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Skein calculator
How many skeins should you buy for one color? Enter its stitch count (or the size of the design), the fabric and the number of strands.
- The studio’s calculation
- Aida or linen, 1 to 3 strands
- 8 m or 10 m skeins
One 8 m skein of floss stitches about 1,800 full crosses with 2 strands on 14-count Aida. To know how many skeins to buy, divide each color’s stitch count by this figure, add a 10% margin and round up to the next skein: the calculator above does it for you, based on the fabric, strands and brand.
Work out your skeins in 4 steps
- Note the color’s stitch count from the chart’s key. If you don’t know it, enter the size of the design and the stitched share.
- Choose the fabric and number of strands. A finer fabric gives smaller stitches, which use less thread.
- Choose the brand : skein length isn’t the same everywhere.
- Keep a margin (10% by default) for starts, stops and mistakes. The result is rounded up to the next skein.
How many stitches per skein?
A full cross stitched with 2 strands on 14-count Aida uses about 1.35 cm (half an inch) of 2-strand thread. A skein has 6 strands, so three 2-strand lengths: one 8 m skein therefore stitches about 1,800 crosses. It’s the basis of the stixiva studio’s shopping list.
| Fabric | Recommended strands | With 1 strand | With 2 strands | With 3 strands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-count Aida | 3 | ≈ 2 800 | ≈ 1 400 | ≈ 950 |
| 14-count Aida | 2 | ≈ 3 550 | ≈ 1 800 | ≈ 1 200 |
| 16-count Aida | 2 | ≈ 4 050 | ≈ 2 050 | ≈ 1 350 |
| 18-count Aida | 1 or 2 | ≈ 4 550 | ≈ 2 300 | ≈ 1 500 |
| 28-count linen over 2 | 2 | ≈ 3 550 | ≈ 1 800 | ≈ 1 200 |
| 32-count linen over 2 | 2 | ≈ 4 050 | ≈ 2 050 | ≈ 1 350 |
These figures are “net” crosses: in practice, thread starts and stops, travel on the back and mistakes use some of it. That’s why the tool adds a safety margin.
DMC, Anchor, Madeira or Sullivans: the same skein?
| Brand | Skein | Colors in the chart |
|---|---|---|
| DMC | 8 m | 482 |
| Anchor | 8 m | 444 |
| Madeira | 10 m | 369 |
| Sullivans | 8 m | 489 |
Floss is sold in 6-strand skeins that you separate before stitching. Madeira offers 10 m skeins: you need a few less for the same project.
Should I buy more than I need?
Yes, for two reasons. The first is real consumption, always a bit higher than the calculation: a 10% margin is common. The second is the dye lot: two skeins of the same number bought months apart can differ slightly. For a large area of one color (a background, a sky), buy all the skeins at once.
For a whole chart
This calculator handles one color at a time. For a whole chart, the printable thread list covers every color with its skeins, and the stixiva studio calculates the shopping list by itself, from the stitches actually in your chart, including half stitches and backstitch.
Our take
Better one skein too many than one short in the middle of a background. We prefer a simple, transparent calculation with its basis shown, rather than a magic number: you know where the result comes from and can adjust the margin to the way you stitch.
To go further than this tool: the free cross stitch software stixiva draws, converts and prints your charts, online or on Windows, and its Stitch mode tracks your stitches as you work.
How many stitches does one skein make?
About 1,800 full crosses with 2 strands on 14-count Aida, a little less counting starts and stops. On 18-count Aida the crosses are smaller: around 2,300.
How many skeins for a whole cross stitch project?
Do the math color by color, from the stitch counts in the key. The printable thread list and the studio do it for the whole chart.
Should I plan a margin?
Yes: 10% is a common margin. Dye lots vary from batch to batch, so it’s better to buy all the skeins of one color at once.
How many strands should I use?
Most often 2 strands on 14-count Aida or 28-count linen over 2, 3 strands on 11-count Aida, 1 or 2 strands on 18-count.
Is a DMC skein the same length as an Anchor one?
Yes, 8 m (8.7 yards) of 6-strand floss at DMC, Anchor and Sullivans. Madeira skeins are 10 m.
What about backstitch and half stitches?
This calculator counts full crosses. In the studio, the shopping list accounts for every stitch type in your chart.
The shopping list makes itself
In the studio, each color in your chart has its stitch count and estimated skeins, in a printable list.
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