UK crochet guide. Written in British English, with UK stitch names and metric measurements.
The cheapest ball on the shelf may not make the cheapest project. A short ball, an extra border shade or a delivery charge can change the total. Begin with the pattern’s yarn requirement and work towards the basket you will actually buy.
The prices below are illustrative amounts in pounds sterling, not live shop offers. Replace them with the current price, length and delivery charge for your chosen yarn.
Use cost per 100 metres as a first comparison
Divide the ball price by its length in metres, then multiply by 100. A £3 ball containing 150 m costs £2 per 100 m. A £4 ball containing 250 m costs £1.60 per 100 m.
| Example yarn | Ball price | Metres per ball | Cost per 100 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | £3 | 150 m | £2.00 |
| B | £4 | 250 m | £1.60 |
This compares length, not suitability. The yarns still need to produce appropriate fabric. A cheaper length is not a saving if the replacement changes the size, care or feel in a way you do not want.
Then calculate whole balls
For an illustrative 700 m requirement, yarn A needs five balls, supplying 750 m for £15. Yarn B needs three balls, supplying 750 m for £12. You cannot buy the exact fraction of a standard ball merely because the arithmetic produces one.
Check whether the requirement already includes the border and any allowance. Add planned modifications explicitly rather than applying an unexplained percentage to every project.
Round up each colour separately
Imagine the 700 m is split into 100 m of cream and 600 m of blue. With 250 m balls, you need one cream ball and three blue balls: four balls rather than the three a combined-length calculation suggested.
That is why striped and motif projects benefit from a colour-by-colour list. A small accent can increase the shopping total even when it uses very little yarn.
Keep tools separate from yarn consumption
A hook, tapestry needle and stitch markers may be reusable across many projects. Record them as purchases for this basket without pretending every future blanket will need the same tools bought again.
Likewise, yarn purchased and yarn consumed are different figures. A part-used ball remains in your supplies. Keeping both numbers helps you understand the cost of starting the project and the materials used in the finished item.
Add delivery before choosing the shop
Compare the total delivered cost for the actual basket. Delivery thresholds and offers can change, so check them at checkout. Buying extra unwanted yarn to reach free delivery only saves money if the extra purchase makes sense for you.
If you are ordering from outside the UK, confirm the currency and the seller’s stated delivery and additional-charge information. Do not assume a price shown beside a yarn image is the full amount payable.
Make room for the project you will really finish
Include a changed size, extra rounds, joining yarn and any colour added after seeing the sample. Record these choices before the main order where possible. They are easier to budget for deliberately than as separate small deliveries later.
Check the available quantity and dye lot if the project needs consistent colour. A low price is less useful if you cannot obtain enough matching yarn for the planned design.
A short budget note is enough
Keep one line per colour with required metres, metres per ball, ball count and price. Add the tools and delivery underneath. Use the calculator below with your own current figures in metres and pounds. Calculate colours separately, then add delivery once for the whole order.
Calculate your yarn cost in pounds
Where to go next
Read the ball band · Validate the replacement yarn · Budget a colour palette