How much yarn?

[creativeK]

I'm making an afghan and I tried to find out how much yarn I need. I found a chart but it's measured in yardage,how do you know how many ounces that is?

[greyhoundgrandma]

It varies with different yarns. You can look the yarn up on line and most will tell you how many ounces and yards are in the skein.

[Granny Square]

You really want to know the yards, not the ounces--the length is the measurement you need to worry about, some fibers are heavier than others, a yard of cotton is heavier than a yard of wool or acrylic for example.  2 different brands of acrylic, of the same yarn 'weight' class, that have the same ounce measurement per skein, may have different yardages.  

 

Two very common US Acrylic Worsted Weight Class yarns:

Caron Simply Soft: Ball Size: 113g, 288 meters / 315 yards = .392 meters per gram

• Red Heart Super Saver:  Ball Size 7 oz (198g), 333 m /364 yds  = .594 meters per gram

Using grams not ounces, since Caron didn't give ounces:  Both of these yarns are the same weight class.  But look at the difference in the yardage for the same weight.  (Actually, I'm sort of surprised at this; Red Heart seems thicker, but I guess it's fluffier so weights less per length).  If you were going by weight, not yardage and bought the Caron Simply Soft by weight when the pattern was referring to a weight of RH Super Saver, you would come up considerably short.

[RoseRed]

Obviously, it's going to depend on a bunch of factors like yarn size, hook size and stitches but on average, I've found a 4x6 afghan usually runs about 3 pounds.  I usually buy 4 just to be on the safe side and have extra.  I did a 3x5 row in a rather lacy pattern with 2 pounds.

 

(I love Caron Pounders and they really do come in pounds)