Embroiderers know that embroidery canvases come in different varieties, differing in fabric density, color, thread placement in a square, and cell size.
- What sizes of canvas are there for cross stitching?
- What to pay attention to when calculating the size of the base for embroidery
- Calculating canvas by the number of crosses: methods and their features
- What is a canvas calculator
- How does a floss calculator calculate thread consumption?
- Cross Stitch Canvas Calculator: Advantages and Disadvantages
What sizes of canvas are there for cross stitching?
The size of the canvas cell is called the count. The count number is indicated immediately after the name of the type of fabric. The number indicates how many crosses will be placed on 1 inch (2.54 cm) of canvas.
Important! The higher the count number, the smaller the cross will be.
Each type of canvas has its own count spread.
Aida is the most common base. It is loved for its weave, which forms a dense cross in the center of the square, and holes remain in the corners of the square through which the needle passes. The fabric is made by interweaving four cotton threads. Aida 7 is used to teach children to embroider.
Number of cells per 10 cm of tissue
| Canvas type | Count number | Number of crosses |
| aida | 9 | 33 |
| 11 (for tablecloths, napkins) | 43 | |
| 14 (standard, most common) | 55 | |
| 16 (represents details more clearly) | 63 | |
| 18 (for large circuits) | 71 |
Evenweave is a regular linen or cotton fabric with a loose weave. Evenweave canvas is used by experienced craftswomen who can freely count and place crosses.
| Canvas type | Count number | Number of crosses |
| Uniform (Linda, Edinburgh, Belfast) | 20 | 40 |
| 25 | 50 | |
| 28 | 55 | |
| 32 | 63 | |
| 36 | 71 |
Stramin is a stiff mesh for embroidery with thick threads, for example for weaving bags, carpets or tapestries.
Plastic canvas is an even harder plastic mesh whose edges do not fray and can be used to create three-dimensional figures and objects.
The overlay canvas is a convenient device when embroidery is needed on clothing or household items. The overlay is tacked to the fabric, helps to make even, neat embroidery, and then pulled out one thread at a time.
Soluble canvas is a new invention that is similar to a mesh overlay, but you don't have to pull out the canvas threads, it will dissolve itself when immersed in water.
There are many other types of canvas: perforated paper, canvas tape, with a pattern or designer. Craftswomen will always find an interesting novelty that inspires creativity. But, despite the large number of types, the most common and popular fabric is Aida 14 and 16. It is loved by both beginners and professionals.
What to pay attention to when calculating the size of the base for embroidery
When preparing for work, before embroidering it, each embroiderer first finds a pattern diagram, which indicates: the size of the future embroidery, how many threads and what color will be needed and their placement in squares. The choice of the type of canvas depends on the quality of the selected image, for example, for standard embroideries it is customary to choose:
- Aida 14 for general landscapes or still lifes.
- Aida 16 for embroidering lush bouquets with a wide range of flowers and animals.
- Aida 18 for subtle transitions of shadows and colors in portraits and icons.
Important! When calculating the size of the base, it is necessary to take into account that decreasing the size of the crosses will lead to a decrease in the size of the picture. But, as practice shows, a picture made with small stitches looks more realistic.
Calculating canvas by the number of crosses: methods and their features
Calculation of canvas for cross stitch can be done manually, it is easy. To select the base fabric for embroidery, you need to know exactly:
- how many crosses are in the selected drawing (usually this parameter is indicated in the diagram);
- How many squares fit into 1 cm2 of canvas.
When calculating the size of the embroidery base, the number of crosses indicated in the pattern is divided by the standard edging of the selected fabric.
For example: the number of crosses in the pattern is 450*700, the base will be aida 18 (71 squares by 10 cm).
450/71 = 63 cm; 700/71 = 95.5 cm.
On each side, leave an allowance for the hoop or future frame of 0 10 cm. And it turns out that for embroidery of 450 * 700 stitches, the canvas size for the number of crosses will be 73 * 105.5 cm.
For small embroidered pictures, the size of the allowances can be reduced to 5 cm.
What is a canvas calculator
To make it easier for housewives to calculate the consumption of threads and warp, many specialized calculators have been developed, available on the online space absolutely free of charge and without registration. Applications can also be downloaded and installed on your PC or phone. Among the applications in demand:
- StitchCalc.
- Aida canvas calculator.
- Crosti.ru.
Also, websites offering patterns, threads, canvas and other materials for embroidery have their own calculators in free mode.
Usually such programs are elementary and it is not difficult to find out the required value. For example, the Aida canvas counter, it consists of only a few lines with empty fields that need to be filled in:
- Enter the size of the pattern in stitches: width and height in centimeters.
- Add allowances on each side, the value is also measured in centimeters.
- Select canvas number. This calculator only works for Aida fabric.
After filling in the fields and clicking on the “calculate” button, the program will give the result of what size canvas you need to buy for the selected image and the size of the embroidery based on the number of crosses.
There are calculators where you can choose the type of base, they calculate not only the consumption of Aida fabric, but also almost all existing bases: Ariosa, Bellana, Lugana 25, Hardanger 22, Linda 27, Davosa 18 and many others.
How does a floss calculator calculate thread consumption?
In addition to calculating the base consumption, smart calculators for embroiderers can also calculate the thread consumption.
To calculate the floss calculator for cross stitching, enter the necessary data specified in the interface. Among them:
- number of crosses;
- type of crosses (half cross, cross, tapestry stitch);
- canvas number;
- the number of threads that will be used for embroidery.
As a result, the calculator will give the length of the thread of one of the colors in centimeters. For each color, you will have to enter your own values. And then you just need to convert the centimeter size into skeins (which the calculator can also do) and go shopping (one skein consists of six threads of 8 meters).
The cross stitch calculator for embroidery also calculates the consumption of beads for lovers of stone embroidery.
Important! When calculating the amount of floss, it is worth remembering that the threads need to be secured and pulled through, which means their consumption will increase.
Cross Stitch Canvas Calculator: Advantages and Disadvantages
Calculators for calculating canvas for embroidery and consumption of other materials help to facilitate mathematical calculations and speed up the preparatory stage for needlewomen.
Such applications are simple and easy to use and have a number of advantages:
The database already contains all types of canvas, and when you select a specific one, the application itself gives the number of crosses per 10 cm of fabric (you won’t have to frantically search for information – canvas 14, how many crosses per 1 cm contains).
- Speed. Embroiderers simply fill in the blanks and get the result.
- Accuracy. The calculator does not make mistakes, all calculations are carried out without errors.
- Multifunctionality. The application can simultaneously provide the consumption of all materials and a set of threads (in skeins) and fabric in centimeters.
There are practically no disadvantages in such applications. True, calculators that help calculate canvas by crosses sometimes cannot calculate some operations, but progress does not stand still, and the capabilities of calculators are expanding. The most important thing is to have access to the Internet or a program on your PC or other device.
Many needlewomen who want to create their own unique works do all the stages themselves - from choosing an image to creating a pattern and calculating the costs of all the necessary materials. Technological progress and a lot of programs and applications that can convert a drawing into a pattern, calculate the number of threads needed for embroidery, and calculate the size of the base fabric come to the aid of such creative individuals.
