Cross stitch calculator
Finished size, fabric to cut and skeins of floss, from the number of stitches and your fabric count. Starting from a photo? The free cross stitch pattern maker works all of this out for every color at once.
How big is 100 stitches?
Finished width in inches = stitches ÷ fabric count. The table gives the stitched area only, without margin.
| Stitches | 11-count | 14-count | 16-count | 18-count | 22-count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 4.5″ / 11.5 cm | 3.6″ / 9.1 cm | 3.1″ / 7.9 cm | 2.8″ / 7.1 cm | 2.3″ / 5.8 cm |
| 100 | 9.1″ / 23.1 cm | 7.1″ / 18.1 cm | 6.3″ / 15.9 cm | 5.6″ / 14.1 cm | 4.5″ / 11.5 cm |
| 150 | 13.6″ / 34.6 cm | 10.7″ / 27.2 cm | 9.4″ / 23.8 cm | 8.3″ / 21.2 cm | 6.8″ / 17.3 cm |
| 200 | 18.2″ / 46.2 cm | 14.3″ / 36.3 cm | 12.5″ / 31.8 cm | 11.1″ / 28.2 cm | 9.1″ / 23.1 cm |
How we count skeins
A full cross on fabric with n stitches per inch has sides of 2.54 ÷ n cm. On the front the thread runs along both diagonals (2 × √2 × side); on the back it travels about two sides. So one cross takes (2√2 + 2) × side of working thread — 1.31 cm on 14-count including our 50% allowance for thread tails, travelling between stitches and unpicking.
A DMC six-strand skein is 8 m. Stitched with 2 strands it gives 8 × 6 ÷ 2 = 24 m of working thread, so one skein covers about 1,826 crosses on 14-count, 2,087 on 16-count and 2,348 on 18-count. That is within 3% of the long-standing rule "stitches per skein = 255 × count ÷ strands" from Kathleen Dyer's Needlework FAQ (1,785 on 14-count). Each color is rounded up to a whole skein, and every color needs at least one.
We checked the pattern maker's numbers by hand on three patterns (see our photo-to-pattern guide). If you stitch with long jumps on the back or use the loop start often, buy one spare skein of the main colors. Comparing tools first? Our list of pattern makers shows which ones give skein counts.
Questions
How big is 100 stitches on 14-count Aida?
About 7.1″ (18.1 cm). Divide stitches by the fabric count to get inches.
How many stitches does one skein of DMC floss make?
With 2 strands on 14-count, about 1,826 full cross stitches by our formula, close to the old rule of thumb of 255 × count ÷ strands (1,785). Stitchers who travel a lot on the back use more, so round up.
How much fabric should I add around the design?
At least 3 inches (8 cm) on every side if you will frame it; 2 inches is enough for a hoop or a card.
What does stitching over two mean?
On evenweave or linen you cross two fabric threads per stitch, so 28-count over two gives 14 stitches per inch, the same size as 14-count Aida.
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Updated 2026-11-15. Turn a photo into a pattern