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Ok. I so told myself to wait till January. I need to finish my current WIP, and then have another kit also waiting to be done first, but I am almost at my breaking point and go ahead and order my chart and start hunting for materials.

I do have some questions, so please help!

1. I see when to buy a chart that I can choose between regular size and large size. I saw the example the showed. But my confusion is this. It is only the chart, right? So for reading easyness of the symbols or something, and not that the design/my work wil be bigger? I think I will order the larger one. Or do you all use the regular?

2. You can see the floss usage chart on the site. But only the colors, right? Not the amount of every color needed. Do you get that info with the chart you buy?

3. If you get that info with the bought chart, it is probably for 25 count (or whatever they suggest). I am going to make mine on 18 count Aida. I think that means I need more floss? Or not? If I DO need more floss, how can I calculate what I need? I want to buy the colors in one go, because of possible dyelot troubles.

4. How can I calculate how big my piece of 18 count Aida needs to be? What is the formula for that? My hubbie wants to make me an excel chart for future use because I get panick attacks of everything that has to do with numbers. That way I can put some numbers in and that document does the rest. (for fabric size, and the floss needed, see question 3.)

Pfiew.... sorry for all those difficult questions. I hope you all are willing to help me out. And I will probably have new ones in awhile.

OK I'll try and help.

1. It's just the chart that's larger for ease of reading.

2. Yes you'll have a full floss usage chart.

3. The floss usage quoted will be 25ct 2 over 1, sorry I don't know how to work out what you'll need.

4. Fabric size can be worked out using this http://www.yarntree.com/java/xstitchcal.htm" target="_blank.
If you have iPhone, etc then there is an app you can download.

Hope that helps.

Yes, that did help! Now waiting till someone can help with question 3 for how much floss is needed. Thank you Destructiveernie!

to answer number 3. When you click on the floss usage chart that is under the picture of the chart you want, make sure that you scroll through all the pages. Generally, the first 2 or 3 pages are just the list of colors and symbols on the chart. Immediately afterward are 2 or 3 pages telling you exactly how many stitches of each color you will have. They can range from 1 stitch to 1000's of stitches. That is in the column headed Full . The number of suggested skeins is for 25ct fabric and I also don't know how to tell you to calculate what you will need, but if it is only for a small number of stitches, one skein should be fine. I am looking forward to seeing your project being stitched. And please keep asking questions. Someone will know or know where to go to find the answer. You should also consider joining the HAED BB (Bulletin Board) You can find it on the HAED home page under Important Links.

Carole

As for 3........

As far as differences in floss usage depending on fabric count - when I've stitched HAEDs on 18ct I've never noticed too much of a difference in floss usage. I may just make sure I have an extra skein of any floss that is borderline for needing an extra skein. Somewhere on the Internet (here)there is a table showing how many stitches per skein of DMC you can get depending on what count fabby you are using and I use that as a guide to see if I might need more of one colour than the chart calls for.

Carole and Amanda, thank you so much. I could combine your 2 answers, and I can now calculate somewhat how much floss is needed, I think!!! I let my hubbie check what I was doing, and he agrees that I am good the way I calculate it.

And Carole, it are scary numbers how much stitches there are mentioned in that row headed full for some of the colors!!!

The floss usage chart should list how many stitches for each color AND how many skeins of each color. Scroll through to the end of the document, they have it listed twice, once just with colors/symbols and once with how much is needed and # of stitches.

The quantity listed is based on stitching on 25 count evenweave with 2 strands of floss. I used this chart..

http://home.comcast.net/~kathydyer/nf_x ... #floss_amt" target="_blank

to convert the numbers to whatever count I am using, and then round up a bit. Since you plan on stitching on 18 count, I imagine that you'll be using 2 strands of floss, so start at column for 2 strands at the top, and look down to 18 count. It estimates 2295 stitches per skein. I would then round that DOWN to 2000 stitches per skein, and using the listing in the floss usage chart on the HAED site, figure out how many skeins of each color you need. I'd play it even safer though and if a color has close to a full 2000 stitches, I'd bump it up and get another skein.. so for 1850, I'd get 2.. for 3800 I'd get 3, for 5800 I'd get 4 etc etc.. Your actual usage will depend on how you use your thread too - if you leave long tails, carry your stitches far on the back, or toss out floss when it starts to get short instead of stitching down to the last inch when possible, your usage will be higher, so use your own stitching habits to form what you feel is a comfortable cushion.

That is how I did it! But thanks for your help!