Yardage by project and weight
Adult sizes, plain stitches, at the gauge on the ball band. Ribbing and cables take more; a slouchy hat takes about a quarter more than a fitted beanie; a child's hat or mittens take roughly two-thirds of the adult number.
| Project | Fingering | DK | Worsted | Chunky | Bulky & super bulky |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beanie, fitted | 250–300 yd | 180–230 yd | 130–180 yd | 90–120 yd | 60–90 yd |
| Scarf, 7 × 60" | 550–650 yd | 420–500 yd | 330–400 yd | 220–280 yd | 150–200 yd |
| Cowl, one loop (24 × 10") | 330–400 yd | 250–300 yd | 190–240 yd | 130–170 yd | 85–120 yd |
| Infinity scarf (60 × 10") | 840–960 yd | 630–720 yd | 480–560 yd | 330–400 yd | 210–260 yd |
| Mittens, pair | 250–300 yd | 180–220 yd | 150–200 yd | 110–140 yd | 80–110 yd |
| Fingerless mitts, pair | 180–220 yd | 130–160 yd | 100–140 yd | 80–100 yd | — |
Socks are their own subject: a pair of adult socks is 350–450 yards of fingering, and the sock yarn guide says what kind.
What is really a one-skein project
A 100 g skein of worsted holds about 200 yards, which is a fitted hat with yarn to spare, a one-loop cowl, or a pair of mittens. It is not a scarf. A plain 60" scarf in worsted takes two skeins, and in fingering it takes two as well — the yardage is higher but so is the skein's.
Chunky and bulky skeins are smaller than they look. Álafoss Lopi is 109 yards to 100 g, so a hat is one ball and a scarf is three. Malabrigo Rasta is 90 yards to a 150 g skein: enough for a beanie, exactly, and not for a slouchy one. Wherever the pattern's yardage sits near the top of a skein, buy two; the second one can come back unused within 30 days, and a hat that stops a crown short cannot.
Scarves grow
The scarf numbers assume 7" wide and 60" long, which is a scarf that wraps once. People who like a long scarf — 72" or more, or wide enough to double as a wrap — should scale the yardage by the area, and that often tips a two-skein scarf into three. Garter stitch and ribbing, which most scarves are, use 10–20% more yarn than stockinette for the same size.
Small projects and dye lots
A hat from one skein has no dye-lot question. A scarf from two or three does: buy them together and they will come from one lot. If you are knitting a scarf from leftovers of different lots, join the second lot at a stripe or a change of stitch, or alternate the two every couple of rows for a few inches so the shift blurs rather than lines.
Leftovers
A hat leaves a third of a worsted skein, which is a pair of fingerless mitts' worth or the stripes on the next hat. Mittens and a hat from the same skein pair is a reliable gift set from two skeins of worsted, with yarn over. The calculator on every yarn page here takes the pattern's yardage and tells you the number of skeins; for small things, round up once and stop.