Enter your project, size, and yarn weight — get an exact yardage range plus how many skeins to buy from popular brands.
Calculate my yardage →Works for knitting and crochet — blankets, scarves, hats, sweaters, socks, shawls, and mittens.
The most common mistake when buying yarn is estimating by weight rather than yardage. Two skeins of the same yarn brand can have different amounts of yarn if one is fingering weight and the other is bulky — the thicker yarn takes up more space per yard and so a 100g skein of bulky yarn might have 130 yards while a 100g skein of fingering weight might have 430 yards. Yardage is what actually determines whether you'll have enough to finish your project.
Gauge is the other major variable that most simple calculators ignore. Gauge describes how many stitches and rows fit into a 4-inch square at a given tension. A tighter knitter working the same pattern as a looser knitter will use more yarn per inch, because more yarn is packed into each stitch. On a small project the difference is minor; on a sweater or large blanket it can amount to an entire extra skein. SkeinCalc adjusts for gauge by letting you enter your actual stitch count rather than assuming the pattern's gauge matches yours.
Crochet also uses substantially more yarn than knitting for the same project size — typically 30–40% more — because the hook wraps yarn around itself differently than a knitting needle does. The estimator accounts for this when you select your craft.
The guides below cover the most yardage-intensive projects by type, with brand-specific skein counts for the most popular yarn brands.
A baby blanket in worsted typically needs 800–1,200 yards. A throw blanket (50×60 inches) in worsted needs 1,500–2,500 yards. A full/queen blanket in bulky needs 2,000–3,500 yards. Heavier weight yarn requires fewer yards but each skein also contains fewer yards.
Yarn weight refers to thickness, from lace (very thin) to super bulky (very thick). Thicker yarn requires fewer yards — a bulky blanket might need 1,800 yards while the same blanket in fingering weight needs 4,000+. Weight determines needle/hook size and the final drape and warmth of the item.
Gauge measures stitches per inch. Tighter knitters use more yarn per square inch than looser knitters with the same pattern. A difference of one stitch per inch can change total yardage by 10–20% on a large project. SkeinCalc adjusts estimates when you enter your gauge.
It varies significantly. A typical worsted skein has 200–220 yards. Bulky skeins often have 100–150 yards. Fingering skeins can have 400–500 yards. SkeinCalc shows brand-specific skein counts for popular brands (Lion Brand, Caron, Bernat) so you know exactly how many to buy.
Yes — always buy one extra skein. Dye lots vary between production runs and if you run out partway through, matching the lot later is often impossible. An extra skein is cheap insurance. If unused, most yarn stores accept returns or you can save it for repairs.
Yes — crochet typically uses 30–40% more yarn than knitting for the same project size. The hook wraps yarn differently than knitting needles, creating denser fabric per stitch. SkeinCalc accounts for this when you select your craft type.