Running out of a color three stitches before the end is frustrating – and buying ten skeins of a color you only use for an eye is wasteful. Here's how to work out how much floss you really need.
What's in a skein
A standard skein of DMC six-strand embroidery floss holds about 8.7 yards (8 meters) of floss. That floss is made of six thin strands loosely twisted together. For cross stitch you separate them and stitch with one, two or three strands, depending on your fabric:
- 11 count Aida: usually 3 strands
- 14 and 16 count Aida, 28 count over two: usually 2 strands
- 18 count Aida: 1 or 2 strands
So one skein is really six lengths of single strand. Stitching with two strands gives you three “working” threads out of each skein; with three strands you get only two. That's why the number of strands matters more than anything else.
Good news: our floss key does the work
Every House of Needelier PDF has a floss key that lists, for each DMC color, how many stitches use it and an estimated number of skeins. For most stitchers that's all you need: buy what the key says. Round up and buy one extra for any color you use a lot, especially if you stitch with more strands or on a lower count than usual. You can read more about the key in how to read our charts.
Estimating it yourself
For any other pattern – or to check how your own stitching compares – this method works well:
- Measure your thread. Cut a strand length of 18 inches (45 cm), the comfortable working length.
- Stitch and count. Using your usual number of strands, fabric and tension, stitch one length until you'd normally end it. Count the full crosses.
- Work out working lengths per skein. A skein is about 314 inches (8 m), so it cuts into about 17 lengths of 18 inches. Each length has six strands: stitching with two strands, it gives you three working lengths, so about 3 × 17 = 51 per skein. With three strands, about 34.
- Stitches per skein = crosses per length × working lengths per skein.
- Skeins needed = stitches of that color ÷ stitches per skein, then round up.
Your own test is more accurate than any chart, because tension, how you start and end threads, and how far you travel on the back all change the result.
A rough rule of thumb
If you just want a ballpark, these are approximate, conservative figures for full cross stitches in one color worked in reasonably compact areas. Real results vary, and scattered stitches use noticeably more.
| Fabric | Strands | Roughly how many full stitches per skein |
|---|---|---|
| 11 ct Aida | 3 | about 750 |
| 14 ct Aida or 28 ct over two | 2 | about 1,500 |
| 16 ct Aida | 2 | about 1,700 |
| 18 ct Aida | 2 | about 1,900 |
Smaller squares use less thread per stitch, so the higher the count, the further a skein goes. Stitching with one strand instead of two roughly doubles it; three strands instead of two cuts it by about a third.
Example: a color with 2,400 stitches on 14 ct Aida with two strands: 2,400 ÷ 1,500 = 1.6, so buy 2 skeins.
When to buy extra
- Big background or sky areas. Buy everything for that color at once – dye lots can vary slightly, and a small shade difference can show in a large flat area.
- Confetti-heavy designs. Lots of single stitches mean lots of starts and ends, and each one wastes a little floss.
- Lower counts or extra strands than the pattern assumes.
- Dark floss on light fabric, where you'll end threads more often instead of carrying them across the back.
For our larger patterns, like the Autumn Owl with 35 colors, a little planning before you shop saves a second trip. Next: Aida, evenweave or linen?
