# Embroidery Thread Consumption Calculator

> Estimate top and bobbin embroidery thread for an order from the design’s stitch count, your thread-per-1,000-stitches factor, wastage and cone length.

Category: Textile & apparel · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/embroidery-thread-consumption-calculator

Embroidery thread is estimated from the stitch count: stitches ÷ 1,000 × metres of top thread per 1,000 stitches, plus bobbin thread as a share of the top thread.

Also called: Embroidery thread calculator.

## Inputs
- Stitch count per design (default 12000)
- Top thread per 1,000 stitches (unit m; default 5)
- Bobbin thread as % of top thread (unit %; default 33)
- Pieces to embroider (default 500)
- Wastage allowance (unit %; default 10; optional)
- Thread per cone (unit m; default 5000)

## Results
- Top thread for the order
- Top-thread cones
- Top thread per piece
- Bobbin thread per piece
- Bobbin thread for the order

## Formula

```
Top per piece = Stitches ÷ 1,000 × Factor;  Bobbin = Top × Bobbin%;  Order = Per piece × Pieces × (1 + Wastage%);  Cones = ⌈Top order ÷ Cone length⌉
```

Where:
- Factor: metres of top thread per 1,000 stitches on your machines
- Bobbin%: bobbin thread as a share of top thread

## Worked example
1. Top thread per piece = 12,000 ÷ 1,000 × 5 = 60 m.
2. Bobbin per piece = 60 × 33% = 19.8 m.
3. Order top thread = 60 × 500 × 1.1 = 33,000 m.
4. Cones = 33,000 ÷ 5,000 = 6.6, so 7 cones.

**Result:** A 12,000-stitch design on 500 pieces needs about 33,000 m of top thread, 7 cones of 5,000 m.

## What the result means

Multi-colour designs need the calculation per colour, using each colour’s stitch count, since each colour comes from its own cones.

## Assumptions and limits
- The thread factor is constant across the design.
- Satin, fill and running stitches use different thread per stitch; a single factor is an average.

## Questions

### How do I find my thread factor?

Weigh or measure a cone before and after a known run of stitches and divide the metres used by thousands of stitches.

### Why is bobbin thread less than top thread?

Top thread tension pulls the top thread to the back, so more top thread is used per stitch than bobbin thread.

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Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/embroidery-thread-consumption-calculator