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This calculator will help you determine the weight of your skein. If you are looking for what size category your yarn is as per the Standard Yarn Weight System, take a look at this Yarn Weight Chart & Guide to Yarn Sizes/Types.

Calculate How Much Yarn is Left in a Skein

It’s quite easy to tell how much yarn is in a full skein because it’s stated on the label. But what about when it’s about half gone? Once that skein has been used, unless you want to unwind it and measure each yard, you’ll want to use a kitchen scale and do some calculations to determine how much yarn is left in the skein.

This handy Yarn Weight Calculator (below) can do those calculations for you!

First, you’ll need a kitchen scale. A kitchen scale is a great addition to your crochet supplies. I use mine every day to weigh skeins. They are quite small and relatively inexpensive like this recommended Digital Scale.

Yarn weight calculator Step 1 - Weigh yarn

To determine how much yarn is left in your skein, weigh the skein on a kitchen scale. Note the weight in grams (g).

Skein and lengths weights

Next, look at your yarn label and note the number of yards. This is the total number of yards for the full skein as listed on the yarn label.

Now, make note of the number of grams on the yarn label. This is the weight in grams of the full skein as listed on the yarn label.

Yarn Weight Calculator

Enter these three numbers into this yarn calculator:

How to Calculate the Amount of Yarn in a Skein Manually

If you’re like me and want to better understand the math behind the calculator, you can do these calculations manually.

The reason we note the weight in either grams or ounces is because we want to stick the same measuring system in the final step. If you note the weight in grams, also use grams for the final calculation. If you measure in ounces, calculate the final step in ounces as well.

Now take the weight of the partial skein and multiply it with the number of yards in the full skein, as stated on the yarn label.

Finally, take that multiplied number and divide it by the weight of the full skein as stated on the yarn label (use the same measuring system (grams or ounces) as the weight of the partial skein).

Here’s the equation:

(Weight of Partial Skein X Total Yards in Full Skein) / Weight of Full Skein = Amount of Yards Left in Skein

If you are looking for the amount of yarn in meters, complete the equation above and multiply the final number X 0.9144 = amount of meters left in skein.

As an example, I have about half a skein left of Impeccable and want to see if I have enough for a pattern. This yarn (as shown above) is 285 yds / 260 m and 4.5 oz or 127.5 g.

How to Calculate Number of Yards Left in a Skein (by Grams)

  1. Weigh the partial skein in grams – my partial skein weighs 60 g.
  2. Multiply weight of partial skein by total yards in full skein – My partial skein is 60 g X 285 (which is how many yards stated in a full skein as stated on the yarn label) = 17,100.
  3. Take that number and divide it by the weight of full skein – 17,100 / 127.5 (which is how many grams in a full skein as stated on the yarn label) = 134 yds. There are 134 yards in my partial skein of yarn.

To covert to meters, multiply the final number by 0.9144. In the example above, 134 x 0.9144 = 123 m.

As you can see in the example, we weighed in grams so we did the final step with grams. Now let’s do this same example with ounces.

How to Calculate Number of Yards Left in a Skein (by Ounces)

  1. Weigh the partial skein in ounces – my partial skein weighs 2.1 oz.
  2. Multiply weight of partial skein by total yards in full skein – My partial skein is 2.1 oz X 285 (which is how many yards in a full skein as stated on the yarn label) = 598.5
  3. Take that number and divide it by the weight of the full skein – 598.5 / 4.5 (which is how many ounces in a full skein as stated on the yarn label) = 133 yds. There are 133 yards in my partial skein of yarn.

To covert to meters, multiply the final number by 0.9144. In the example above, 133 x 0.9144 = 122 m.

Up Next: Understanding Yarn Weights

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