Hi,
I went onto a calculator and the "Stitch count" for a 7" wide by 16" long pattern would be 98 stitches wide x 224 stitches high (or long); this is for the completed project using 14-count Aida, stitching 'over one' and does NOT include: extra fabric on top and sides for finishing.
Also,
Does your 16" long (high) x 7" wide finished size include: the vertical spacing on the fabric between the dogs AND the spacing under each dog for the name?
Fabric count to use is completely up to you; keeping in my
That the higher the fabric count, the smaller the size of the dogs and names. If you like the idea of using 14-count Aida but would like a 'finer" background look to the project,
You could use a 28-count evenweave (I know ladies and gents..I always recommend it! ) like Lugana or Jobelan fabric and stitch "over TWO" and have the finished pattern be the same size as the 14-count Aida 'over one'.
I am NOT an employee of Everything CrosStitch, but one of the stitchers that saw your "chat" on this chat-board. Hope this helps! :)

Thanks so much for your research and helpful advice. Yes, I did take into account the spacing for the dogs' names and spacing between. How much fabric should I include on each side for finishing?
Regarding your suggestion to use the 28 count fabric, is it hard to see the squares and work with such a small count? I haven't done counted CS in quite a few years, and I'm not sure how successful I'd be with that.
I'm making this project for my cousin and her husband. They had 3 Scotties, and just lost the second one, leaving just one of the original three. I thought this would be a nice tribute to the "three girls."
Thanks again for your reply! :-)

Hi,
Ok, so your spacing between the dogs and the dogs' name are included in the 16" long x 7" wide project .

Yes, 28-count fabrics are more difficult to see the holes. I have to use a magnifier and glasses to see the holes.
A lot of people love 14-count Aida fabric ( stitching "over one") because of the ease of seeing the holes in the fabric.

In regards to how much EXTRA fabric you should consider depends on how you plan on finishing this project and your own personal preferences. Are you planning on framing it or having it framed like a picture? Will you have matting with the framing? Most stitchers agree that for framing, like a picture, - giving a framer some room to center and use or not use matting-the Minimum number of inches of extra fabric should NOT be less than 2 inches extra on EACH side which means you would add 4-inches for both sides ( 2 inches for EACH side) and 4-inches for the height ( 2-inches for the top and 2-inches for the bottom).
So, you would need a piece of 14-count Aida that is
20" high ( 16" + 4 inches= 20 inches) x 11" wide (7" + 4" inches = 11 inches).
There is a fabric calculator here on ECS under the 'Fabric'
Listing but I want you to know that if you go to the following website, "crosstitch.com". When you get to their website page, look under the "CrosStitch.com" header and you will see sub-headings of 'Caption Maker', etc. Find the title that says 'tools & info" and tap on it; there will be a pull-down menu that lists ''calculator', tap on it and you will get the calculator of which I speak. I bookmarked the calculator on my I-Pad so I can go to it whenever I want to use it. This is a calculator that gives you the freedom of adding anywhere from 2-6" of extra fabric when planning how much extra fabric you want to add to your project and that is why I like it. It tells you what size fabric you would need for any given project. Give it a try, just plug in the numbers and hit the calculate button below and to the left of the calculator.
Hope this helps! Let us know how it goes! :)

Dear 7/27/2017,

Great idea! We had and loved three Scotties, too. The first, Josh came from a family that just wanted to get rid of him. Next was Lady, from the SF Bay Area Scottish Terrier Rescue Group! Third was Whiskey, a "wheaten", rescued by a lot of people from a big concrete tank and I won't tell you any of the specifics of his and his friends' rescue.
I loved the Scotties. DH says that he never met a Scottie that was continent!

Thanks for the excellent advice! Now I can order my supplies and get "stitching!"
God bless! :-)

kslack75- stop back to this chat and let us stitchers know how it is progressing! We enjoy having other stitchers come on the ECS chat board and share their thoughts, ideas, concerns- yes concerns- on the chat! Everyone contributes to the knowledge base AND we have fun talking with each other! If you haven't read some of the other chats, I encourage you to do so! There are quite an assortment of men and women stitchers on this chat with different levels of cross stitch experience. ECS, God love them, maintains this chat board and allows ( I'll speak for myself) some of us old gals and guys to stitch, problem-solve cross stitching problems and the just 'hang out' together! 😃

Su Pitt-
I love the look of Scotties. I'm sure if they could 'talk human' they would speak with a Scottish brogue, don't you agree with me lass??

Aye, Bermuda! They do speak with a brogue. Scotties are very protective of their people and their property. One Christmas, I had all three groomed. The groomer areed with me that the only color for a black Scotty to have for a collar is red. The wheaten ones always use green!
I heard a noise outside one time. We had a tiny farm (about 3 acres). Josh was running out the long driveway, latched onto the underside of the neck of an intruding Doberman! It was then that I realized that that entire "cute" rectangular head is full of big big teeth!

Wow! They mean business don't they!!! They may be a 'touch short' in the legs but obviously the teeth work really well!! LOL!
Do they shed much?