Yarn Cost Calculator
Estimate how much yarn you need and what it will cost for any knitting or crochet project. Covers scarves, jumpers, blankets, socks and more by size and yarn weight.
Estimated Cost
£103.50
Time to Knit
130 hours 0m
Your jumper will cost approximately £103.50 in yarn and take roughly 130 hours at an average knitting pace.
About this calculator
- Yardage estimates are pre-built for common projects and sizes
- We add 1 extra ball to account for gauge swatches and mistakes
- Time estimates assume an average knitting speed of 20 metres per hour
- Override yardage with your pattern's requirements for accuracy
How Much Yarn You Actually Need
An adult medium DK jumper takes around 2,600 metres, or roughly 1,200 grams. A typical adult-size DK throw or blanket comes in between 5,800 and 7,400 metres depending on size, which is 800g to 1,500g of yarn. A pair of adult fingering-weight socks needs about 550 metres (around 100g, conveniently one ball). The calculator looks up the right figure for your project type, size, and yarn weight, then rounds up and adds one extra ball as a safety buffer.
The buffer matters more than people think. Dye lots vary visibly between batches, so if you run out partway through a jumper and pop back to the shop a fortnight later, you may end up with subtly different shades of green meeting at the shoulder seam. Buying one extra ball at the start, from the same dye lot, costs another £4 or £5 at typical DK prices and saves a project-ruining colour mismatch. Knitters who substitute yarns or work cables and colourwork should add 15 to 20% on top of the calculator's estimate, because both consume more yardage than plain stocking stitch.
Reading Ball Bands and Sense-Checking the Math
A standard 100g ball of DK weight yarn typically holds around 200 to 240 metres. A 50g ball of fingering or 4-ply usually contains 175 to 210 metres. Aran yarn is denser, so a 100g ball is closer to 170 to 200 metres. The calculator asks for ball weight in grams and the metres per ball figure printed on the band, so you can use any yarn from any brand without converting. Substitute Drops Karisma for Stylecraft Special DK and the only number that changes is the price per ball.
UK high-street DK ranges from £2.50 a ball for budget acrylic up to £12 or more for hand-dyed merino. A reasonable mid-range pure wool DK costs £4 to £6 per 100g ball; a luxury 4-ply or fingering with cashmere or silk content runs £15 to £30 per 100g. The total project cost is balls needed multiplied by price per ball, and the calculator shows both the exact and rounded figures. If a jumper estimate comes out at 12 balls of £8 yarn, that is £96 of materials, which is worth knowing before casting on rather than discovering at ball 9. The [yarn weight converter](/yarn-weight-converter) helps when a US pattern lists 'worsted' but the shop only stocks UK weights.
Yardage Estimates by Project (DK Weight)
| Project | Baby | Child | Adult M | Adult L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarf | 600 m | 1,000 m | 1,700 m | 2,000 m |
| Hat | 600 m | 1,000 m | 1,300 m | 1,400 m |
| Jumper | 1,000 m | 1,800 m | 2,600 m | 3,000 m |
| Blanket | 2,000 m | 3,600 m | 5,800 m | 6,600 m |
| Cardigan | 1,400 m | 2,400 m | 3,400 m | 3,800 m |
Time Estimates and What They Don't Include
Average knitting speed sits at around 20 metres per hour for plain stocking stitch with DK yarn. The tool uses this rate to estimate how long the project will take. An adult medium DK jumper at 2,600 metres works out to 130 hours, which is roughly two months of regular evening sessions. A baby blanket at 2,000 metres is around 100 hours. Faster knitters using basic stitches can hit 30 metres per hour; slower or beginner knitters can be closer to 12.
What the time estimate doesn't include: ribbing (slower than plain stocking stitch), cables (much slower, sometimes halving the speed), colourwork (slower again), seaming, blocking, swatching, and the inevitable rip-back when you spot a dropped stitch six rows ago. Plan for the calculated hours plus 30 to 50% of finishing time on top. Crocheters work at different rates, generally completing fabric faster than knitters but consuming more yarn per square inch. For socks specifically, factor in time for kitchener stitch grafting at the toe; first-time grafters can spend an hour on a single toe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much yarn do I need for a jumper?
An adult medium jumper in DK weight needs roughly 2,600 metres (around 12 balls of 220m, or 1,200g total). Aran weight needs about 3,800m for the same size, fingering needs about 2,000m. Adjust up by 15% for cables or colourwork, and down by 10% for short-sleeved or vest versions. The calculator handles all weight and size combinations automatically, including child and baby sizes.
Why does the calculator round up and add a ball?
Two reasons. First, ball lookups are a guideline, and your tension or yarn substitution can push actual usage higher than the estimate. Second, dye lots vary, so buying all your yarn at once from a single batch protects you against colour shifts mid-project. The extra ball usually costs £3 to £6 and is well worth the insurance. Many knitters keep leftover balls from previous projects to use as scrap yarn for swatches, repairs, or small accessories.
Is it cheaper to knit a jumper than to buy one?
Almost never. A handmade DK jumper in mid-range yarn costs £40 to £80 in materials, and you spend 100 to 150 hours making it. A comparable jumper from a high-street shop costs £30 to £60 and arrives instantly. The value of knitting is in the bespoke fit, the choice of fibre, the satisfaction of the craft, and the absence of fast-fashion guilt; not in the per-pound cost saving. Hand-dyed yarn jumpers can easily run £150 to £300 in materials alone.
Can I use this for crochet projects?
Yes. Crochet and knitting use yarn at slightly different rates: crochet typically consumes 20 to 30% more yarn per square inch than knitting because the stitches are bulkier. Add a 25% buffer to the calculator's estimate when working on a crochet project, or use the dedicated crochet blanket calculator for blankets specifically. The principles for ball weight, dye lots and project sizing are otherwise identical.
What if my yarn doesn't match the standard weights?
Use the metres per ball field on the calculator regardless of what the band calls the weight. A 'sport' yarn might list as 4.5-ply on a UK ball band and DK on a US one. The calculator works from the actual metres per ball you enter, so you can substitute freely. If you have no metres figure (rare on modern yarn), divide the weight in grams by the wraps-per-inch figure to estimate, or pick the nearest standard weight from the dropdown and accept some rounding error.
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