through, add a strand; if the stitches look lumpy, take one away.
Evenweave and linen: “over two”
Evenweave and linen are counted by threads per inch, and each cross stitch is usually worked over two threads. So you halve the count: 28-count evenweave stitched over two behaves like 14-count Aida, and 32-count over two like 16-count. Stitched over one thread, 28-count gives tiny stitches, the same as 28-count Aida would.
How much fabric to buy
- Work out the design size with the formula.
- Add 3 inches (7–8 cm) on each side, which means 6 inches in each direction. That leaves room for a hoop or a scroll frame and for mounting and framing afterwards.
- For a finished hoop display, check the hoop is at least an inch larger than the design, and allow extra fabric to fold behind it.
Going to frame it with a mat? Measure the frame opening before you choose the count. It’s far easier to change the fabric than the frame.
Changing the count changes something
If you love a pattern but it’s the wrong size, you have two honest options:
- Keep the pattern, change the fabric. The stitch count stays the same and the piece gets bigger or smaller. This is the easy option with a bought chart.
- Keep the size, change the pattern. More stitches on a finer count means more detail in the same frame. This needs a new chart, which is easy when you make the pattern from a photo yourself.
Which count to choose
For a first project, choose 14-count in a light colour. If it’s a detailed portrait from a photo, go bigger rather than finer: detail comes from the number of stitches, so a larger piece on 14-count usually reads better than a small one on 18-count. More in how to turn a photo into a cross stitch pattern.
Pick the size, not the math
In Gingham you choose what the pattern is for — an ornament, a 6″ hoop, a pillow, wall art — and it shows the stitch count and finished size for your fabric count, with 11, 14, 16 and 18 count to choose from. The whole pattern is free to preview before you pay anything.
