About us
Payment & Shipping
News
Cooperation
Contacts
The count of the fabric is the number of stitches that fit into one inch. It decides both the size of the finished piece and how many strands of floss you put in the needle. Below are the numbers and formulas that let you work all of this out before the first stitch.
What Aida count means
Aida is a fabric in which the threads are gathered into bundles, with clearly visible holes between them. One square between four neighbouring holes is one cross stitch, which makes counting far easier than on evenweave. The number in the name — Aida 11, 14, 16, 18 — is how many of those squares fit into one inch, that is, into 2.54 cm.
Hence the main rule: the higher the count, the smaller the stitch and the denser the fabric. This is where beginners usually get confused, assuming that Aida 18 is somehow "bigger". In fact the same chart worked on Aida 18 comes out almost twice as small as on Aida 11.
Count does not affect difficulty: the number of stitches in the chart is the same whatever fabric you use. It changes the finished size, how easily you see the holes, and slightly — how much floss you use.
Count and the size of a single stitch
| Fabric | Stitches per inch | Stitch side | Stitches per 10 cm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 11 | 11 | about 2.3 mm | about 43 |
| Aida 14 | 14 | about 1.8 mm | about 55 |
| Aida 16 | 16 | about 1.6 mm | about 63 |
| Aida 18 | 18 | about 1.4 mm | about 71 |
Most projects are worked on Aida 14 — a compromise between clearly visible holes and detail. Aida 11 is comfortable if this is your first piece or if small things are hard to see: the holes are large and the needle almost finds them by itself. Aida 16 and 18 give a finer image and softer colour transitions, but they need good light and sometimes a magnifier.
How count changes the size of the finished piece
There is only one formula: divide the number of stitches by the count and multiply by 2.54 — that gives you centimetres. Calculate width and height separately.
Take a chart that is 140 stitches wide and 180 stitches high:
- Aida 11 — 32.3 × 41.6 cm;
- Aida 14 — 25.4 × 32.7 cm;
- Aida 16 — 22.2 × 28.6 cm;
- Aida 18 — 19.8 × 25.4 cm.
The difference between the extremes is more than one and a half times on each side. So the count is chosen not because it happens to be at hand, but to fit the size the piece has to be on the wall or in the frame. If the work is planned for a particular frame, calculate backwards: divide the required size in centimetres by 2.54 and multiply by the count — that tells you how many stitches the chart should have.
Add a margin for finishing to the calculated size: 5–7 cm on each side if the piece will be stretched over a wooden frame, and 3–4 cm if it goes under a mount. In cross stitch kits the fabric already comes in the right count and colour and the floss is measured to the chart, so this calculation is only needed when you buy a chart separately and choose the fabric yourself.
How many strands of floss to use for each count
Stranded cotton is a bundle of six thin threads. You do not put the whole bundle in the needle, only as many strands as it takes for the stitch to cover the fabric without looking bulky. The working guide is as follows.
| Fabric | Full cross | Half cross | Backstitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 11 | 3 strands, 4 for dense coverage | 3 strands | 1–2 strands |
| Aida 14 | 2 strands | 2 strands | 1 strand |
| Aida 16 | 2 strands, 1 for a lighter tone | 1–2 strands | 1 strand |
| Aida 18 | 1–2 strands | 1 strand | 1 strand |
Checking your choice is simple: work three or four test stitches on the margin, where they will later be hidden under the frame. If the fabric shows through between the stitches, add a strand. If the stitches look puffy and rub against each other, take one away.
A few small things that visibly change the look of the work:
- separate the bundle into single threads and put them back together — the floss then lies flat and twists less;
- the working length is 40–50 cm; a longer thread frays from rubbing against the fabric;
- let the needle hang loose now and then so the thread untwists on its own;
- every top diagonal in the piece must face the same way — that, not the brand of floss, is what gives an even surface.
Needle and tension
Cross stitch needs a tapestry needle — one with a blunt tip that pushes the fabric threads apart instead of piercing them. The rough match is: Aida 11 — size 22–24, Aida 14 — size 24, Aida 16 — size 24–26, Aida 18 — size 26–28. The kit already contains a needle, but a spare never hurts: needles for thread and bead embroidery are sold separately. A hoop or frame is not compulsory, but with one the tension stays even and the stitches come out the same size.
How to start without a knot
A knot on the back is not forbidden, but it makes a bump that shows once the piece is stretched over a frame, and it can work loose over time. There are two simpler ways.
The loop start
This works when you need an even number of strands. Take one thread twice the usual length, fold it in half and thread the two loose ends into the needle — a loop is left at the other end. Bring the needle up from the back, work the first half stitch and take the needle back down straight through the loop. Pull tight: the thread is secured and there is no knot.
Securing under the stitches
This one is for an odd number of strands. Bring the needle up to the front, leaving a tail of 3–4 cm on the back, and hold it with your finger. Work the first three or four stitches so that their back threads lie over that tail, then trim what sticks out. Threads are finished the same way: run the thread under four or five stitches of the same colour on the back and cut it, leaving 2–3 mm.
How to count stitches
Count from the centre, never from the edge. Fold the fabric in four — the fold point is the centre; on the chart the centre is marked with arrows at the edges. That way an error of one or two stitches will not push the whole design off the fabric.
It is worth gridding the fabric before you start: run a single line of contrasting thread every 10 squares, exactly matching the grid printed on the chart. The gridding threads are pulled out at the end, and while they are there any mistake is caught inside one 10 × 10 square instead of halfway through the piece.
- work one colour within a square, then move on to the next one;
- recount what you have stitched against the chart before changing colour;
- do not carry the thread more than three or four squares on the back — long carries show through the fabric;
- mark off finished areas on the chart with a pencil or a marker.
Full cross, half cross and backstitch
A full cross is two diagonal stitches. The first goes from the bottom left corner to the top right, the second the other way round. You can also work in rows: first a run of all the bottom diagonals from left to right, then a return run of the top ones. What matters is that the top diagonal faces the same way throughout the piece.
A half cross is a single diagonal, usually the bottom one. It is used for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, wherever a lighter, airier tone is needed. On the chart it is marked with its own symbol. Use the same number of strands as for a full cross, and on dense fabric sometimes one more, because the stitch itself covers less.
Backstitch is the outline. It is worked last, once all the crosses are in place, most often with a single strand and in a colour darker than the fill. The stitch runs along the side of a square or across it diagonally, from hole to hole, and each new stitch starts where the previous one ended. Backstitch is what makes the image sharp: without it the outlines look blurred, especially on a low count.
Frequently asked questions
Which fabric count should I choose for a first project?
Aida 14, or Aida 11 if your eyes get tired. On 14 the holes are still clearly visible in ordinary room light, and the detail is already enough for most designs. Leave Aida 18 for later: the stitch there is under one and a half millimetres and counting it is wearing.
Can a kit be stitched on a different count?
Yes, but the finished size changes, and with it the frame and the amount of floss. Work out the new size with "stitches ÷ count × 2.54" and check that the thread will be enough: on denser fabric the stitch is shorter, so less floss is used, while on a lower count more is needed and the reserve supplied in the kit may run short.
How many strands of floss go on Aida 14?
Two strands for the cross and one for the backstitch. That is the baseline combination everything else is measured against. If the fabric is dark or you want a denser, carpet-like surface, use three, but then watch the tension more closely so the fabric does not pucker.
How do I work out how much floss a project needs?
In a kit the length of floss is already measured to the chart, so there is nothing to count. If you are stitching from your own chart, the simplest method is to stitch exactly 100 crosses in one colour, measure the thread used and multiply by the number of stitches of that colour in the chart. Add 15–20 % for securing and trimming.
Is a hoop compulsory?
No, but stitches come out more even with one. On loose fabric the tension in your hands differs every time, and over a large area this shows as waviness. If a hoop is awkward for you, reposition the work so that finished areas do not sit under the ring — long compression flattens the stitches.
Why does the thread twist and fray?
It twists because every stitch adds a turn to the strands: let the needle hang down for a few seconds and the thread will untwist itself. It frays from length and friction, so cut pieces no longer than 50 cm. It also helps not to pull the thread through the same hole many times in a row.