Enter the length your pattern needs, the length in one ball and its price. The calculator rounds up to whole balls, because the amount used and the amount you must buy are different.
What to enter
- Length needed: the designer’s requirement for your chosen size and colour.
- Length per ball: the number on the actual yarn label.
- Price per ball: the price you expect to pay.
- Extra allowance: an optional percentage for your planning margin.
Use the same length unit in both fields. If the pattern uses metres and the label uses yards, convert one before entering the numbers. Calculate each colour separately and add the totals.
Example: purchase cost versus yarn consumed
If you need 100 yards from a $5 ball containing 250 yards, the yarn consumed is worth $2. You still spend $5 at checkout if you need to buy the ball. This tool reports the whole-ball purchase, not just the portion used.
What the result does not include
Add delivery, tax, tools and any other materials separately. The calculator cannot check whether a yarn substitution will match your gauge, whether a specific colour is in stock, or whether the pattern’s quantity includes its border.
Need a length estimate first? Read how to estimate blanket yarn. Comparing low-price yarn? Use the cost-per-yard guide.