How Many DMC Skeins Do I Need?
One DMC stranded cotton skein is 8 m (8.7 yd) of six strands. How far it goes depends on fabric count, how many strands you use and how tidy your back is.
A safe rule of thumb
On 14-count Aida with 2 strands, one skein covers roughly 1,600–2,000 full cross stitches. PetMagi uses 1,600 stitches per skein in its keys, which is the conservative end, so you are unlikely to run out.
| Stitches in a colour | Skeins (conservative) |
|---|---|
| up to 1,600 | 1 |
| 1,601–3,200 | 2 |
| 3,201–4,800 | 3 |
What changes the estimate
- 18-count fabric: smaller stitches use less thread, so you get more stitches per skein.
- 3 strands: about a third fewer stitches per skein.
- Long jumps on the back: waste thread. Finish one area before moving on.
Tips
- Buy all skeins of a colour at the same time, because dye lots can vary.
- For backgrounds or large single-colour areas, buy one spare skein.