Aida count & finished size calculator
Enter a chart's stitch count and your fabric to get the finished size, the fabric you need to buy, and the total number of stitches.
- Finished size
- 14.3 × 17.9 in36.3 × 45.4 cm
- Fabric to buy
- 20.3 × 23.9 in51.5 × 60.6 cm
- Total stitches
- 50,000grid squares, before empty areas
The arithmetic
Fabric count is the number of stitches per inch, so the finished size is a single division:
- width in inches = chart stitches wide ÷ fabric count
- height in inches = chart stitches tall ÷ fabric count
- centimetres = inches × 2.54
Higher count means smaller stitches, so the same chart comes out smaller on higher-count fabric. Evenweave and linen are usually stitched over two threads, which halves the effective count - 28-count over two gives 14 stitches per inch, the same size as 14-count Aida.
Fabric size is not finished size. Add margin on all four sides for the hoop and for framing: 2 inches per side is the minimum, 3 inches is what most framers prefer, and 4 inches suits a large piece on stretcher bars.
Quick reference: finished width in inches
Chart width in stitches, across the common fabric counts.
| Fabric | 100 st | 150 st | 200 st | 250 st | 300 st |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-count | 9.1 in | 13.6 in | 18.2 in | 22.7 in | 27.3 in |
| 14-count | 7.1 in | 10.7 in | 14.3 in | 17.9 in | 21.4 in |
| 16-count | 6.3 in | 9.4 in | 12.5 in | 15.6 in | 18.8 in |
| 18-count | 5.6 in | 8.3 in | 11.1 in | 13.9 in | 16.7 in |
| 20-count | 5.0 in | 7.5 in | 10.0 in | 12.5 in | 15.0 in |
Choosing a count
- 11-count - large stitches, easy on the eyes, uses more thread.
- 14-count - the default almost every chart assumes.
- 16-count - finer, with little extra strain; good for fitting a big photo chart into a sensible frame.
- 18-count and finer - best detail for portraits, hardest on eyesight.
If a chart comes out larger than the wall space you have, move up a fabric count rather than shrinking the chart - a finer fabric keeps every stitch and simply makes them smaller.
More on this in Aida count and chart size, explained, or browse threads in the DMC colour chart. To make a chart from a photo, open the editor.