Fit the side, then add the corners
Decorative borders often need a particular stitch multiple. Start with a comfortable pickup count from a small sample of your actual fabric. This tool finds the nearest count that matches your side’s repeat, then shows how to distribute that count over the available positions.
Round total = 2 × top count + 2 × side count + 4 × corner stitches
The top and bottom share one plan; the left and right share another. When two valid counts are equally close, the higher one is chosen. All four corner groups are excluded from the straight-edge inputs and are added only once to the full-round total.
A worked example
Suppose each top edge has 120 positions and you would like 120 stitches. Each side edge has 100 row ends and you would like 150 stitches. For a repeat of 6n + 1, the nearest counts are 121 and 151. With three stitches per corner, the setup round contains 2 × 121 + 2 × 151 + 12 = 556 stitches.
One extra top-edge stitch is spread into the plan. Along the row ends, the 151 stitches are distributed as one or two stitches at each position. These are numerical placements, not a prescription to work into a particular strand of a crochet stitch.
Keep a flat edge
- Make a sample to decide your desired count. Do not assume every row end has the same height.
- Check whether your pattern’s multiple applies to each side or to the entire round. This calculator fits EACH side.
- Reserve all corner spaces before counting straight-edge positions.
- Work a short section, lay it flat and adjust the starting target if needed.
The tool does not determine the right tension or corner design. A correct multiple can still ruffle or pull if the initial target is unsuitable. Use a separate plan if your opposite sides have different counts. Chain spaces and turning chains need to be handled according to your pattern.
Questions before you start
Are the corners included in the top and side numbers?
No. Count only the straight sides. Four corner allocations are added separately, so you do not count a corner twice.
My pattern says “a multiple of 6 around the whole blanket.” Can I use this?
Not directly. This planner fits the repeat independently on each side. Follow the pattern’s whole-round calculation instead.
Will this prevent a wavy border?
It prevents uneven numerical distribution, but not tension problems. Your sample, stitch height and corner choices determine how the border behaves.
Further reading
Original calculations and diagrams by Stitch Spaced. These independent teaching resources provide useful craft context; they do not endorse this tool.
Method version 1.0 · Updated October 23, 2026