Understanding Aida Count and Finished Design Size

The same chart can become a tiny ornament or a cushion cover. The only thing that changes is the fabric. Understanding fabric “count” lets you predict the finished size of any pattern before you cut a single thread, and buy the right amount of fabric the first time.

What “count” means

Count is the number of stitches (Aida) or threads (evenweave and linen) per inch of fabric.

• Aida is woven in distinct blocks with obvious holes. Each block takes one cross stitch, so 14-count Aida = 14 stitches per inch.
• Evenweave and linen are woven from single threads. Cross stitches are normally worked over two threads, so 28-count evenweave stitched over two gives 14 stitches per inch, the same size as 14-count Aida.

Higher count means smaller stitches and a smaller finished design. Aida cloth is the usual starting fabric.

The formula

Finished size (inches) = stitches ÷ stitches per inch Finished size (cm) = inches × 2.54

For evenweave over two: stitches per inch = thread count ÷ 2.

Worked example

A pattern is 140 × 140 stitches.

• On 14-count Aida: 140 ÷ 14 = 10 × 10 inches, or 25.4 × 25.4 cm.
• On 18-count Aida: 140 ÷ 18 = 7.8 × 7.8 inches (19.8 cm).
• On 32-count linen over two (16 per inch): 140 ÷ 16 = 8.75 inches (22.2 cm).

The stitch count never changes, only the size of each stitch.

Quick conversion table

Finished width in inches for common pattern widths:

Stitches	11-count	14-count	16-count	18-count
20	1.8	1.4	1.3	1.1
50	4.5	3.6	3.1	2.8
100	9.1	7.1	6.3	5.6
150	13.6	10.7	9.4	8.3
200	18.2	14.3	12.5	11.1

You don’t need to calculate by hand: the Project panel in the Studio shows stitched size and fabric size in inches and centimetres for any count, including custom values, and every PDF prints the size on its overview page.

Margins: the fabric you don’t stitch

The stitched area is not the size of fabric you need. You’ll want unstitched fabric around it for a hoop, for framing, or for finishing into a cushion. A common allowance is 3 inches (7–8 cm) on every side, so:

Fabric to cut = stitched size + 2 × margin

For the 140 × 140 example on 14-count: 10 + 6 = 16 × 16 inches of fabric. Margins change the fabric you buy, not the number of stitches, and not the chart. Small ornaments and cards need less (1–2 in), large framed pieces more.

Choosing a count for your project

Count	Feel	Typical strands	Best for
11	Large, easy to see	3	Children, beginners, bold designs
14	The standard	2	Most projects, first projects
16	Finer	2	Smoother pictures, medium detail
18	Small, delicate	1–2	Detailed charts, small keepsakes
28/32 linen over two	Traditional	1–2	Samplers, heirloom pieces

Strand guidance is the usual starting point; test a few stitches and add or remove a strand for the coverage you like. See choosing fabric, thread and needles.

Resizing a design

If a pattern comes out too large on your preferred fabric, you have three options:

1. Use a higher count: the quickest fix with the same chart.
2. Re-convert at fewer stitches: for photo patterns, convert again at a smaller width (detail is lost).
3. Trim empty space: the Studio’s Trim empty edges removes unused rows and columns around the design.

Resizing the canvas in the Studio adds or removes empty squares around the design; it does not scale the artwork.

Common mistakes

• Applying the Aida formula to evenweave without dividing by two. Your design would come out half the size you expected.
• Buying fabric the size of the stitched area. Always add margins.
• Assuming all fabrics of one count are identical. Real fabrics vary slightly; for a tight frame fit, stitch a 10 × 10 test square and measure it.
• Forgetting the frame’s rebate. Frames cover a few millimetres of fabric at the edge.

A note on “over one”

Some stitchers work evenweave over one thread for very fine detail. Then stitches per inch equals the thread count (28-count over one = 28 per inch), and the design shrinks by half. The Studio supports this through a custom count; set the count to the fabric’s thread count and “over” to 1.

Worked examples

A card motif. The Little Heart is 13 × 12 stitches. On 14-count: 13 ÷ 14 = 0.93 in by 12 ÷ 14 = 0.86 in (2.4 × 2.2 cm). For a card window of 2 × 2 inches, add about 1 inch of fabric on each side: cut 3 × 3 inches.

A framed name. A design of 72 × 30 stitches on 14-count is 5.1 × 2.1 in (13.1 × 5.4 cm). With 3-inch margins, cut 11.1 × 8.1 inches of fabric.

The same chart on linen. Stitched on 32-count linen over two (16 stitches per inch), the 72 × 30 design becomes 4.5 × 1.9 in.

Choosing a count to hit a size. You want a 150-stitch-wide design to be about 8 inches wide: 150 ÷ 8 = 18.75 stitches per inch, so 18-count Aida (8.3 in) is the closest standard choice.

Measuring your own fabric

Fabrics vary slightly from their nominal count. If a framed piece must fit exactly:

1. Stitch, or simply count, 10 squares (Aida) or 20 threads (evenweave over two).
2. Measure that distance in millimetres.
3. Divide 254 by the measurement to get your real stitches per inch (because 10 stitches × 25.4 mm per inch = 254).

For example, if 10 Aida squares measure 18.4 mm, the real count is 254 ÷ 18.4 ≈ 13.8 stitches per inch, and a 140-stitch design will be about 10.1 inches instead of exactly 10.

Cheat sheet

Count	Stitches per cm	10 stitches measure
11	4.3	23.1 mm
14	5.5	18.1 mm
16	6.3	15.9 mm
18	7.1	14.1 mm