How Big Is a 80 × 80 Cross Stitch Pattern?
An 80 × 80 design crosses a frame boundary between 14ct and 16ct: 5.71 × 5.71 inches needs 8 × 10 among the listed openings, while 5.00 × 5.00 inches exactly reaches the five-inch short axis of 5 × 7. That exact match deserves a closer check before choosing the smaller frame.
Read the shared measurement, opening and thread assumptions before using these planning comparisons.
Exact equality is a limit, not spare room
The 16ct square has 0.00 inches of equal surround available in a nominal 5 × 7 opening. There is no allowance along the short axis for an overlapping lip. The table accepts equality as a geometric fit; a real sight opening can be smaller than its stated image size.
Eighteen count reduces the image to 4.44 × 4.44 inches and leaves 0.28 inches per side before overlap. For a purchased aperture card or small display, compare that clearance with the measured visible hole. A larger piece of cloth cannot make the stitched square narrower.
80 × 80: frame choices before and after a surround
| Aida count | Stitched image (in) | Smallest listed opening, image only | Image +2 in per side (in) | Smallest listed opening, with surround |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11ct | 7.27 × 7.27 | 8 × 10 in | 11.27 × 11.27 | 12 × 16 in |
| 14ct | 5.71 × 5.71 | 8 × 10 in | 9.71 × 9.71 | 11 × 14 in |
| 16ct | 5.00 × 5.00 | 5 × 7 in | 9.00 × 9.00 | 11 × 14 in |
| 18ct | 4.44 × 4.44 | 5 × 7 in | 8.44 × 8.44 | 11 × 14 in |
Decisions for this 80 × 80 chart
Use the smaller frame only after measuring its aperture
The bare design requires at least 16.00 effective crosses per inch for 5 × 7. Fourteen count falls short; sixteen count sits exactly on the boundary; eighteen count offers some tolerance. Choose between those outcomes, rather than assuming every count above fourteen gives the same practical result.
A two-inch surround changes the 18ct display rectangle to 8.44 × 8.44 inches, selecting 11 × 14 from the list. That is far larger than the bare-image 5 × 7 choice. Keep the surround optional: a small object may use a different finishing design, which should be measured separately.
Keep a small motif's sparse coverage separate from its bounding box
The full 80 by 80 grid has 6,400 crosses, but the 40% illustration uses 2,560. On 14ct with two strands the corresponding pooled estimates are 3.60 and 1.44. A bounding square is not evidence that its background is filled.
A multicolor miniature can require several shades even when its combined estimate is below a whole skein. Check what is already in your stash by color and dye lot, then calculate the remaining colors separately. Changing the frame does not change how many stitch positions belong to each shade.
Cut dimensions and whole-image working openings
| Fabric / stitching | Image (in) | Image (cm) | Cut, +3 in each side (in) | Cut (cm) | Hoop diagonal (in) | Q-Snap clear rectangle (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11ct Aida | 7.27 × 7.27 in | 18.47 × 18.47 cm | 13.27 × 13.27 in | 33.71 × 33.71 cm | 10.29 | 7.27 × 7.27 |
| 14ct Aida | 5.71 × 5.71 in | 14.51 × 14.51 cm | 11.71 × 11.71 in | 29.75 × 29.75 cm | 8.08 | 5.71 × 5.71 |
| 16ct Aida | 5.00 × 5.00 in | 12.70 × 12.70 cm | 11.00 × 11.00 in | 27.94 × 27.94 cm | 7.07 | 5.00 × 5.00 |
| 18ct Aida | 4.44 × 4.44 in | 11.29 × 11.29 cm | 10.44 × 10.44 in | 26.53 × 26.53 cm | 6.29 | 4.44 × 4.44 |
| 25ct evenweave over 2 | 6.40 × 6.40 in | 16.26 × 16.26 cm | 12.40 × 12.40 in | 31.50 × 31.50 cm | 9.05 | 6.40 × 6.40 |
| 28ct linen over 2 | 5.71 × 5.71 in | 14.51 × 14.51 cm | 11.71 × 11.71 in | 29.75 × 29.75 cm | 8.08 | 5.71 × 5.71 |
| 32ct linen over 2 | 5.00 × 5.00 in | 12.70 × 12.70 cm | 11.00 × 11.00 in | 27.94 × 27.94 cm | 7.07 | 5.00 × 5.00 |
Coverage and strand choices for 6,400 positions
| Coverage | Full crosses | Aida / strands | Pooled skein equivalents | Recalculate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | 6,400 | 14ct / 2 | 3.60 | Open 100%, 14ct, 2 strands → |
| 100% | 6,400 | 18ct / 1 | 1.40 | Open 100%, 18ct, 1 strand → |
| 70% | 4,480 | 14ct / 2 | 2.52 | Open 70%, 14ct, 2 strands → |
| 70% | 4,480 | 18ct / 1 | 0.98 | Open 70%, 18ct, 1 strand → |
| 40% | 2,560 | 14ct / 2 | 1.44 | Open 40%, 14ct, 2 strands → |
| 40% | 2,560 | 18ct / 1 | 0.56 | Open 40%, 18ct, 1 strand → |
Compare the neighboring chart sizes
These are the nearest smaller and larger areas among the linked size guides; signed changes are relative to 80 × 80 on 14ct with the same cutting margin.
Questions about this size chart
Is 5 × 7 a safe frame choice for an 80x80 design on 16ct?
The nominal square is exactly 5.00 × 5.00 inches and has 0.00 inches of short-axis clearance per side. Measure the clear aperture; the geometric table does not certify a frame's overlapping lip.
What does 18ct change for the 80x80 size in a small aperture?
The square becomes 4.44 × 4.44 inches. In a nominal 5 × 7 opening, the maximum equal surround is 0.28 inches per side, before material variation.
Does an 80x80 outline motif contain 6,400 actual stitches?
Only a fully filled box has 6,400 crosses. The 40% row is 2,560 assumed crosses; use the pattern's actual count when it is available.