A yarn label (also called a ball band or skein band) is small and crowded, and it is printed in several languages and a set of symbols that are rarely explained. But it contains the four numbers that matter most for planning: the weight category, the length, the mass and the recommended gauge. Here is a typical label, annotated.
1. Brand, yarn name and fiber content
The yarn name identifies the product line; the fiber content lists the materials by percentage, such as "75% superwash wool, 25% nylon" for a typical sock yarn. Fiber tells you how the yarn behaves — wool is elastic and warm, cotton is cool and heavy, acrylic is easy-care, nylon adds strength — and it affects how many yards come in a gram. Denser fibers such as cotton give fewer yards per 100 g than wool of the same thickness.
2. The weight category symbol
A skein symbol with a number from 0 to 7 is the Craft Yarn Council weight category — 0 lace, 1 super fine, 2 fine, 3 light (DK), 4 medium (worsted / aran), 5 bulky, 6 super bulky, 7 jumbo. Many labels also print a word such as "DK", "Aran" or "Chunky". Pick the same category in the calculator. If the label has a word but no number, see yarn weights explained for the matching category.
3. Length and net weight
The most important line for estimating: the length of yarn in the skein, usually in both yards and meters, and its net weight in grams and ounces — for example "100 g / 3.5 oz, 200 yd / 183 m". Type both numbers into the calculator's skein label fields. The length tells you how many skeins to buy; together with the mass it gives yards per gram, which is how you compare yarns for substitution and how the swatch mode converts a swatch's weight into length.
Check whether the label gives yards or meters — they are easy to mix up, and one meter is 1.094 yards. A "200" that is really meters is almost 220 yards. The calculator lets you enter the label in either unit.
4. Gauge square
A small grid symbol shows the manufacturer's suggested gauge: for example "18 sts × 24 rows = 10 × 10 cm on 5 mm needles". Knitting gauge is shown with crossed needles, crochet gauge with a hook. This is the tension at which the yarn looks its best and is a good starting point for your swatch. Compare it to the CYC range for the category; a yarn that suggests a gauge at the thick or thin end of its range will use slightly less or more yarn per area than the typical estimate.
5. Needle and hook sizes
Recommended needle and hook sizes are given in millimeters and often in US sizes (US 8, H-8). Metric sizes are unambiguous; US letter and number sizes are mostly consistent, and UK needle numbers run backwards (UK 8 is 4 mm). Use the recommended size as a start, then change it until your swatch matches the pattern gauge.
6. Color number and dye lot
The color (or shade) number identifies the color; the dye lot (or batch) number identifies the dye batch. Every skein for one project should share both. Different lots of the same color can differ visibly — see dye lots explained. Some acrylics say "no dye lot", which means batches are close enough to mix.
7. Care symbols
Laundry symbols follow the same system as clothing labels:
- Wash tub — machine wash; a number is the maximum temperature; a hand means hand wash only; a cross means do not wash.
- Triangle — bleach; crossed out means no bleach.
- Square with circle — tumble dry; crossed out means do not tumble dry. A square with a horizontal line means dry flat.
- Iron — dots show the maximum temperature; crossed out means do not iron (acrylic melts).
- Circle — dry cleaning.
"Superwash" wool has been treated to resist felting and can usually be machine washed on a wool cycle. Untreated wool will felt and shrink in a hot wash — which is sometimes exactly what you want, but not by accident.
8. Other information
Labels may also show the country of origin, certifications (Oeko-Tex, GOTS, RWS), whether the yarn is mulesing-free, and a pattern suggestion. Some give the yardage per skein in a "ply" description or list a recommended project; these are informational only.
Keep your labels
Save one label from every project, ideally stapled to your swatch. When you need to repair or add to the piece, or to make another, you will know exactly which yarn, color and lot it was — and the yards per skein you need for the next estimate. When you buy yarn for a new project, photograph the label in the shop so you can type the exact numbers into the yarn calculator before you pay.