Free tool · Threads
Cross stitch skein calculator (floss calculator)
How many skeins do you need — and how many cross stitches per skein will you get? Add each colour’s stitch count, set fabric count and strands, and get metres plus whole skeins for DMC, Anchor, Madeira and 18 other brands.
Fabric and thread
Colours
| Code | Stitches | Metres | Skeins | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Black | 11.7 m | 2 | ||
Red | 6.6 m | 1 | ||
Winter White | 3.0 m | 1 |
Skeins to buy
4
Thread in total
21 m
23 yd
Estimates assume full cross stitches and about 10% for starts and ends. Stitching tension, travelling between areas and frogging change real use, so buy one spare skein of colours with many stitches.
How the floss calculator works
- 1
Add your colours
Type the thread code and the number of full stitches for each colour. Most charts list stitches per colour in the key.
- 2
Set fabric and strands
Pick the fabric count and whether you stitch over one or two threads. Strands follow the usual convention and you can change them.
- 3
Choose the brand
Skein length differs: DMC and Anchor are 8 m, Madeira 10 m, hand-dyed brands such as Weeks Dye Works about 5 yards.
- 4
Buy with a spare
Each colour is rounded up to whole skeins with about 10% for starts and ends. Buy one spare of large colours from the same dye lot.
Turn any photo into a pattern
Real DMC colours, symbols, a thread list with skeins and a printable PDF.
Questions
- How many cross stitches does one skein make?
- On 14-count Aida with 2 strands, an 8 m DMC skein covers about 1,600 full stitches after ~10% for starts and ends. Finer fabric uses less thread per stitch; more strands use more.
- What is a cross stitch skein calculator?
- It turns stitch counts per colour into metres and skeins to buy. This page is that calculator — pick brand, fabric and strands, then add each colour.
- How many skeins of floss for a full project?
- Add every colour from your pattern key. The total row sums skeins to buy. Large single-colour areas often need a spare skein from the same dye lot.
- Does the calculator include backstitch and French knots?
- No — it counts full cross stitches. Backstitch usually needs far less; add one skein for a long outline colour if unsure.
- Why are hand-dyed skeins different?
- Weeks Dye Works, The Gentle Art and Classic Colorworks often sell ~5-yard skeins, so the same stitches need nearly twice as many skeins as DMC.
- Can PixVix count the stitches for me?
- Yes. Charts you make in PixVix list stitches and skeins per colour in the thread list and PDF.