Yarn calculator from a swatch
Weigh or unravel a swatch made with your yarn, hook or needles and stitch — the calculator scales it to the whole project. Accurate to a few percent, because it measures your own tension.
Make a swatch of at least 6 × 6 in in your stitch, wash and block it, then measure and weigh it.
Pattern yarn — from the materials list.
Your new yarn — from its label.
You need about
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The formula
swatch yards = swatch grams × label yards ÷ label gramsrate = swatch yards ÷ swatch areaproject yards = rate × project area × overhead × (1 + extra %)
The overhead is the same as in the estimate mode: 3% for blankets (border), 12% for sweaters, 15% for hats, 35% for socks and 15% for amigurumi. For a custom rectangle it is zero — add borders and fringe as extra percentage.
Worked example
A blocked 6 × 6 in double crochet swatch in worsted weighs 17 g. With a 200 yd / 100 g label it contains 34 yards: 0.94 yd per sq in. A 50 × 60 in throw needs 0.94 × 3,000 × 1.03 = 2,920 yards, or 3,210 yards with 10% extra — 17 skeins. Without the swatch, typical gauge gives 2,850 yards: this crocheter works tighter than average.
Getting a reliable swatch
- At least 6 × 6 in (15 × 15 cm), larger for bulky yarn — kitchen scales are accurate to about 1 g.
- Use the project's yarn, hook or needles and stitch pattern.
- Wash and block it like the finished piece; measure it dry and unstretched.
- No scale? Choose Yarn length and enter the length you unravel or measure.
The full method is in how to measure a swatch.