Hoop & frame size calculator
Which display hoop or ready-made frame will your finished piece fit? Enter the design's stitch count or its measured size to see both, drawn to scale, with the fabric to cut for mounting.
Display hoop
- Diameter needed
- 7.6 in (19.2 cm)
- Roomier look
- 9 in (about 23 cm)
- Fabric to cut
- 12 × 12 in (30.5 × 30.5 cm) square, for 2 in to fold behind the hoop
Picture frame
- Window around the design
- 7.3 × 7.3 in (18.5 × 18.5 cm)
- Spare inside the frame
- 2.7 in across, 0.7 in down (centre the design and let the fabric fill it)
- Fabric to cut for lacing
- 14 × 12 in (35.6 × 30.5 cm)
- Next sizes up
- 8.5 × 11 in, 9 × 12 in
How the sizes are worked out
Start from the design's size. Give its stitch count and fabric, as printed on the pattern, or measure the stitched area edge to edge. Choose round or oval for motifs designed for a hoop; a square or rectangle has corners, and those must clear the ring.
Hoop. A rectangle fits a circle when its diagonal does, so the hoop must be at least the diagonal plus the clear space on both sides; a round motif needs only its widest dimension. The calculator picks the smallest common size from 3 to 14 inches. A hoop's label gives roughly the inner ring's diameter, so measure yours if it is a close fit. For finishing, cut the fabric as a square the size of the hoop plus the fold-behind allowance on every side.
Frame. The window is the design plus the plain fabric you want to show around it. With a mount (mat), add its width on every side; that is the picture size the frame must hold. Frames can hang either way, so the long side follows your design. Fabric to cut for lacing is the frame size plus the allowance on every side, so it wraps around the backing board.
Worked example: 60 × 60 stitches on 14-count Aida is 4.3 inches square. Its diagonal is 6.1 inches; with 0.75 inches clear on each side it needs 7.6 inches, so an 8 inch hoop, and a 12 inch square of fabric. In a frame with 1.5 inches showing, the window is 7.3 inches: an 8 × 10 inch frame fits.
Sources
- Kathleen Dyer, Needlework FAQ: Counted Cross Stitch, chapter 2 (crosstitch.com): framing with acid-free backing cut 1/8 inch smaller than the frame, the fabric folded to the back and laced with strong thread.
- Kathleen Dyer, Needlework FAQ, chapter 1: allow at least 3 to 4 inches of spare fabric on each edge.
- ISO 216:2007, trimmed paper sizes, A and B series: A5 148 × 210 mm, A4 210 × 297 mm, A3 297 × 420 mm, A2 420 × 594 mm. Other frame sizes are the common ready-made sizes; check the shop's listing, as some quote the outside of the frame.
Questions
What size hoop do I need to display a cross-stitch?
For a square or rectangular design, one whose inner ring is wider than the design's diagonal plus some clear fabric all round. A 4.3 inch square needs about 7.6 inches with 0.75 inches clear, so an 8 inch hoop. Round motifs only need their width plus the clear space.
Should I stitch in the same hoop I display it in?
You can, but a working hoop left on for weeks can crease the fabric and flatten stitches under the ring. Many stitchers work in any comfortable hoop or frame, take it off between sessions, then wash and press the piece and mount it in a clean display hoop.
Is the frame size the outside of the frame?
Usually not. A frame sold as 8 × 10 inches holds an 8 × 10 inch picture; the moulding makes the outside bigger. The calculator uses that picture size. Some shops list the outer size instead, so check the listing before you buy.
How much fabric do I need to lace a piece for framing?
Enough to cover the backing board and fold well behind it: the frame's picture size plus the fold allowance on every side, 2 inches by default. The board itself is cut a little smaller than the frame so the laced fabric still fits.