Yarn calculator: how much yarn do I need?

How the yarn calculator works

Yarn use is mostly a matter of area. The calculator works out the fabric area of your project — width × length for a blanket or scarf, the tube of a hat or sock, the body and sleeves of a sweater — and multiplies it by how much yarn your yarn weight and stitch use per square inch. A worsted weight yarn in stockinette uses about 0.66 yards per square inch; thinner yarns use more length, thicker yarns less. Crochet stitches use more yarn than knitting: single crochet about 1.6 times stockinette, double crochet about 1.27 times, based on measured area-per-gram comparisons.

Garments get a small overhead for ribbing, seams, heels and crowns, and the default 10% safety margin covers ordinary variation. The result is rounded up to whole skeins for the label you enter, along with the total grams — useful when yarn is sold by weight.

About these numbers: estimates assume typical gauge for each yarn weight. Your tension, hook or needle size and stitch pattern can move them by ±15% or more — weigh a swatch in the swatch calculator for a figure based on your own work.

How to work out how much yarn you need

1. Choose the project. Pick knit or crochet, the project and its size — or a custom width and length.
2. Set the yarn. Choose the yarn weight (CYC 0–7) and stitch, then type the length and grams from your skein label.
3. Add a safety margin. Keep 10% extra, or more for tight tension, borders and fringe.
4. Check with a swatch. For the most accurate number, weigh a blocked swatch in the From a swatch tab and scale it to your project.

Blanket yarn chart

Blanket yardage: knit stockinette / crochet double crochet (yards with 10% extra)

Size	DK knit	DK crochet	Worsted knit	Worsted crochet	Chunky knit	Chunky crochet	Super chunky knit	Super chunky crochet
Baby / receiving 30 × 36 in	1,010920 m	1,2801,170 m	810740 m	1,030940 m	610550 m	770700 m	400370 m	510470 m
Crib 36 × 52 in	1,7501,600 m	2,2002,050 m	1,4001,280 m	1,7801,630 m	1,050960 m	1,3301,220 m	700640 m	890810 m
Lap 36 × 48 in	1,6201,480 m	2,0501,880 m	1,2901,180 m	1,6401,500 m	970890 m	1,2301,130 m	650590 m	820750 m
Throw 50 × 60 in	2,8002,550 m	3,5503,250 m	2,2502,050 m	2,8502,600 m	1,6801,540 m	2,1501,950 m	1,1201,030 m	1,4201,300 m
Twin 66 × 90 in	5,5505,100 m	7,0506,450 m	4,4504,050 m	5,6505,150 m	3,3503,050 m	4,2503,850 m	2,2002,050 m	2,8002,600 m
Full / double 80 × 90 in	6,7506,150 m	8,5507,800 m	5,4004,900 m	6,8506,250 m	4,0503,700 m	5,1504,700 m	2,7002,450 m	3,4003,150 m
Queen 90 × 100 in	8,4007,700 m	10,7009,750 m	6,7506,150 m	8,5507,800 m	5,0504,600 m	6,4005,850 m	3,3503,100 m	4,2503,900 m
King 108 × 100 in	10,1009,250 m	12,80011,700 m	8,1007,400 m	10,2509,400 m	6,0505,550 m	7,7007,050 m	4,0503,700 m	5,1504,700 m

Open a size for the full chart with every yarn weight and stitch: baby blanket, lap blanket, throw blanket, twin blanket, full blanket, queen blanket, king blanket.

Other projects

• ScarfHow much yarn to knit or crochet a scarf: yards, meters and grams for child, adult, long and infinity scarves and cowls in DK, worsted, bulky and super bulky yarn.
• HatHow much yarn for a knit or crochet hat: yards and grams for newborn, baby, child and adult beanies and slouchy hats in DK, worsted, bulky and super bulky yarn.
• SweaterHow many yards for a sweater: estimates for baby, child and adult S–3X pullovers in fingering, sport, DK, worsted and bulky yarn, knit or crochet, with skein counts.
• SocksHow much sock yarn for a pair of socks: yards and grams for baby, child, women's, men's and knee socks in fingering, sport and DK weight, knit or crochet.
• ShawlYarn for a shawl: yards for a shawlette, triangle shawl, large triangle and rectangular wrap in lace, fingering and DK, knitted lace or crochet shells, with skeins.
• AmigurumiHow much yarn for an amigurumi toy: yards and grams for mini, small, medium, large and giant crochet plushies in sport, DK, worsted and bulky or chenille yarn.
• Crochet blanketHow much yarn do I need to crochet a blanket? Yardage chart for baby to king size in single, half double and double crochet, DK to super bulky, with skein counts.
• Knit blanketHow much yarn to knit a blanket: yardage chart for baby, lap, throw, twin, full, queen and king blankets in stockinette and garter, DK to super bulky, plus skeins.
• Chunky blanketHow much chunky yarn for a blanket: yards, skeins and kilograms for bulky, super bulky and jumbo chenille blankets from baby to king, hand knit, arm knit or crochet.

Yardage by yarn weight

• 0 · LaceLace, cobweb, light fingering, 10-count crochet thread
• 1 · Super FineFingering, sock, baby, 4-ply
• 2 · FineSport, baby, 5-ply
• 3 · LightDK, light worsted, 8-ply
• 4 · MediumWorsted, aran, afghan, 10-ply
• 5 · BulkyChunky, craft, rug, 12-ply
• 6 · Super BulkySuper chunky, roving, blanket yarn
• 7 · JumboJumbo, roving, arm-knitting chenille

Guides

• Yarn weights explained: lace to jumboYarn "weight" is not how heavy a ball is — it is how thick the strand is. Here is the standard system, what each category is called around the world, and why it changes how much yarn a project needs.
• How to measure a swatch — and turn it into a yarn estimateA swatch is ten minutes of work that answers two questions: will my project come out the right size, and how much yarn will it take? Here is how to make one that tells the truth.
• How to substitute yarn without running shortThe yarn in the pattern is discontinued, too expensive or the wrong fiber. Swapping it is easy if you buy by length and match thickness — here is the method.
• Yarn dye lots: what they are and how to avoid running shortTwo skeins with the same color name can still look different in a finished blanket. The dye lot number on the label is the reason — and the fix is mostly in how you buy.
• C2C vs granny squares: which uses more yarn?Two of the most popular crochet blankets use the same double crochet, but not the same amount of yarn. Here is how the stitch structure changes the estimate, with numbers for every size.
• How to read a yarn labelThe paper band around a skein holds everything you need to estimate a project — if you know where to look. Here is every part of a typical label, and how to use it in the calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How much yarn do I need for a blanket?

Multiply the blanket area by the yarn your stitch uses per square inch. For worsted weight that is roughly 0.66 yd per sq in in stockinette and 0.84 yd in double crochet, so a 50 × 60 in throw needs about 2,200–2,600 yards, plus 10% for safety.

How many skeins of yarn do I need for a blanket?

Divide the total yardage by the length on your yarn label and round up. A worsted throw of 2,600 yd needs 13 skeins of 200 yd, or 8 skeins of a 364 yd super saver skein. Always buy them from one dye lot.

Does crochet use more yarn than knitting?

Yes. Measured comparisons show single crochet uses about 60% more yarn than stockinette for the same area, and double crochet about 27% more. Taller crochet stitches are more economical than short ones.

How accurate is a yarn calculator?

Estimates from typical gauge are usually within ±15%, because tension, hook or needle size and stitch pattern vary. The swatch mode — weighing or measuring a real swatch — is accurate to a few percent.

How do I calculate yarn from a swatch?

Make a swatch of at least 6 × 6 in in your stitch, weigh it on a kitchen scale, convert grams to yards with the label (yards ÷ grams per skein), divide by the swatch area, and multiply by your project area.

What does the number on a yarn label mean?

It is the Craft Yarn Council weight category, from 0 (lace) to 7 (jumbo). 3 is DK, 4 is worsted or aran, 5 is bulky or chunky and 6 is super bulky.

How do I substitute a different yarn?

Match the yarn weight category and the yards per gram as closely as possible (within about 10%), then buy by total length, not by number of skeins: pattern yards ÷ yards per skein of the new yarn, rounded up.

How much extra yarn should I buy?

Add about 10%. Add more (15–20%) for tight tension, textured stitches, borders and fringe, or when you cannot buy more of the same dye lot later.