diff --git a/core/queue.cpp b/core/queue.cpp
index 0725593e..7f08870e 100644
--- a/core/queue.cpp
+++ b/core/queue.cpp
@@ -201,13 +201,6 @@ unsigned int Queue :: size()
 	return _tracks.size();
 }
 
-const std::string Queue :: size_str()
-{
-	std::stringstream ss;
-	ss << size();
-	return ss.str();
-}
-
 const std::string Queue :: length_str()
 {
 	std::stringstream ss;
diff --git a/core/string.cpp b/core/string.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9951073e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/string.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Copyright 2015 (c) Anna Schumaker.
+ */
+#include <core/string.h>
+#include <sstream>
+
+const std::string string :: utos(unsigned int u)
+{
+	std::stringstream ss;
+	ss << u;
+	return ss.str();
+}
diff --git a/gui/tabs.cpp b/gui/tabs.cpp
index 28edde7e..367a2efe 100644
--- a/gui/tabs.cpp
+++ b/gui/tabs.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <core/deck.h>
 #include <core/filter.h>
 #include <core/playlist.h>
+#include <core/string.h>
 #include <gui/tabs.h>
 
 #include <map>
@@ -128,11 +129,8 @@ void Tab :: tab_dec_sort_count()
 
 void Tab :: tab_set_size()
 {
-	if (tab_size) {
-		std::stringstream ss;
-		ss << tab_pq->size();
-		tab_size->set_text(ss.str());
-	}
+	if (tab_size)
+		tab_size->set_text(string :: utos(tab_pq->size()));
 }
 
 void Tab :: tab_unmap()
diff --git a/include/core/queue.h b/include/core/queue.h
index ea063d74..04f203aa 100644
--- a/include/core/queue.h
+++ b/include/core/queue.h
@@ -165,13 +165,6 @@ public:
 	 */
 	unsigned int size();
 
-	/**
-	 * Find the size of the queue, as a string.
-	 *
-	 * @return The number of tracks on the queue, in string form.
-	 */
-	const std::string size_str();
-
 	/**
 	 * Find the runtime of the queue.
 	 *
diff --git a/include/core/string.h b/include/core/string.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55fefe5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/core/string.h
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Copyright 2015 (c) Anna Schumaker.
+ */
+#ifndef OCARINA_CORE_STRING_H
+#define OCARINA_CORE_STRING_H
+
+#include <string>
+
+/**
+ * Namespace for string formatting functions.
+ */
+namespace string
+{
+
+	/**
+	 * Convert an unsigned integer into a string.
+	 * @param  u  Integer to be converted.
+	 * @return u, in string form.
+	 */
+	const std::string utos(unsigned int);
+
+}
+
+#endif /* OCARINA_CORE_STRING_H */
diff --git a/tests/core/.gitignore b/tests/core/.gitignore
index 7c4efbbe..0b6e3836 100644
--- a/tests/core/.gitignore
+++ b/tests/core/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 version
+string
 file
 database
 index
diff --git a/tests/core/Sconscript b/tests/core/Sconscript
index 661356ad..b86a4009 100644
--- a/tests/core/Sconscript
+++ b/tests/core/Sconscript
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ def test(name):
 
 
 test(	"version"	)
+test(	"string"	)
 test(	"file"		)
 test(	"database"	)
 test(	"index"		)
diff --git a/tests/core/database.cpp b/tests/core/database.cpp
index 116d443d..7312f19b 100644
--- a/tests/core/database.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/database.cpp
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@
  * Copyright 2014 (c) Anna Schumaker.
  * Test a Database
  */
-
 #include <core/database.h>
+#include <core/string.h>
 #include <tests/test.h>
 
-#include <sstream>
 #include <vector>
 
 
@@ -22,9 +21,7 @@ public:
 
 	const std::string primary_key() const
 	{
-		std::stringstream ss;
-		ss << val;
-		return ss.str();
+		return string :: utos(val);
 	}
 
 	void write(File &f) { f << val; }
@@ -167,13 +164,9 @@ static void test_save_load()
 
 static void db_test(unsigned int n, bool autosave)
 {
+	std::string n_str = " (n = " + string :: utos(n) + ")";
 	Database<IntEntry> db("database.db", autosave);
 	std::vector<IntEntry *> pointers;
-	std::stringstream ss;
-	std::string n_str;
-
-	ss << " (n = " << n << ")";
-	n_str = ss.str();
 
 	N = n;
 	DB = &db;
diff --git a/tests/core/idle.cpp b/tests/core/idle.cpp
index 7b61db68..72ee8f82 100644
--- a/tests/core/idle.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/idle.cpp
@@ -2,12 +2,10 @@
  * Copyright 2014 (c) Anna Schumaker.
  * Test the idle queue
  */
-
 #include <core/idle.h>
+#include <core/string.h>
 #include <tests/test.h>
 
-#include <sstream>
-
 static float   N = 0;
 static float cur = -1;
 static bool func_passed = false;
@@ -45,9 +43,7 @@ static void test_idle_queue()
 
 static void do_test(unsigned int n)
 {
-	std::stringstream ss;
-	ss << " (n = " << n << ")";
-	const std::string n_str = ss.str();
+	std::string n_str = " (n = " + string :: utos(n) + ")";
 
 	N = n;
 	cur = -1;
diff --git a/tests/core/index.cpp b/tests/core/index.cpp
index bbdf6890..02be6d10 100644
--- a/tests/core/index.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/index.cpp
@@ -4,10 +4,9 @@
  */
 #include <core/index.h>
 #include <core/print.h>
+#include <core/string.h>
 #include <tests/test.h>
 
-#include <sstream>
-
 
 static unsigned int N = 0;
 static Index *INDEX = NULL;
@@ -115,12 +114,8 @@ static void test_saving()
 
 static void index_test(unsigned int n)
 {
+	std::string n_str = " (n = " + string :: utos(n) + ")";
 	Index index("index.idx", false);
-	std::stringstream ss;
-	std::string n_str;
-
-	ss << " (n = " << n << ")";
-	n_str = ss.str();
 
 	N = n;
 	INDEX = &index;
diff --git a/tests/core/queue.cpp b/tests/core/queue.cpp
index 848075d5..209cf604 100644
--- a/tests/core/queue.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/queue.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), expected);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)0);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"0");
 
 
 	/* Add tracks */
@@ -143,7 +142,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), expected);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"1 hour, 26 minutes");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)24);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"24");
 
 
 	/* Add everything again */
@@ -151,7 +149,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), expected);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"2 hours, 52 minutes");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)48);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"48");
 
 
 	/* Test removing multiple tracks at once */
@@ -160,7 +157,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), expected);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"1 hour, 50 minutes");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)24);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"24");
 
 
 	/* Test removing tracks one at a time */
@@ -169,7 +165,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), expected);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"55 minutes");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)12);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"12");
 
 
 	/* Remove remaining tracks */
@@ -178,7 +173,6 @@ void test_add_remove()
 	test_equal(q.get_length(), (unsigned)0);
 	test_equal(q.length_str(), (std::string)"");
 	test_equal(q.size(), (unsigned)0);
-	test_equal(q.size_str(), (std::string)"0");
 }
 
 void test_updated_cb(Queue *q, unsigned int row)
@@ -386,7 +380,6 @@ void test_saving()
 
 	test_equal(r.has_flag(Q_RANDOM), q.has_flag(Q_RANDOM));
 	test_equal(r.size(), q.size());
-	test_equal(r.size_str(), q.size_str());
 	test_equal(r.length_str(), q.length_str());
 	test_for_each(0, 24, 1, _test_saving_loop);
 }
diff --git a/tests/core/random.cpp b/tests/core/random.cpp
index 923f31d7..216b7d37 100644
--- a/tests/core/random.cpp
+++ b/tests/core/random.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 /*
  * Copyright 2014 (c) Anna Schumaker.
  */
-
 #include <core/random.h>
+#include <core/string.h>
 #include <tests/test.h>
 
-#include <sstream>
-
 unsigned int SEED = 0;
 
 static void do_test_rng()
@@ -23,9 +21,7 @@ static void do_test_rng()
 
 static void test_rng(unsigned int seed)
 {
-	std::stringstream ss;
-	ss << " (seed = " << seed << ")";
-	std::string seed_str = ss.str();
+	std::string seed_str = " (seed = " + string :: utos(seed) + ")";
 	SEED = seed;
 
 	test :: run("Random Number Generator Test" + seed_str, do_test_rng);
diff --git a/tests/core/string.cpp b/tests/core/string.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..64586bb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/string.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2015 (c) Anna Schumaker.
+ * Test the string formatting functions.
+ */
+#include <core/string.h>
+#include <tests/test.h>
+
+void test_utos()
+{
+	test_equal(string :: utos(0), "0");
+	test_equal(string :: utos(1), "1");
+	test_equal(string :: utos(42), "42");
+	test_equal(string :: utos(999), "999");
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	test :: run("utos Test", test_utos);
+}