How To Calculate & Kit Your 13 Mesh Canvas
A foolproof guide to the ever elusive estimation
Raise your hand if you don’t always purchase your canvas “kitted” with threads. 🙋🏼♀️
Raise your hand if you wish you knew how to calculate exactly how much fiber/threads you will need for a project. 🙋🏼♀️
Now put your hand down, because I’m going to show you how to do it.
Spoiler Alert: It's way easier than you think
The Math Behind the Masterpiece:
Note: All calculations shown are for a 13 mesh canvas
1.) Pick a canvas from your stash that you love
2.) Understand Coverage
For this exercise, head to: https://www.brownpaperpackages.com/Coverage/ where you will see it states that (1) skein of Silk & Ivory covers roughly 20 square inches of 13 mesh canvas
3.) Measure Twice, Stitch Once
Next, let’s travel back to 5th grade math to determine how many square inches are in our canvas by multiplying: length x width of the painted area
(Example: my canvas shown here is 7” x 9” = 63 sq. inches)
Area = Length x Width (square inches) Take the total square inches and divide by 20 sq. inches (the amount in 1 skein). The resulting number is how many skeins you will need to stitch your canvas.
Example: my canvas shown here is 63 sq. inches
63 sq. inches / 20 sq. inches = 3.15 skeins required
Based on the number you calculate, you can make a determination of how many skeins you want to purchase for your project.
For this canvas, I purchased (4) skeins of the color I needed to ensure I avoided “thread chicken” at all costs (no need to add more stress to our lives).
4.) Other Design Colors
In the example shown, there are also (2) shades of pink present. I purchased (1) pale pink shade and (2) of the darker pink to be safe since it is present in both the text and the border. Again, always go with what feels best to you.
5.) 18 Mesh Calculations
You can apply the same equation to your beloved 18 mesh canvases by using 15 sq. inches instead of 20 sq. inches for your calculation.
Note: 18 mesh belts can be tricky since extra rows are required for finishing, and I strongly recommend purchasing 1-2 extra skeins for the belt background color to ensure you have enough.
See the calculation in action below ⬇️
Memo to Moi:
Please remember the following when doing this exercise:
These figures are estimates and can vary based on the stitches you use and if you need to rip out or “frog” any stitches
When in doubt, err on the side of caution and buy the extra skein (or two) to ensure you have enough to complete your project with confidence and the same dye lot.
FYI: dye lots often differ meaning the same color may not match perfectly between batches
This is the system that works best for me and yields the most consistent result. Always do what YOU are most comfortable with and never be afraid to ask for help.
Since I do not have a Local Needlepoint Shop near me, this also affords me the ability to purchase threads online when various sites are having sales or special promotions (see: Black Friday - Cyber Monday)
And just like that, calculating thread coverage is now one less thing to stress over and one more thing to add to your stitching repertoire.
Applying this calculation will help mitigate running out of the precious dye lot you need while stitching, leaving you free to focus on creating something truly special. Your project—and your story—deserve nothing less.
Do you kit your canvases on your own? What is your favorite way to get the end result you want? What have you learned along the way? Drop your favorite techniques here in the comments or over on Instagram
