Is there a good online reference for...

[Tiga]

How much yarn a project will take?

 

I was in Wally World yesterday, and found some sweet yarn that I wanted to turn into an afghan for myself. But I had no idea how much to buy. I'm not experienced enough yet to guess (other than to say "a lot", ).

 

I just saw in another link the handy-dandy list of afghan sizes and how many squares it takes to make them.

 

Is there a comparable resource that shows approximately how much yarn it takes to make the average afghan?

 

I know it depends on the stitch used, but surely there must be a rule of thumb?

[fran]

This may be helpful: http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/Articles/substituting_and_estimating_yarn.htm

[Tiga]

That was very helpful for using different yarns than a pattern calls for (which I always do, b/c I'm too broke to afford fancy yarn, lol!), but I'm looking more for something that says "the average twin size afghan done in double crochet uses ____ yards of worsted weight yarn." "A size large sweater generally uses ____ yards of type 1 yarn, _____ yards of type 2 yarn", etc.

[tlisley]

Great link Fran! Thanks! I saved it to my faves for future reference!

[WendyLee]

That was very helpful for using different yarns than a pattern calls for (which I always do, b/c I'm too broke to afford fancy yarn, lol!), but I'm looking more for something that says "the average twin size afghan done in double crochet uses ____ yards of worsted weight yarn." "A size large sweater generally uses ____ yards of type 1 yarn, _____ yards of type 2 yarn", etc.

 

I don't think you are going to find any real rule of thumb for this mainly because it depends entirely on the stitch and size needle you are going to use. Afghans do have basic sizes but no two patterns I've made are the same size; if that makes sense.

 

You can use the link if you look at the yarn in overall yardage. It takes x amount of worsted to make this size sweater versus what ever the original yarn is, you can do the same with an afghan. I would recomend that you buy a yarn with no dye lot if you are just guessing that way if you need more it won't be a problem. That way too if you have to much and don't want to take it back you can get a little more for something else.

[shebear]

The only thing I can think you might do is....decide the size of your afghan, buy a skein of yarn and make a swatch that's a multiple of your afghan...rip out the swatch and measure how much yarn it used...multiply until you get the size of your afghan. That way you can use the size hook and stitch you want and have some idea the amount of yarn you need.

 

Always buy an extra skein if possible in case one of the skeins you have is defective.

[Empress Busy Bee]

Thanks for that link.

 

What I do is look at the pattern, it usually will tell you how much yardage you'll need and then I try to figure that out from the yarn I'll be using. Fancier yarns tend to have less in the ball/skein so you might need fewer balls/skeins of say Red Heart.

I used to make a lot more afghans so I could roughly guess how many I'd need. If I felt I'd need 10 skeins, then I'd buy 11 or 12.

Lastly for the longest time I was limited to what I could buy and thankfully it was no dye lot stuff so I'd buy what I could afford at the time, 2 or 4 skeins now and more later.

Maybe not the best ways but they worked for me.

 

One other thing, you can look through all your patterns and all the ones at CPC:

 

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory.php

 

And write down how much is called for each afghan, especially the ones that give finished sizes. Lot of work but might worth it in your case.

 

[Tiga]

I don't think you are going to find any real rule of thumb for this mainly because it depends entirely on the stitch and size needle you are going to use. Afghans do have basic sizes but no two patterns I've made are the same size; if that makes sense.

 

You can use the link if you look at the yarn in overall yardage. It takes x amount of worsted to make this size sweater versus what ever the original yarn is, you can do the same with an afghan. I would recomend that you buy a yarn with no dye lot if you are just guessing that way if you need more it won't be a problem. That way too if you have to much and don't want to take it back you can get a little more for something else.

 

I guess I'm looking more for something that I can use to estimate yarn usage when I don't have a specific pattern in mind - for those moments in the yarn aisle when something is just jumping off the shelf saying "buy me buy me" !

 

I guess I can take a look through the patterns I've bookmarked and like the most, and write down how much yarn each of them take, and sort of figure out an average from that.

 

I was just hoping for a lazy way out .

[JennyCrochets]

I'm sure this is no help at all, but for what its worth

If I'm unsure about how much it will take, I just resign myself to make "whatever" in a yarn that has no dye lot, buy several skeins, and get more as needed. And if I buy too much, well, that's good too 'cause I can feed my stash addiction :)

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

I dont think there's any easier way out than finding a pattern you like and looking at how much yarn the pattern calls for; if you will be using a different yarn, then do the math and figure out how many yards of the new yarn you will need.

 

There's no real estimates as to how much yarn a sweater will take or an afghan will take---it depends on the size you are making and it depends on the pattern. You have to evaluate your yarn needs based on the project you are going to make.

 

If you aren't very experienced at crocheting yet, it would probably be easier to work from patterns than to just make up your own; I think that would give you a better feel for approximately how much yarn you might need in future similar projects. With a pattern to follow, at least you have an estimate on how much to buy (though, I usually end up needing a skein or two more).

 

Nicole

[Tiga]

Nicole -

 

I'm not really thinking so much about making up my own patterns, but more thinking about when I'm out buying yarn for Project A and I see another yarn I like and I think "that would make a nice afghan for Mom", I'd like to have an idea how much to make.

 

I think what I'm going to do is make a "wish list" of projects and yarn requirements and print it out and keep it with me, so I'll always have a list of stuff that I need yarn for, so if I find good yarn or a good sale, I can take advantage without overbuying or overspending!

[craftybutterfly]

I'll mimic what another said. Buy more than you think you'll need, and keep the rest in your stash. To borrow a phrase: "Its a good thing!"

[darski]

If you are surfing and looking at afghan patterns anyway, you could create a notepad file and copy/paste the name and the ounces/yards needed for whatever afghans you are looking at -> even ones you won't be making.

 

Just glance at the list from time to time and you will begin to get a sense of what afghans seem to take. It is just a back burner method of guesstimating.

 

Often the afghan name will remind you of the afghan and you will see why "this" afghan takes over 60 ounces and that "that" afghan only needs 28 ounces

[SaxDragon]

How much yarn a project will take?

 

I was in Wally World yesterday, and found some sweet yarn that I wanted to turn into an afghan for myself. But I had no idea how much to buy. I'm not experienced enough yet to guess (other than to say "a lot", ).

 

I just saw in another link the handy-dandy list of afghan sizes and how many squares it takes to make them.

 

Is there a comparable resource that shows approximately how much yarn it takes to make the average afghan?

 

I know it depends on the stitch used, but surely there must be a rule of thumb?

 

 

If I recall, there's a list somewhere on the Lion Brand website that has approximate yardage for different things (hats to afghans). I remember a couple of others, but no idea now where I saw them online :-( wish I'd bookmarked them ...

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Nicole -

 

I'm not really thinking so much about making up my own patterns, but more thinking about when I'm out buying yarn for Project A and I see another yarn I like and I think "that would make a nice afghan for Mom", I'd like to have an idea how much to make.

 

I think what I'm going to do is make a "wish list" of projects and yarn requirements and print it out and keep it with me, so I'll always have a list of stuff that I need yarn for, so if I find good yarn or a good sale, I can take advantage without overbuying or overspending!

 

That's a really good idea! I printed out the patterns I was interested in and took them with me when I did my christmas yarn shopping last year---would have been easier to write it down!

 

Nicole

[Tiga]

Nicole -

 

I am QUEEN of the excel spreadsheet, lol! I have one right now that lists all of my friend's and family member's favorite colors, and projects I'm going to make for them, what yarn I'm going to use and how much I need (plus what I have on hand for that project already).

 

My budget is very, very tight, and I can't afford to have lots of extra yarn lying around without a project attached to it, sadly. Sigh.

 

For the yarn I found the other day, though, I'm going to look through my patterns until I find one I think it will look good in. It's Red Heart SS in brown and turquoise (Earth and Sky flavor), and sounds hideous, but it's been calling to me for almost three months. Clearly, it needs me to make it into a blankie for myself. I also found some yarn in the "Fall" flavor I thought my Mom would like, but as a sweater, and I'm not sure how RH SS works up into a garment; I'm afraid it would be itch-central.

 

Oh, and SaxDragon, I'll go a-hunting on the Lion Brand site. It's a starting point! Thanks for the tip!

[nightowl]

Tiga, here's a chart for guess-timating with. . . I've no idea how accurate it is, though! Be sure to read all the notes at the top -- especially the "Add 30% for crochet"

 

Smiles,

[Tiga]

***, Nightowl, thank you thank you thank you! That's perfect!

 

I just need a rough idea, so this will work just fine. I'm going to turn it into a spreadsheet with the correct amounts for crochet. I'll link it here when I'm done!

[moonspinners]

Fran & Nightowl: Thank you for the great links! They'll be great references for me. :dog

[KellyA]

http://www.planetshoup.com/easy/tips/afghsize.shtml

 

Don't know if this is helpful, it shows how many squares are needed for certain sizes. Just a thought......

Kelly

[WendyLee]

Tiga, here's a chart for guess-timating with. . . I've no idea how accurate it is, though! Be sure to read all the notes at the top -- especially the "Add 30% for crochet"

 

That is an excellent site even if we still have to add 30% for crochet!

Thanks!