Stitch-Repeat Calculator

Check whether your desired stitch count is compatible with your pattern's stitch multiple and compare the nearest lower and higher compatible counts.

Stitch-Repeat & Pattern Multiple Checker

Enter your desired row stitch count, pattern repeat multiple, and extra symmetry stitches.

Desired Stitch CountThe total number of first-row or current-row stitches you want to check.

Repeat Multiple (m)Stitches in each repeating motif (e.g. 4 for shells).

Extra Stitches (e)Added once per row for edge balance (enter 0 if none).

Where to obtain m and e: Check your pattern or stitch dictionary’s repeat note (e.g., “Multiple of 4 + 2” → m=4, e=2). Do not include turning chains here—this tool checks active row stitch counts (S = n × m + e).

Optional Swatch Gauge for Width Estimation (st per 10 cm)

Measured across the representative central 10 cm of your gauge swatch.

✓ Pattern Multiple Compatible

102 stitches fits 25 repeats of 4 stitches plus 2 extra stitch(es).

Estimated row width at this gauge: ~51.0 cm

Stitch repeats (m) multiply continuously across the row; extra stitches (e) balance symmetry at the end.

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Step-by-Step Input Instructions

1Enter the Desired Stitch Count you want to check (for example, a stitch count from a gauge estimate or your current row).
2Enter the Repeat Multiple (m) required by your stitch pattern (e.g., 4 for a 4-stitch shell motif).
3Enter the Extra Stitches (e) required once per row for edge symmetry (enter 0 if none).
4Optionally enter your stitch gauge per 10 cm or 4 inches to view the estimated row width for your stitch count and adjacent alternatives.

How This Calculation Works

In crochet stitch dictionaries, repeating stitch patterns (such as shells, V-stitches, ripples, and basketweave) are written as:

"Multiple of m + e" (e.g. Multiple of 4 + 2)

Here, m represents the repeat width—the number of stitches in each repeating motif. The symbol e represents extra stitches added once per row to balance the left and right edges.

To check compatibility:

Subtract the extra stitches from your desired count: S_net = S − e.
Check whether S_net divides evenly by m: S_net mod m == 0.
If incompatible, Yarnivo calculates n_lower = floor(S_net / m) and n_upper = ceil(S_net / m) to show the nearest compatible stitch counts and their estimated widths.

Assumptions

The pattern stitch multiple (m) repeats continuously across the row.
Extra stitches (e) are applied once per row to balance symmetry, not once per repeat.
Does not conflate extra symmetry stitches with turning chains required to begin a foundation row.

Practical Limitations

Cannot evaluate whether your stitch tension changes when alternating between different stitch types in lace or cable patterns.
Only checks horizontal stitch multiples across a row, not multi-row vertical height repeats.

Worked Examples

Worked Example 1

Compatible 102 Stitches for a 4 + 2 Shell Pattern

A shell stitch requires a multiple of 4 plus 2 extra stitches. The crocheter checks 102 stitches at a gauge of 20 st / 10 cm.

Inputs: Desired stitches = 102, repeat multiple m = 4, extra stitches e = 2, gauge = 20 st / 10 cm.

Math: (102 − 2) ÷ 4 = 100 ÷ 4 = 25 with remainder 0.

Estimated Result: Compatible: 25 repeats of 4 stitches plus 2 extra stitches (~51.0 cm estimated width).

Worked Example 2

Incompatible 100 Stitches with Adjacent Alternatives

The crocheter tests 100 stitches with the same pattern (multiple of 4 plus 2) at 20 st / 10 cm.

Inputs: Desired stitches = 100, repeat multiple m = 4, extra stitches e = 2, gauge = 20 st / 10 cm.

Math: (100 − 2) ÷ 4 = 98 ÷ 4 = 24.5 (not a whole repeat). Nearest repeats: 24 (98 st) and 25 (102 st).

Estimated Result: Incompatible. Adjacent compatible options are 98 stitches (−2 st, ~49.0 cm) or 102 stitches (+2 st, ~51.0 cm).

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

✕Adding extra stitches (e) to every single repeat: extra stitches are only added once per row.
✕Confusing turning chains with extra stitches: turning chains provide vertical height to reach the next row and are added to the foundation chain separately.
✕Rounding down to a bare multiple of m without re-adding the extra edge balance stitches (e).