Download the AppSmart Yarn Substitution Tool
Find the right yarn substitution before you buy a single skein. Yarnzy shows you the exact substitute yarn your pattern actually needs.
Download Yarnzy on iOS & AndroidOverride pattern gauge (Optional)
Use the exact gauge in the pattern instead of the CYC standard.
Override substitute gauge (Optional)
If you have a label gauge or you've already swatched.
Calculate skeins & price (Optional)
Round up to whole skeins and show the total cost.
Compare fibers (Optional)
Check whether the substitute will drape and stretch like the pattern's yarn.
Good match
One weight away — swatch first
22% more than the pattern's 1,500 yd
Yardage
Your inputs never leave this device.
The gauge-ratio that makes substitution work.
Substituting worsted (18 sts / 4″) for DK (22 sts / 4″) means a thinner yarn, so you’ll need more length to cover the same area. Here’s exactly how much more.
Pattern · Worsted
Substitute · DK
Worsted → DK · 1,500 yd → 1,833 yd
22% more yardage to cover the same area.
Step 01 · Gauge ratio
Divide new by original.
The DK yarn packs 22 stitches into the same 4 inches that worsted fills with 18, so it’s a thinner thread. Ratio > 1 means thinner, ratio < 1 means thicker.
Step 02 · Adjusted yardage
Multiply pattern yardage by the ratio.
Thinner yarn needs more length to fill the same fabric. Add about 22% buffer to your shopping list. The reverse (DK to worsted) would save you 18% of yardage but produce a denser fabric.
Step 03 · Skeins to buy
Divide by skein length, round up.
Always round up: partial skeins aren’t a thing at the yarn shop. Buy them all at once from the same dye lot, especially for colour-critical projects.
How Yarn Substitution Works in Yarnzy
Three simple steps take you from confused to confident in under a minute. No yarn expertise needed just fill in the details and let Yarnzy do the rest.
01
Enter your pattern yarn details
Tap the plus button to set how many skeins your pattern requires, then add the length and weight of your original yarn. This gives Yarnzy the accurate baseline it needs to calculate.
02
Enter your substitute yarn details
Input the length per skein and weight per skein of your alternative yarn. Just two simple numbers are all Yarnzy needs to set up the full comparison and run the math perfectly.
03
Calculate and get your results
Hit the Calculate button and Yarnzy instantly delivers the exact skein count and total weight you need to buy. Shop with confidence knowing your substitute yarn amount is precisely right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers on accuracy, edge cases, and what to do when the math doesn't match the pattern label.
Alpaca, acrylic, and cotton are all popular wool alternatives depending on your project needs. Enter your substitute into Yarnzy to get the exact skein count before you buy.
More tools from Skein.
A free toolkit for everything you measure, swatch, or substitute. No sign-up required.
Open tool →Yarn Calculator
Your pattern gives you a yarn name. Not a skein count. Enter your yardage and weight, Yarnzy returns the exact number of skeins. Not a guess. The real number.
Open tool →Stitch Calculator
Know your gauge. Know your width. Yarnzy does the one calculation every knitter skips and every frogged project proves they shouldn't have.
Open tool →Unit Conversion
Meters to yards. Grams to ounces. Your pattern is European, your yarn is American, Yarnzy makes both speak the same language instantly.
Open tool →Increase & Decrease Calculator
Even shaping doesn't happen by feel. Enter your stitch count and rows, Yarnzy spaces every increase and decrease so your finished piece shows it.
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