Yarn Yardage Calculator
Enter your pattern's yardage and the length per ball to find exactly how many to buy - safety buffer included. The size scaling table covers XS to 3XL, and the stash checker tells you if you're already covered.
Pattern & yarn
Pattern written for size ?
Safety buffer ? Low buffer - risky!
Results
Size scaling table ?
My stash ?
Cost estimate
Learn more: how many balls of yarn a pattern needs
From pattern yardage to balls
The tool adds your safety buffer to the pattern yardage, divides by the yards in one ball, and rounds up. A pattern needing 1,000 yards, a 10 percent buffer and 200-yard balls gives 1,100 yards. That is 5.5 balls, so you buy 6 and have 100 yards left.
Metres work the same way. The tool converts at 1.09361 yards per metre, so a 1,000 m pattern is 1,093.6 yards.
How the size table scales
The size table assumes yarn use grows in direct proportion to bust measurement. Take a 1,000 yard pattern written for a 36 inch bust (size M). For a 40 inch bust (L) it scales to 1,111 yards. With the 10 percent buffer that is 1,222 yards, or 7 balls at 200 yards each, with about 178 yards left over.
This is the tool's own simplification. Length, sleeves and stitch pattern also change real yardage, so use your pattern's size-specific figure whenever it gives one.
Choosing a buffer and checking the label
The buffer choices are 5, 10, 15 and 20 percent. Use a higher number when you knit looser than the gauge, add length, or are not sure of your swatch.
Always read the yardage on the label, because balls of the same weight category hold different lengths. The defaults here (for example 200 yards for worsted and 400 for fingering) are only starting values. Buy all your balls at once and check that the dye lot numbers match.
Yarn weight and gauge
The yarn weight tips follow the Craft Yarn Council's standard yarn weight system. It lists about 16 to 20 stitches per 4 inches for worsted and 21 to 24 for DK. Bulky is 12 to 15 and super bulky is 7 to 11. Your own gauge swatch matters more than these ranges.
FAQ
What if my gauge is different from the pattern?
A tighter gauge makes a smaller piece that can use less yarn, and a looser gauge uses more. Swatch first and adjust your needle size to match the pattern. The buffer here covers small differences, not a large gauge mismatch.
How many balls of yarn do I need?
Add your buffer to the pattern yardage, divide by the yards per ball and round up. 1,000 yards plus 10 percent is 1,100 yards, which is 6 balls of 200 yards.
Can I use a different yarn from the pattern?
Yes, if it has a similar gauge. Compare yardage per gram or per ball rather than ball weight, then enter the new yarn's yards per ball in the tool.