Yarn calculator · knitting & crochet

How many skeins
you actually need.

Yardage maths that account for technique, stitch, size and gauge. No more notebook tables or "just buy a couple extra, to be safe."

14 projectsfrom socks to blankets
10 stitcheswith real coefficients
2 techniquesknitting & crochet
Three balls of yarn — purple, pink, and teal
one skein, two skeins… 5 ½ total
Yarn calculator
How many skeins you'll need
Quick estimate from garment, size and yarn weight.
What's the technique?
Read more about a sweater →
Using a sensible default stitch (Stockinette) and a 15% safety buffer. Switch to Advanced for stitch, gauge & buffer control.
Sweater · size M
hover to highlight →
chestlengtharmhole
Your estimate is ready
Where should we send it?
Drop your email to unlock your estimate. We'll send you a one-time confirmation and only further emails if you opt in below.
We'll only email you about your saved projects unless you opted in above.
How it works

Four steps to a yardage you can trust.

1

Technique

Knitting or crochet. The choice rewires which stitches and patterns the form shows you next.

2

Project & size

14 project types, from socks to blankets. The size scale flexes the surface area accordingly.

3

Yarn & swatch

Yards per 100 g (or per ball). Got a gauge swatch? Drop it in for true accuracy.

4

Stitch & buffer

Each stitch carries a real consumption coefficient. Default safety buffer is 10–20%.

Features

Less spreadsheet, more cosy craft tool.

Live measurement guide

A schematic of your project shows every measurement—hover any field and chest, length or sleeve lights up so you never enter the wrong number.

Simple & advanced modes

Just starting out? Four fields. Seasoned maker? Drop in your gauge swatch, stitch type and exact safety buffer.

Save it as a PDF

One click and your skeins / metres / grams readout becomes a clean A4 you can share with the yarn store or pin to the project board.

FAQ

The questions makers ask first.

Where do the stitch coefficients come from?

They're empirical multipliers measured against stockinette (1.0). Cables and stranded colourwork eat more yarn because of the extra bulk; lace and filet use less. The numbers are averages — if your tension is unusual, drop in a real swatch in advanced mode and we'll override them.

What if I don't have a swatch?

Simple mode falls back to typical gauges for the yarn weight you picked. For wearables we still recommend a 10×10 cm swatch — once you have one, switch to advanced mode and the maths gets sharper.

Does it handle complex constructions — raglan, set-in sleeves, hoods?

The base calc is area-based. Tricky shapes (raglan, A-line, hooded) are absorbed by the 10–20% buffer; for full-body cabled sweaters or steeked cardigans we suggest pushing it to 25%.

Can I save a calculation?

Export it as a PDF or share a link with a friend. A full project history lives in your account once you sign up.