Calculate Yarn Substitution — Skeins and Yardage
Enter the original yarn's yards per skein and the number of skeins your pattern requires. Add your substitute yarn's yardage to get an exact skein count. Includes a brand-by-weight reference chart.
Yarn Substitution Calculator
Enter the original yarn's yardage per skein and how many skeins the pattern calls for. Add the substitute yarn's yardage to find how many skeins to buy.
Results
Total Yards Needed
1,000 yds
Buy at least this many yards in your substitute
Substitute Skeins to Buy
5 skeins
Always round up — dye lots vary
Weight Check
Worsted
9-10 WPI · 16-20 sts / 10cm knitting
Needles: 4.5-5.5 mm needles / Hook: 5-6 mm hook
Popular Substitute Yarns by Weight
Common yarn options for each weight class — widely available in the US, UK, and Australia. Always confirm gauge by swatching.
| Weight | WPI | Typical yds/100g | Common Brands / Yarns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lace | 30+ WPI | 800–1,500 yds | Drops Lace · Malabrigo Lace · Knit Picks Aloft · WeCrochet Bare Lace |
| Fingering / Sock | 14+ WPI | 400–500 yds | Cascade Heritage · Lion Brand Sock-Ease · Patons Kroy Socks · Drops Fabel · Malabrigo Sock |
| Sport / Baby | 12 WPI | 250–350 yds | Cascade 220 Sport · Drops Alpaca · Paintbox Simply DK (light) · Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK |
| DK | 11 WPI | 200–250 yds | Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton · Paintbox Simply DK · Drops Lima · WeCrochet Swish DK · Sirdar Hayfield DK |
| Worsted | 9–10 WPI | 160–220 yds | Lion Brand Pound of Love · Caron Simply Soft · Red Heart Super Saver · Cascade 220 · Bernat Super Value |
| Aran | 8 WPI | 140–190 yds | Lion Brand Vanna's Choice · Caron One Pound · Paintbox Simply Aran · Drops Nepal · Bernat Premium |
| Bulky / Chunky | 7 WPI | 100–130 yds | Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick · Bernat Softee Chunky · Drops Snow · Paintbox Simply Chunky |
| Super Bulky | 5–6 WPI | 70–100 yds | Bernat Blanket · Lion Brand Thick & Quick Bonus Bundle · Drops Polaris · Red Heart Hygge Charm |
| Jumbo | Under 5 WPI | 30–60 yds | Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ · Loops & Threads Cozy Wool · Lion Brand Thick & Quick (jumbo) |
Yardage per 100g varies significantly by fiber type. Wool and acrylic run longer than cotton at the same weight. Always check the label — yardage is the number that matters for substitution, not skein weight.
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How Yarn Substitution Works
Yarn substitution works on yardage, not skein count or weight in grams. A pattern that calls for 5 skeins of a 200-yard yarn needs 1,000 yards total. If your substitute has 150 yards per skein, you need 7 skeins (always round up). Skein count and gram weight are irrelevant — yardage is the only number that transfers between brands.
The second requirement is yarn weight class. A worsted substitute must be worsted — not aran (heavier) and not DK (lighter). Check the label's gauge swatch recommendation and wraps per inch (WPI). Gauge can still vary within the same weight class depending on fiber, twist, and your tension, which is why swatching matters even when the weight matches.
Fiber type affects drape, care, and behavior but not yardage math. Wool substituting for acrylic, acrylic substituting for cotton — the formula is the same: match yardage, match weight class, swatch. Brand doesn't matter for the calculation, only for the physical result.
Yarn Substitution by Brand: What to Look For
Lion Brand substitutions: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice is aran-weight and substitutes well for any heavy worsted or aran yarn. Lion Brand Pound of Love is a true worsted. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick is bulky — correct for chunky patterns, too heavy for worsted ones. Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton is DK weight.
Red Heart substitutions: Red Heart Super Saver is worsted and one of the most widely available US acrylic yarns. Red Heart Soft is also worsted but softer. For bulky, Red Heart Super Saver Chunky and similar lines exist — check the label. Bernat Blanket is super bulky and substitutes for any super-bulky project. Bernat Super Value is worsted.
Yarn Substitution Calculator FAQ
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