Before you start

Cross stitch

Will my design fit my fabric?

Your chart gives the design in stitches. The fabric count says how many stitches fit in one inch. Together they give the finished size, and with the margin you want around it, the piece of fabric to cut.

On evenweave or linen you usually stitch over two threads, so 28-count gives 14 stitches per inch.

Check before you cut

• Measure your fabric if the count is not on the label. Count is per inch, not per centimetre.
• For mounting and framing, DMC advises at least 8 cm (3 in) of clear fabric on every side. A hoop or a cushion can need a different amount.
• This sheet does not estimate thread or match colours.

In Tondo, an imported chart knows its own size, and the app estimates your fabric and thread for you.

Hand embroidery

Which hoop, and how much fabric?

A round hoop has to fit the whole design, corners included, so what counts is the diagonal. Add some space so the hoop ring never sits on your stitches, then enough fabric around the hoop to hold it tight.

Check before you cut

• Hoops are sold by inner diameter, mostly in whole inches. Measure yours if it is not marked.
• Leave at least 5 cm (2 in) of fabric beyond the hoop on every side, so you can pull it taut.
• Take the work out of the hoop when you stop: left in for a long time, it can leave creases that are hard to remove. For a design larger than the hoop, move it with care or use a frame.

In Tondo, you print the outline at hoop size, with stitch diagrams and a thread estimate.

Knitting

What does my swatch tell me?

The pattern gives a gauge: stitches per 10 cm. Knit a swatch with your own yarn and needles, measure it the way the pattern asks, and see what your gauge does to a piece the pattern gives in stitches.

Before you decide

• Knit the swatch at least 15 cm square in the pattern’s stitch, then wash or block it the way you will treat the finished piece. Measure over 10 cm in the middle, away from the edges.
• More stitches per 10 cm than the pattern usually means trying a larger needle; fewer, a smaller one. Knit a new swatch after changing.
• Row gauge, drape and the shape of the piece can change too. This sheet compares widths only and does not regrade a pattern.

Want to keep the swatch with the pattern, yarn and notes? Save a sheet in your workspace. With Tondo 2.0, the app keeps swatches per project.

Sewing

How many squares from one piece?

Cut squares are the finished size plus a seam allowance on every side. Fill in the piece you have and the square you want, and see how many fit and what is left over.

Check before you cut

• Press the piece and trim a straight edge first; measure after that.
• Use the seam allowance of your pattern and keep it the same everywhere: 0.75 cm is common in metric patchwork, 1/4 inch (about 0.6 cm) in patterns that use inches.
• Cotton can shrink in its first wash. If you prewash, do it before you measure and cut.

With Tondo 2.0, the app keeps your fabric pieces and shows which of three projects they can make, with a cutting plan.