How Many Strands of Floss Should You Use?
On 14 count aida, use two strands of six-strand cotton floss. On 16 count, two. On 18 count, one or two depending on how much fabric you want showing. For backstitch, drop to one strand whatever the fabric.
That covers most situations. The reasoning behind it is worth two minutes, because it explains what to do when your stitches look thin or crowded and the standard answer is not working.
What you are actually adjusting
A cross stitch should cover the fabric underneath it. Too few strands and pale aida shows through, giving a washed-out, gappy look. Too many and the stitches crowd each other, sit proud of the surface and make the piece stiff.
Fabric count changes the size of each hole and each square. Higher count means smaller squares, so the same two strands fill more of the available space. That is why the answer shifts as the count goes up.
| Fabric | Full cross stitch | Backstitch |
|---|---|---|
| 11 count aida | 3 strands | 1–2 strands |
| 14 count aida | 2 strands | 1 strand |
| 16 count aida | 2 strands | 1 strand |
| 18 count aida | 1–2 strands | 1 strand |
| 28 count evenweave, over 2 | 2 strands | 1 strand |
How to decide between one and two on 18 count
Two strands on 18 count gives solid, saturated coverage with no fabric showing. One strand gives a lighter, more delicate result where the weave stays visible, which suits fine detail and portraits.
Neither is wrong. Stitch a small test area of about ten by ten stitches in the corner of your fabric, look at it in daylight, and pick. Ten minutes spent there saves unpicking later.
Separating the strands properly
This is the step most often skipped, and it changes the result more than the strand count does.
- Cut a length of floss about 18 inches. Longer tangles; shorter wastes thread on rethreading.
- Separate every strand individually, even the ones you are about to put back together. Pull one out at a time from the top, letting the rest hang.
- Lay the strands you need side by side and thread them together.
Pulling two strands out as a pair leaves them twisted around each other. They will not lie flat, and the stitch looks ropey rather than smooth. Separating and recombining is what gives that flat, filled look in finished work.
Keeping the thread flat while you stitch
Even well-separated strands twist as you work. Every dozen stitches or so, let the needle hang loose from the fabric and the thread will untwist itself. Stitchers call this dropping the needle, and it takes two seconds.
A more deliberate version is railroading: as you make the second leg of each cross, pass the needle between the two strands so they sit side by side rather than crossing. It slows you down and it makes a visible difference on larger blocks of a single colour.
When to break the rules
- Dark thread on light fabric. Dark colours can look thinner. An extra strand evens it out.
- Metallic floss. Use fewer strands than you would with cotton — it is stiffer and fills more.
- Deliberately sheer areas. One strand on a background makes it recede behind the main subject.
Common questions
Does the pattern tell me how many strands to use?
Ours state the recommended count. Many charts assume two on 14 count without saying so. A beginner chart like Spooky Eyeball — seven colours over 110 × 110 — is a cheap place to try both and see the difference.
Can I use all six strands?
Not for cross stitch on aida — they will not fit the holes cleanly. Six strands are for other embroidery techniques.
Why do my stitches look uneven even with the right count?
Usually thread twist rather than strand count. Try dropping the needle regularly before adding a strand.
Does strand count change how much floss I need?
Yes, directly. Going from two strands to three uses roughly half as much thread again. Our listings estimate skeins at the recommended count.
If you are choosing a first project and would rather not think about any of this, the beginner patterns all work at two strands on 14 count, and patterns without backstitch remove the one-strand step entirely.
Once you know your strand count, the rest of the shopping list follows: how many skeins of floss you need turns stitch counts into skeins, and how much fabric to buy covers the other half. Choosing the shades themselves is covered in the guide to DMC floss colours.