Cross Stitch Calculator
Enter your stitch count and fabric to get the finished design size, the fabric to cut with a margin, and an estimate of the floss you will need. Or turn a picture into a cross stitch pattern with symbols and a colour key, or into a crochet tapestry chart.
- 1Enter stitches
- 2Pick the fabric
- 3Read the sizes
1Design
Patterns often print the stitch count in the key. Leave it blank for a fully stitched design.
2Fabric
3 in (about 7.5 cm) on each side leaves room to frame or mount; use less for a small hoop piece.
+Floss and time
3Finished size
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- Fabric to cut (design + margin on every side)
- –
- Stitches
- –
- Floss, approximate
- –
- Stitching time
- –
size = stitches × threads over ÷ fabric count
| Fabric | Design | Fabric to cut |
|---|
Same stitch count on every common fabric. Your current choice is highlighted.
1Choose an image
or drop an image here, or paste one with Ctrl/Cmd+V
Colour key
| Symbol | Colour | Colour | Stitches | Floss (approx.) |
|---|
Row by row
Your image never leaves your device. It is converted in your browser. We count visits and finished downloads (tool name only) with analytics that sets no cookies.
2Pattern settings
How to calculate cross stitch fabric size
Fabric count is the number of squares (Aida) or threads (evenweave and linen) per inch. Stitching over 2 threads makes each stitch twice as big, so 28-count evenweave over 2 gives the same size as 14-count Aida.
design size (in) = stitches × threads over ÷ fabric count
fabric to cut = design size + 2 × margin
- A design 100 stitches wide on 14-count Aida is 100 ÷ 14 = 7.14 in (18.1 cm) wide.
- The same design on 28-count linen over 2 is also 7.14 in; on 18-count Aida it is 5.56 in.
- With a 3 in margin on each side, cut 7.14 + 6 = 13.14 in of 14-count Aida.
How the floss estimate works
There is no exact rule for floss, because people stitch differently. This page uses simple geometry. One full cross stitch over a square of side s uses about (2 × √2 + 2) × s of each strand: two diagonals on the front and two short straight runs on the back. That is multiplied by the number of stitches and strands, plus a waste allowance you set (25% by default) for tails, carrying thread between areas and unpicking.
Skeins are counted as 8 m of six strands, the size of a DMC Mouliné Spécial skein (8 m / 8.7 yd, six strands; checked 27 October 2026). Treat the result as a guide and buy a spare skein of the main colours.
Turn a picture into a pattern
Choose Image to pattern, pick a photo or drawing, set the width in stitches and the number of colours. Each square of the chart is one stitch with a symbol from the key. The key lists each colour with a plain description, its hex code, the number of stitches and an approximate amount of floss for the fabric and strands set in the calculator. Match each colour to your threads by eye: we do not list brand thread numbers, because there is no official colour-to-thread table we can cite.
Crochet tapestry charts
The crochet mode makes a graph for tapestry crochet (also used for C2C and intarsia): one square per stitch, rows numbered from the bottom, with an arrow for the direction of each row. It uses your gauge for the shape of each cell, so the chart is not stretched, and writes out every row as colour runs ("5 A, 3 B, 12 A"). Arrows assume right-handed crochet: left-handers read each row the other way.
FAQ
How do I calculate the size of a cross stitch pattern?
Divide the number of stitches by the fabric count. For evenweave or linen stitched over 2 threads, divide by half the count. 140 stitches on 14-count Aida is 10 inches; on 28-count linen over 2 it is also 10 inches.
How much fabric do I need for cross stitch?
The design size plus a margin on every side, for the hoop, framing or mounting. This page starts at 3 inches per side; enter your own margin and it is added twice to each measurement.
How many skeins of floss do I need?
Enter the number of stitches in a colour (or the whole design) and the strands you use. The estimate is approximate: it comes from the length of thread in one stitch plus a waste allowance, so buy a little extra.
Is 14-count or 18-count Aida bigger?
14-count makes the bigger design: it has fewer squares per inch, so each stitch is larger. The table under the result shows your design on every common fabric.
Can I get DMC numbers for my pattern?
Not here. Thread makers do not publish an official colour code table for screen colours, so we describe each colour and give its hex code instead. Hold your threads against the chart colours to choose.
Does the pattern maker upload my picture?
No. Your picture is opened and converted by your browser and is never sent to a server. The page counts visits and finished downloads (tool name only) with analytics that sets no cookies (see privacy).