liminfoYarn/Crochet Calculator
Free web tool: Yarn/Crochet Calculator
Stitches Wide
110
Total Rows
180
Yarn Needed
99 m
Balls Needed
1
Total Weight
50 g
About Yarn/Crochet Calculator
The Yarn & Crochet Yardage Calculator takes the guesswork out of buying yarn for your next project. Enter your finished piece dimensions in centimeters, your stitch and row gauge per 10 cm, and the weight and length of your yarn ball. The calculator instantly computes the total number of stitches, total rows, required yarn length in meters, how many balls you need, and the total weight in grams — so you never run short mid-project.
Knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists at every level rely on accurate yardage estimates before starting a sweater, blanket, shawl, or amigurumi. This tool supports four standard yarn weight categories — Fingering, DK, Worsted, and Bulky — each with its own loop-height factor so the row coverage estimate stays accurate regardless of the yarn thickness you choose. All computation happens instantly in your browser with no data sent anywhere.
Technically, the calculator converts your stitch gauge (stitches per 10 cm) and row gauge (rows per 10 cm) to raw stitch and row counts for your target dimensions, then applies a per-stitch yarn consumption factor based on the selected yarn weight. This factor (ranging from 0.4 cm for Fingering to 0.8 cm for Bulky) represents the average length of yarn used per stitch, giving you a realistic total-yardage figure. The ball count is rounded up to the nearest whole ball so you always have a slight safety margin.
Key Features
- Computes total stitch count and row count from gauge and dimensions
- Estimates required yarn length in meters based on yarn weight factor
- Calculates number of balls needed, rounded up for a safety margin
- Shows total project weight in grams for easy cost estimation
- Supports Fingering, DK, Worsted, and Bulky yarn weight categories
- Real-time recalculation as you adjust any input value
- 100% client-side — no data leaves your browser, works fully offline
- Dark mode and responsive layout for desktop, tablet, and mobile
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the yarn yardage calculator work?
You enter the finished piece width and height in cm, your stitch gauge and row gauge (stitches or rows per 10 cm from your swatch), and your ball weight and ball length. The calculator multiplies gauge by dimension to get stitch and row counts, then multiplies their product by the per-stitch yarn factor for your chosen yarn weight to get total meters needed. It divides that by ball length and rounds up to give the ball count.
What is a gauge swatch and why does it matter?
A gauge swatch is a small test piece you knit or crochet with your yarn and needles before starting a project. It tells you how many stitches and rows fit in 10 cm. Without an accurate gauge, your yardage estimate will be off — a looser knitter may need more yarn than the pattern specifies, while a tighter knitter may need less.
What do the yarn weight factors (Fingering 0.4, DK 0.5, Worsted 0.6, Bulky 0.8) represent?
These factors (in centimeters) represent the average length of yarn consumed per stitch. Thicker yarns consume more yarn per stitch because each loop is physically larger. They are rough empirical averages; real consumption varies by stitch pattern and individual tension, so rounding up when buying yarn is always recommended.
Should I buy extra yarn beyond what the calculator recommends?
Yes. A safe rule is to add 10–15% extra, especially for complex stitch patterns, cables, or colorwork that use more yarn than plain stockinette. The calculator already rounds up to the nearest ball, giving you a small buffer, but buying one extra ball of the same dye lot is wise for larger projects.
Can I use this calculator for crochet as well as knitting?
Yes. Crochet typically uses about 30% more yarn than knitting for the same area. Enter your actual crochet gauge from your swatch and the calculator will estimate yardage accurately, since it uses your specific gauge numbers rather than assuming a knitting stitch pattern.
What if my yarn label shows yardage in yards instead of meters?
Enter the length in meters. One yard equals approximately 0.9144 meters. For example, a ball labeled "220 yards" is about 201 meters. Most European yarn labels already show meters; US labels often show yards.
How do I find the stitch gauge and row gauge for my yarn?
Knit or crochet a 15×15 cm swatch using your chosen yarn and needle or hook size. Block it, let it dry, then count the number of stitches across 10 cm and the number of rows in 10 cm. Enter those two numbers into the calculator.
Is the Yarn & Crochet Yardage Calculator free to use?
Yes, completely free with no account required, no ads that block functionality, and no usage limits. All processing runs locally in your browser and no data is stored on any server.