28 Count Evenweave Calculator
28-count fabric has 28 threads per inch. Cross stitch on 28-count evenweave or linen is usually worked over two threads, which gives 14 stitches per inch and the same finished size as 14-count Aida. The calculator and chart on this page use 14 stitches per inch.
Last reviewed September 15, 2026 · How these figures are calculated
Fabric count
28-count evenweave stitched over 2 · same size as 14-count
2 in for hoops, 3 in for framing
Units
Enter the stitch width and height to see the fabric size
Fabric = (stitches ÷ stitches per inch) + (border × 2)
28-count evenweave at a glance
- Stitches per inch
- 14 (over 2)
- Stitches per cm
- 5.5
- Square size
- 1.8 mm
- Strands of floss
- 2
- Tapestry needle
- Size 26–28
- 100 stitches
- 7.1" / 18.1 cm
28-count evenweave size chart
Finished design size for common stitch counts, with the fabric to cut when you leave a 2-inch border on each side. For a design 150 wide and 200 high, read each dimension from its own row.
| Stitches | Inches | cm | Fabric to cut (2" border) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 1.8" | 4.5 cm | 5.8" |
| 50 | 3.6" | 9.1 cm | 7.6" |
| 75 | 5.4" | 13.6 cm | 9.4" |
| 100 | 7.1" | 18.1 cm | 11.1" |
| 125 | 8.9" | 22.7 cm | 12.9" |
| 150 | 10.7" | 27.2 cm | 14.7" |
| 200 | 14.3" | 36.3 cm | 18.3" |
| 250 | 17.9" | 45.4 cm | 21.9" |
| 300 | 21.4" | 54.4 cm | 25.4" |
| 400 | 28.6" | 72.6 cm | 32.6" |
A worked example on 28-count evenweave
Take a sampler worked over two threads, 180 × 240 stitches. Samplers are the classic use for 28-count: the open weave takes fractional stitches and specialty stitches that Aida cannot. Every number below comes from the same formulas the calculators on this site use, so you can follow the arithmetic rather than trust it.
180 wide x 240 high, counted from the chart. This number never changes with the fabric.
180 and 240 divided by 14 stitches per inch (over two threads). That is 32.7 x 43.5 cm.
The finished size plus a 2-inch border on all four sides, for hooping and for the frame to grip.
43,200 stitches at 2 strands is 43,200 inches of single strand, before the waste allowance. That total is spread across the colors in your key, not all one shade.
At six strands to a 315-inch skein, with 15% added for starts, ends and mistakes.
The design is wider than any common hoop, so a scroll frame avoids re-hooping over finished stitches.
At 150 stitches an hour, a steady average pace. Backstitch and colour changes add to this.
Over two threads, or over one
The number on evenweave and linen counts threads, not stitches. 28-count means 28 threads to the inch, and cross stitch on it is normally worked over two of them, which gives 14 stitches per inch — the same finished size as 14-count Aida, which is why a chart written for one works on the other without any conversion. Worked over a single thread it gives 28 stitches per inch and the design finishes at half the size, a scale usually reserved for miniature work.
Working over two has one rule that Aida does not: start on an even thread and stay on the grid. If the first stitch begins one thread out, every fractional stitch and every backstitch line afterwards sits half a stitch off the intended position, and the error only becomes obvious once the outlines go in. Counting a tacked grid of ten by ten stitches before you start is the standard insurance.
Evenweave and linen are not interchangeable for a beginner. Evenweave such as Jobelan or Monaco is spun to a uniform thickness, so the threads count cleanly. Linen has slubs — thicker and thinner sections in the same thread — which give the finished piece its character but make counting less forgiving. Coming off Aida, evenweave first is the easier route.
What goes wrong on 28-count evenweave
Reading 28-count as 28 stitches per inch
It is 28 threads per inch. Over two threads you get 14 stitches per inch, so use 14 when sizing the design. This page already does.
Using a needle that pierces the threads
A blunt size 26 or 28 tapestry needle should part the threads, not split them. A pierced thread distorts the surrounding stitches and cannot be undone.
Buying linen because it looks the part
The slubs that give linen its texture also make thread counting harder. If it is your first piece off Aida, choose evenweave and keep linen for the second.
About 28-count evenweave
28-count is sold as evenweave (for example Jobelan or Monaco) and as linen. Unlike Aida, the threads are not woven in blocks, so you count threads rather than squares. The open weave takes fractional stitches cleanly and gives a finer, heirloom look.
Over two threads, use 2 strands and a size 26 or 28 tapestry needle. Stitched over one thread, each stitch covers a single intersection, giving 28 stitches per inch: use 1 strand and expect the design to finish at half the size shown in the chart.
28-count evenweave vs 14-count Aida
Over two threads, 28-count evenweave and 14-count Aida give identical design sizes, so a pattern charted for one works on the other unchanged. The same rule applies to other evenweaves: 32-count over two matches 16-count Aida, and 36-count over two matches 18-count Aida.
For every count side by side, see Aida counts explained. To estimate floss for this design, use the floss calculator.