Yardage Estimator
Estimate how much yarn you'll need for a rectangular project (blanket, scarf, wrap) based on its size and your yarn's weight.
How accurate is this?
This estimates yardage from typical solid single-crochet fabric density for each yarn weight. Treat it as a starting point for a shopping list, not an exact figure — the biggest variable is your stitch pattern, not your gauge. An open, lacy shell-stitch project can use 30-40% less yarn than a dense single crochet piece of the same dimensions, while textured stitches like bobble, popcorn, or waffle stitch pack in extra yarn and can use noticeably more.
What else changes the real number
Color-work projects eat more yarn than the square-footage math suggests, because every color change leaves two tails to weave in, and carrying a second color across a row uses yarn that doesn't show up as visible fabric. Borders, edging rounds, and any applied trim are easy to forget when estimating from the main body's dimensions alone — add 5-10% for a project with a substantial border. When in doubt, buy one extra skein from the same dye lot before starting: dye lots vary enough between batches that a slightly-off later purchase can show as a visible line in a finished blanket, and most yarn shops will accept an unopened, unused skein back.
For a genuinely precise number rather than an estimate, crochet a swatch in your actual stitch pattern, weigh it on a kitchen scale, and scale the weight up proportionally to your finished project's area — yarn is sold by both length and weight, and the ball band lists both, so this conversion is usually straightforward.