How many skeins of floss do I need for a 100×150 cross-stitch chart on Aida 14, 16 or 18?
For 100×150 full crosses worked in 2 strands, our model estimates 8.13 skeins by length on Aida 14, 7.11 on Aida 16 and 6.32 on Aida 18. Buying whole skeins colour by colour is different: at the default 80-colour setting, our Portrait charts had a median shopping total of 69 skeins on all three fabrics and Photo charts 41, so please do not take nine random skeins and hope for the best.
These are Mimimetr team calculations reported on 2 November 2026. They assume full coverage, including the background, and no existing thread supplies.
| Fabric | Stitched area, cm | Total thread, skein equivalents | Photo, 80 colours | Portrait, 80 colours | Photo, 25 colours | Portrait, 25 colours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 14 | 18.1×27.2 | 8.13 | 41 (16–73) | 69 (20–92) | 24 (16–27) | 35 (16–39) |
| Aida 16 | 15.9×23.8 | 7.11 | 41 (15–73) | 69 (19–92) | 24 (15–27) | 35 (15–39) |
| Aida 18 | 14.1×21.2 | 6.32 | 41 (15–73) | 69 (19–92) | 24 (15–27) | 35 (15–39) |
How we counted
We centre-cropped 13 photographs to the chart ratio and calculated both modes with Colours set to 80, the default, and 25, on the 489-colour DMC table. Purchase columns show whole skeins, median (range). The model assumes an 8 m, six-strand skein, stitching with 2 strands, and 1.3 cm of working thread per cross on Aida 14, scaled by 14/fabric count. For purchases, each component colour's unrounded requirement was rounded up before summing. This is a calculation, not a sewing trial.
Your needle uses fractions; the shop sells skeins
A tiny highlight still needs its own colour if you do not already own it. Fractions across different shades cannot be poured into one imaginary multipurpose skein. That is why total thread length and a from-scratch basket can look so different. Check the per-colour shopping list in the chart tool, rather than rounding the grand total once.[8]
Blends do not come in a special magic packet
A blended cross uses one strand from each component colour.[8] Our calculation allocates half the two-strand requirement to each, then combines repeated codes across the chart. Buy by those component totals. Do not buy another whole pair for every blended legend row: the same thread can appear in several combinations. Your stash may already contain the very shade doing all that work.
Smaller crosses are not a smaller colour list
Higher-count fabric reduces the stitched dimensions and calculated thread length. It does not necessarily remove colours. In these samples, many shades still needed at least one whole skein, so the basket hardly shrank at all, unlike the stitched area. The dimensions in the table exclude extra fabric for finishing; do not cut your cloth to the exact stitched rectangle.
An estimate cannot watch your thread tails
The 1.3 cm allowance comes from the software, not measured hands-on stitching. The tool itself labels skeins as estimates with a margin.[8] Carrying thread, fastening off and your technique can change consumption. Empty backgrounds and three-strand stitching were not covered by this table. Note that Auto's default is 300 stitches wide, not 100×150: our 14 photos took 43–120 whole skeins on Aida 14 at that size, median 101.5. Compare the final chart with your stash before ordering: those half-used skeins finally have their moment.
Questions
Can I simply buy nine skeins for Aida 14?
Nine covers the rounded one-colour model, not an arbitrary multicolour shopping list.
Does the table include threads I already own?
No. Whole-skein totals assume starting from scratch; check existing quantities by code.
Will I use exactly the estimated amount?
No. These are modelled allowances, not a guarantee of personal consumption.
Sources
[8] https://mimimetr.com/en/vyshyvka