Calculate Yarn Usage & Graph

Hi all!

I forgot to add one main thing in my first beginners post. How to figure out how much yarn of each colour you will need for your graphghans! Kind of important and useful right?

Below I have listed the instructions and also included the graph pdf that I use as an example. If you have any troubles comment below and I will try and help you out :)

To calculate approximately how much yarn you need for a project you first need to know how much yarn is being used per stitch (whether it be a sc,hdc or tss) for this example I will use a sc.


 To figure out how much yarn per sc is used you need to make a little sample using your hook of choice, so lets chain 6 and sc across (5sc), chain 1 and turn then sc across. Next you need to hold the yarn close to the last sc and slowly unravel it and hold that end of yarn right next to the next stitch, in between your two pretty little fingers is how much yarn it takes to make your sc. Go and measure that against a ruler. Mine is 2.7inches per sc using a H hook and 8ply yarn.

For this next part you need to know how many yards are in your skein and the number of stitches per colour it takes to create your graph. The amount of stitches used should be on the information sheet (the last page of the graph pdf) of your graph next to each colour, if not go to your grapher and ask for the number. For mine I will be using my free bird flower graph which uses 14606 stitches of
white.
 

 Now to the math, I promise it isn’t too scary or hard!

1. You need to multiply the amount of inches per sc (2.7) by the amount of stitches (14606) so in my case:

2.7 x 14606 = 39 436.2. Round that up so its even 39437 inches

2. Take that number (39437) and divide it by a yard which is 36 inches:

39437/36 = 1095.47. Round that up 1096 yards

3. Now onto the last step. You need to divide that number (1096) by how many yards are in your skein (309 yards for mine)

1096/309 = 3.54, this how many skeins you will need but unless you can buy partial ones you will need to round that number up.

In total I will be needing at least 4 skeins of the white for the graph.

Go ahead and do this for any other colours you have in your graph and then head to the shops!

Here is the pdf version of the instructions: yarn usage formula

Graph used in example:

Bird Flower 150x120

I hope this helps some of you :)

xx Megan