Yarn Substitution Calculator
Knit & crochetEnter the pattern yarn and your yarn from their labels, and see how many skeins to buy and whether the swap will knit to gauge.
Quick answer. A pattern that calls for 6 skeins of 210 yd worsted uses 1,260 yd (1,152 m). With a 200 yd worsted you need 7 skeins, 8 with a spare.
Source: Vogue Knitting and Lion Brand substitution method; Craft Yarn Council weight categories.
Swap your yarn
Result
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The working
Swatch your yarn to the pattern's gauge before you buy it all, and buy one dye lot.
Worked example
- Pattern total: 6 skeins x 210 yd = 1,260 yd (1,152 m).
- Your skeins: 1,260 / 200 = 6.3, rounded up to 7. With one spare, 8.
- Grams: 6.3 x 100 g = 630 g of your yarn, against 600 g of the pattern yarn.
- Density: 210 / 100 = 2.1 yd per gram, 200 / 100 = 2. 0.1 apart, inside 0.2, so worth a swatch.
- Gauge: the pattern's 18 stitches per 4 in sits in the Craft Yarn Council's 4 Medium knit range of 16 to 20, the same category as your yarn.
Skeins to buy by length
Rounded up, no spare.
| Pattern total | 150 yd (137 m) skein | 200 yd (183 m) skein | 250 yd (229 m) skein | 300 yd (274 m) skein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 yd (457 m) | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 1,000 yd (914 m) | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| 1,500 yd (1,372 m) | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| 2,000 yd (1,829 m) | 14 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
Gauge range by weight category
Stitches per 4 in (10 cm). Knit gauge is stockinette, crochet gauge is single crochet (double crochet for lace).
| Weight | Also called | Knit | Crochet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Lace | Fingering, 10-count crochet thread | 33 to 40 | 32 to 42 dc |
| 1 Super Fine | Sock, fingering, baby | 27 to 32 | 21 to 32 |
| 2 Fine | Sport, baby | 23 to 26 | 16 to 20 |
| 3 Light | DK, light worsted | 21 to 24 | 12 to 17 |
| 4 Medium | Worsted, afghan, aran | 16 to 20 | 11 to 14 |
| 5 Bulky | Chunky, craft, rug | 12 to 15 | 8 to 11 |
| 6 Super Bulky | Super bulky, roving | 7 to 11 | 7 to 9 |
| 7 Jumbo | Jumbo, roving | 6 and fewer | 6 and fewer |
How the substitution maths works
- Pattern total = skeins x length per skein
- Skeins of your yarn = (pattern total x (1 + extra %)) / your length per skein, rounded up
- Grams of your yarn = exact skeins x grams per skein
- Density = length per skein / grams per skein, for each yarn
- Weight check: same Craft Yarn Council category, and the pattern gauge inside its range
Sources
- Vogue Knitting, Substituting Yarn: total yardage and dividing by the new yarn. https://www.vogueknitting.com/pattern-help/how-to/pattern-reading/substituting-yarn/
- Lion Brand (Barbara Breiter), 3 Questions To Ask Yourself When You're Substituting Yarns: same weight class, round up, one extra skein, never by grams. https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/3-questions-to-ask-yourself-when-youre-substituting-yarns
- Lion Brand, How to Find a Yarn Substitute That Actually Works: yards per gram, within 0.2 worth swatching. https://www.lionbrand.com/community/blog/yarn-substitute/
- Craft Yarn Council, Standard Yarn Weight System: categories and gauge ranges. https://www.craftyarncouncil.com/standards/yarn-weight-system
Common questions
How do I work out how much substitute yarn I need?
Multiply the pattern's skeins by the length per skein, then divide by your yarn's length per skein and round up. 6 skeins of 210 yd is 1,260 yd; at 200 yd a skein you need 7 skeins.
Can I substitute yarn by weight in grams?
No. Vogue Knitting and Lion Brand both work by length: fibres weigh different amounts, so the same grams can hold very different yardage. Use grams only to compare density.
Can I use a different yarn weight than the pattern?
Lion Brand says to pick the same weight class, or you will not get the pattern's gauge and the piece will come out the wrong size. Swatch to check gauge even within a class.
What does yards per gram tell me?
How dense the yarn is. Lion Brand suggests yarns within 0.2 yd per gram of the original are worth swatching; a bigger gap is a density mismatch. 210 yd in 100 g is 2.1 yd per gram.
Should I round up or down?
Always up, and Lion Brand suggests one extra skein to be safe. 800 yd at 85 yd a ball is 9.4, so buy 10, or 11 with a spare.
Does this work in metres?
Yes, as long as you stick to one unit. 9 balls of 200 yd is 1,800 yd (1,646 m); with 109 yd balls you need 17.