How much floss to buy

[koko]

Hi -

I am new to the forum and also a relatively new stitcher. Up till now I have only stitched from kits, but I just purchased 2 patterns from Imaginating. It does not suggest how much floss I will need to stitch this pattern, does anyone know of a way to calculate how much I should get? I don't want to get halfway through the project and realize I don't have enough floss to finish!

Thanks in advance!

[Busy_B]

Welcome! There is usually a note by the legend/key that will say how many skeins. I haven't done any of their charts, but I have looked at them quite a bit. I doubt that they would take more than 1 skein per color. The information should either be in the directions or next to the color information.

[koko]

That's what I thought too, but I have now re-read the entire thing front to back 3 times and I just don't see it. I guess I will try 2 skeins of each color, and then if I have extra, hopefully I can use it on another project Thanks for responding!!

[Granny]

I am not familiar with their charts but past experience has been one skein is oodles unless it is indicated that you need more. A skein is 8 yards and if you use 3 ply you will have 16 yards to stitch with. Cut those in half for stitching, approx the length in kits and you have 32 lengths. If stitching with 2 ply you have 48 lengths.

[Thursday Next]

Welcome koko! Which patterns did you get?? We pics - please start a SAL so we can see your work as you progress

[koko]

@ Granny - Thanks, I guess I just need one of each color except maybe white since the whole background is white. I didn't realize how much floss came in one skein!

@ Thursday Next - Thanks for the welcome Right now I am collecting the patterns I am going to make for Christmas presents. I got the "Practice Makes Purrfect" and the "Knit & Purl" from Imaginating that I'm going to make for my sister. I also got a Steeler's logo one that I found on ioffers that I'm going to make for my dad. Is SAL a stitch along? I will post a pic once I figure out how to do that

[Granny]

Koko--Glad I could be of help. Mathematical mind comes in handy in my hobbies for things like that. Much greater use in my other major hobby--quilting. More or less taking a break from that at the moment so I can enjoy cross stitch for a while.

[wilson453]

Hi koko,if you in China ,may be we can help you ,but ……………

[helbel]

I use this:

"To estimate how much DMC floss you will need from the colour distribution chart on our old charts, generally 30 stitches uses 1 metre of 1 strand of floss. DMC stranded floss is usually sold in 8 metre lengths with 6 strands. Therefore you get approx 1440 stitches (6 x 8 x 30) from one lot of floss."

Thats for 14 count though, different counts will be different.

[Mabel Figworthy]

And of course you'd usually stitch with 2 strands on 14ct, so you'd have to halve that number.

[Granny]

The stitch information will come in handy when estimating for a solid background. Thank you.

[helbel]

And of course you'd usually stitch with 2 strands on 14ct, so you'd have to halve that number.

I'm not sure about that (logically I understand what you mean). I did some testing myself on thread and for 50 cm of thread (1m doubled up) I got about 40 stitches IIRC.

I think they are accounting for removing one strand, then doubling it to make 2 strands in their calculation. Certainly "30 stitches uses 1 metre of 1 strand of floss" seems a vastly huge amount of floss to me if just using 1 strand.