Need help with skein count

[jesq]

I purchased a very large pattern yesterday and am very confused as to how many skeins of each color I need to buy. The pattern was designed for 25 ct. evenweave, 1 over 1, but I am doing it on 18 ct. aida., 2 over 1.

I'm assuming I will need to at least double the amount of floss, since I will be using 2 threads for each stitch instead of 1, but I'm still having trouble, because the floss usage report I received seems inconsistent with itself, as well as with the calculations I have seen here. For example, one color indicates that it is used for 495 stitches and requires 0.1 skeins. Another color indicates that it is used for 2122 stitches and requires 0.2 skeins. That math seems a little off to me. There are 78 colors total and I am at a total loss as to what to purchase. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

BTW, this is my first post here, but I'm sure won't be the last. I spent most of yesterday reading the majority of the tips and tricks section here and got lots of good information. I haven't cross-stitched in many years, but am excited to get back into it. I probably should have started back with a simpler project, but I fell in love with this design and had to have it.

[Angel]

I'm not very good with things like this I'm afraid, but my advice would be to buy 1 of each skien and then buy replacements as you find you need them, that way it also spreads the cost out a bit too. Sorry I can't be mroe help.

[Rose]

I am sorry I am not going to be alot of help. I usually just make sure that I have 1 skein of each color and if I need more then I go and get another one. I would say that 495 stitches is not going to us much floss at all even if you do 2 rather then 1. You get a lot of stitches out of one skein of floss.

[MaggieM1750]

A few months ago, someone posted that they estimate they get 3500 full stitches from a skein of DMC. I cannot remember if that was with 1 strand or 2 (I am thinking it was 2) or the count of fabric. For the easy factor, in my head, I have that I can get 3000 full stitches from a full skein. That should leave me plenty of frog factor, tangles, little bits I wont use, etc.

EDIT: Found it. It was Vega from about 6 months ago. 25 ct, 2 strands, full crosses. I just typed in 3500 in the search box and it pulled up her old post.

[jesq]

So, for all of you who just buy one skein at a time, do you not worry about dye lots and colors matching exactly? I thought I read that all of one color should be purchased at the same time for that reason.

[HalbertMusik]

Hello-

Generally speaking, if you buy from a reputable manufacturer such as DMC, Anchor, et al.. this should not be a problem. However, the answer to yur question also has to do with how the colour will be used. If it will be for a piece of confetti work, then this is no issue. When I buy for a larger area, say a swath of sky, then I usually get 2 or 3 relying on an educated (and sometimes even not!) guess. Getting a little bit too much is usually no problem as it will get incorporated into your stash ...

Willam

[Angel]

I fail to see how it makes a difference, the chances of two skiens of the same colour in a shop being from exactly the same batch is so remote that it really doesn't matter if I purchase two that day or one that day and one two months down the line. So long as they don't change the thread number, or discontinue a colour I'm good, and I've never had that happen to me.

[MaggieM1750]

So, for all of you who just buy one skein at a time, do you not worry about dye lots and colors matching exactly? I thought I read that all of one color should be purchased at the same time for that reason.

Not much experience here with buying multiple skeins, dye lots, etc. but on the two projects I have worked on that required multiple skeins of the same color, I did buy them at the same time just in case the dye lots were different. Dye lots for yarn and fabrics can be very different.. figure skeins of embroidery floss is the same way. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I really don't know but I buy them at the same time.
As with everything else with this craft, its all personal preference.

[Mystonique]

Maybe here in Aus we aren't so lucky with dye lots because I find enourmous differences between dye lots for the same colour even in DMC. Granted you have to put the two skeins side by side to see it but when you do the difference can be pronounced.

Thankfully most of our shops seem to have the same dye lot for most threads unless you are buying an end lot and they are usually cheaper for that very reason.

I work on about 3000 stitches to a skein.

[pugcentric]

Why not trying just one thread! I have done dollhouse rugs and bedspread using 14 count Aida using just a single thread, and find the results to be very good. There is a clarity and delicacy with a single thread that I think you will like on your 18 count fabric...