Guide

Aida Cloth Count Guide: 11, 14, 16 and 18 Count

The "count" on a piece of Aida is the most important number on the label. It decides how big your finished piece will be, how fine the detail looks, how many strands you use and which needle to pick. Here's how it all fits together.

What is Aida cloth?

Aida is a cotton fabric woven in small square blocks with a clear hole at each corner. Each block holds one cross stitch, and the holes show you exactly where your needle goes. It's fairly stiff, easy to count and forgiving, which is why most kits and beginners use it.

What "count" means

Count is the number of squares (and so the number of stitches) in one inch of fabric. On 14-count Aida, there are 14 squares per inch. On 18-count, there are 18.

The key thing to remember: a higher count means smaller squares. The same chart stitched on 18-count comes out smaller and finer than on 11-count. The number of stitches doesn't change, only the size of each one.

The common Aida counts

• 11-count. Large squares that are easy to see. Good for children, anyone who finds small holes hard on the eyes, or when you want a bigger, bolder finished piece.
• 14-count. The standard. Most kits and patterns assume it. It's a comfortable balance of visibility and detail and the best place for most beginners to start.
• 16-count. A little finer. Good once you're comfortable and want more detail without a big jump in difficulty.
• 18-count. Small squares and fine detail. Popular for photo patterns and portraits, where you want lots of stitches in a reasonable size. Good light (and perhaps magnification) helps.

You'll also find 6-count and 8-count (sometimes sold for children's crafts) and finer options like 20-count, but they're less common.

The size formula

To find the finished size of a design, use this simple sum:

Number of stitches ÷ fabric count = size in inches

Do it once for the width and once for the height. For example, a design that's 140 stitches wide on 14-count Aida will be 140 ÷ 14 = 10 inches wide. The same design on 18-count would be 140 ÷ 18 = about 7.8 inches wide.

That size is for the stitched area only. You'll need extra fabric around it for framing, which we cover in the size planning guide.

Finished size table

Here's how big designs of common widths come out on each count. Sizes are rounded to one decimal place.

Notice how much the count matters at larger sizes. A 250-stitch design is nearly 9 inches wider on 11-count than on 18-count. If you're making a pattern from a photo, choosing the count up front helps you pick a sensible stitch width.

How many strands to use on each count

The goal is for your stitches to cover the fabric nicely without being so thick they crowd the holes. These are common starting points for full cross stitches with standard six-strand cotton floss. Always follow your pattern if it says otherwise, and try a few test stitches in a corner if you're unsure.

On 18-count, two strands give fuller, richer coverage, while one strand gives a lighter, more delicate look where some fabric shows through. Both are valid; it's a style choice. Needle sizes run the opposite way to what you might expect: the bigger the number, the smaller the needle.

Evenweave and linen: stitching "over two"

Once you're comfortable on Aida, you may want to try evenweave or linen. These fabrics have a plain, flat weave of single threads rather than blocks. The count on the label is the number of threads per inch, not squares.

Most people stitch these fabrics over two, meaning each cross stitch covers a square two threads wide and two threads high. That halves the effective count:

• 28-count evenweave or linen, stitched over two = 14 stitches per inch (the same size as 14-count Aida)
• 32-count stitched over two = 16 stitches per inch
• 36-count stitched over two = 18 stitches per inch

So for size calculations, divide the fabric count by two first, then use the same formula. A 140-stitch design on 28-count linen over two is 140 ÷ 14 = 10 inches.

Why bother? Evenweave and linen drape more softly and have a more traditional look. Fractional stitches are also neater because there's a real hole in the middle of each two-by-two square, unlike Aida where you have to pierce the block. Linen threads vary slightly in thickness, which gives it character but makes it a little trickier to count. Evenweave is more uniform and a good stepping stone.

Fabric color

Aida comes in white, antique white, ivory, cream and many colors, including black and pastels. Keep in mind:

• Any square you leave unstitched shows the fabric color, so it becomes part of the design.
• Dark fabrics are harder to see holes on. Placing something light on your lap, or using a light source behind the fabric, helps a lot.
• For photo patterns with a full stitched background, the fabric color matters less, though a neutral is usually safest.

Which count should you choose?

• First project: 14-count Aida.
• Want something bigger or easier on the eyes: 11-count.
• Photo or portrait with lots of detail: 16 or 18-count, so a high stitch count still fits a normal frame.
• Want a softer, heirloom look: 28-count evenweave over two, once you're comfortable.

For more on thread itself, see our DMC thread guide, and for working out exactly how much fabric to buy, the size planning guide.