Yarn Yardage Calculator
How many skeins a hat, sweater or blanket takes in any yarn weight, knitted or crocheted.
https://calculators.nirajiitr.com/hobbies/yarn-yardage-calculator
How it works
Each project starts from typical worsted-weight yardage. Thinner yarn needs more length to cover the same fabric, because each stitch is smaller: fingering weight takes nearly twice as many yards as worsted, and super bulky less than half. Crochet uses roughly a quarter more yarn than knitting for the same area, because its stitches are taller and more tightly packed. The result is rounded up to whole skeins, since a partial skein cannot be bought.
skeins = ⌈ base yards × weight factor × craft factor × (1 + margin) ÷ yards per skein ⌉- base yards
- Typical knitted yardage for the project in worsted weight
- weight factor
- From 2.6 for lace down to 0.45 for super bulky
- craft factor
- 1.0 for knitting, 1.25 for crochet
- margin
- Extra for gauge differences and swatching
Worked example
An adult medium sweater knitted in worsted weight, with 220-yard skeins and a 10% margin.
- 1Base yardage: 1,250 yards
- 2Worsted weight factor 1.0 and knitting factor 1.0: 1,250 yards
- 3Add 10%: 1,375 yards
- 4Skeins: 1,375 ÷ 220 = 6.25, rounded up to 7
Seven skeins, with about 290 yards likely to be left over, enough for a matching hat.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a yardage estimate without a pattern?
Expect to be within about 20%, which is why the margin matters. Stitch pattern makes the biggest difference: cables and brioche can use 30–40% more yarn than stockinette, and lace uses less. Tight knitters use more yarn than loose knitters for the same size. If you have a pattern, its stated yardage beats any general estimate.
Can I substitute a different yarn weight from the pattern?
Not directly. A pattern's stitch counts are written for its gauge, so a thicker yarn gives a bigger garment rather than the same one. To substitute, pick a yarn that matches the pattern's gauge, then compare total yardage, not skeins or grams. Skein sizes vary widely between brands, and different fibres weigh very different amounts for the same length.
What do the yarn weight numbers mean?
They are the Craft Yarn Council's standard categories, from 0 (lace) to 7 (jumbo). Fingering is 1, sport 2, DK 3, worsted and aran 4, bulky 5 and super bulky 6. The number is usually printed as a small skein symbol on the label. Worsted and aran share a category but aran is slightly thicker, so check the gauge as well.
Why does dye lot matter?
Yarn is dyed in batches, and two batches of the same colour can differ enough to show as a visible stripe in finished fabric. The dye lot number is on the label. Buy everything for a project from one lot at once. If you must mix lots, alternate two rows of each over a few inches to blend the change.