YARN
How to substitute yarn in a knitting pattern
You don’t have to use the exact yarn a pattern names. To swap it, match three things: the weight, the yardage, and a fiber that behaves the way the pattern needs.
1. Match the weight and gauge
Choose a yarn in the same weight category, like DK or worsted. See the yarn weight chart. Then compare the gauge on the label to the pattern’s gauge. Yarns in the same category can still knit up a little differently, so swatch to be sure. See how to measure gauge.
2. Work out how much you need by yardage
Use the length of yarn, not the weight in grams. Different fibers weigh different amounts, so 100 g of cotton is usually shorter than 100 g of wool.
- Total yardage = skeins in the pattern × yards per skein of the pattern’s yarn.
- Skeins of your yarn = total yardage ÷ yards per skein of your yarn.
- Round up to a whole skein.
Example
The pattern uses 5 skeins of a yarn with 220 yd each: 5 × 220 = 1,100 yd.
Your yarn has 190 yd per skein: 1,100 ÷ 190 = 5.8, so buy 6 skeins.
If you’re making it longer, changing size, or your gauge is a little off, buy a 7th to be safe.
3. Think about the fiber
Fiber changes how the finished piece looks and feels:
- Wool is springy and holds its shape, so ribbing pulls back in.
- Cotton and linen are less stretchy and heavier. Ribbing can look looser, and long pieces may grow a little.
- Superwash wool can relax and grow when washed. Wash your swatch before measuring.
- Mohair and alpaca are fuzzy and warm, and blur cables and texture.
If the pattern relies on a particular quality, like the stretch of wool in a fitted hat, pick a yarn that has it too.
Buy one dye lot
Skeins dyed in different batches can be slightly different colors. Check that every skein has the same dye lot number on the label.