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How many skeins of floss do you need?
Enter the stitch count for each color, choose your fabric and strands, and see how many skeins to buy, color by color.
Skein calculator
A DMC skein is 8 meters of six strands. The estimate counts the thread a cross uses on the front and back of the fabric, plus half as much again for starting, ending and travelling. It is an estimate; your tension changes it.
How many stitches does a skein make?
Full cross stitches on Aida · including starts and travel
| Fabric | 1 strands | 2 strands | 3 strands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 11 ct | 2,870 | 1,435 | 956 |
| Aida 14 ct | 3,652 | 1,826 | 1,217 |
| Aida 16 ct | 4,174 | 2,087 | 1,391 |
| Aida 18 ct | 4,696 | 2,348 | 1,565 |
How do I start?
Enter colors and stitches
Copy the stitch counts from your chart’s color key for every DMC code.
Choose fabric and strands
Pick your Aida count and the number of strands; 14 count usually uses 2.
Count your skeins
See skeins per color; record the floss you own in the studio to see what is missing.
Frequently asked questions
How many stitches does one skein of DMC make?
By this estimate, about 1,826 full cross stitches on 14 count Aida with 2 strands, and about 2,348 on 18 count. More strands and coarser fabric mean fewer stitches per skein.
Why is every color at least one skein?
Skeins are not sold in parts, so even a color with a few stitches needs one. Results are rounded up for each color.
Do I need this for patterns made in the studio?
No. The color key in every studio PDF already lists skeins with the same estimate. This page is a quick check for a chart you already have.
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