Aida Count and Chart Size, Explained

Two numbers decide how big your finished piece will be: the Aida count of your fabric and the chart width in stitches. Here is how they work together.

What is Aida count?

Aida is the woven fabric most cross stitch is worked on. Its count is the number of stitches per inch — 14-count fits 14 stitches per inch, 16-count fits 16, and so on. Higher count = smaller stitches = a smaller, finer finished piece.

Working out the finished size

Finished size is simple:

• width in inches = chart stitches wide ÷ Aida count
• height in inches = chart stitches tall ÷ Aida count

So a 200-stitch-wide chart on 14-count is about 14 inches wide; on 18-count it shrinks to about 11 inches.

Which count should you pick?

• 11-count — big stitches, easy on the eyes, great for beginners and kids.
• 14-count — the classic all-rounder.
• 16 / 18-count — finer detail for portraits and small finished pieces.

When you generate a chart, set the Aida count to match your fabric so the thread estimates and finished size are right. Try it.