how much yarn for a scarf?

[noricum]

Hello,

 

I want to crochet myself a wool scarf to replace an acrylic one that is wearing out. (Amazingly, that can happen... I've given this scarf a lot of wear.) I really like the size of my current scarf... it's 8 inches by 80 inches. Yes, that's huge, but I really like the way I can wrap it around my head and face. I plan to use Filatura Di Crosa 501 from elann.com. The yarn is DK weight, with 125m (137yd) per 50g (1.75oz) ball. I plan to do most of the scarf as single crochet. I don't have a pattern (I'm pretty confident I can create a rectangle on my own), so I don't know how much yarn I'll need. Does anyone have an idea how much I'll need? I plan to make a tuque out of any extra, so over-estimating is better than under-estimating.

 

Thanks! <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/frog1.gif" />

[threeolivemartini]

i would guess 6 balls...

[Guest SamplerLady]

Alot. Measure out a few yards of it, start making the scarf an figure out how many inches you get for the length you measured. Then multiply it out, or bring the figures here and someone will do the math for you.

[noricum]

That's the problem... I can do the math, but I don't have any DK weight yarn to test, and I would rather not pay multiple shipping charges. Plus, Elann tends to sell out of whatever yarn I like. (I guess I must like the same yarns as everyone else.) I don't have a lot of experience crocheting so far, and I'm only just venturing out into the world of expensive, non-acrylic yarns. I was hoping someone here would have more experience with this sort of yarn, and how far it goes.

 

Thanks.

[Guest SamplerLady]

The weights of yarns are decieving. A ww weight yarn made by two different companies can be very different in what size hook should be used. There is no uniformity in the yarn business. Also a machine spun yarn will be different from the same weight hand spun yarn.

 

My advice is to buy as much as you can afford to buy and then make your scarf. If there isn't enough, make your scarf narrower to accomodate the length you want. If you have left over yarn in can be made into something else to match the scarf, used as a fringe, used for gifts, a purse, etc., or sold to someone else on ebay or in the Stash Reduction topic here.

 

Unless one is following an exact pattern, using the exact yarn and hook and using the exact tension, one's mileage may vary from finished object to finished object. Patterns are an estimate and gauge varies from person to person.

 

You could try finding a similar pattern made with similar weight yarn and guess from there. There really isn't any way to know for sure if one has enough yarn until the object is done. Close estimates is the best anyone can do.

 

Sorry there isn't a better answer for you.

[noricum]

Thanks. I'll get 8 balls, and see what happens.

 

Darn! They're already out of my first colour choice. *sigh* (Last I checked, they still had 50+ balls, so I thought I was safe.)

 

[noricum]

Thanks 3Olives! Six balls was exactly right... although I ended up using 7, because I needed some of a second colour for stripes.