Guides
Sourced guides to knitting and crochet, with the arithmetic checked against our calculators.
How to Tell Yarn Weight, With or Without the Label
How to tell yarn weight: read the label's symbol, type or gauge, or count wraps per inch (WPI) if there's no label, then check with a swatch.
Knitting Needle Types and Materials: What Each One Is For
Knitting needle types (straight, circular, interchangeable, double-pointed) and materials: what each shop says they're for and which to start with.
How Many Yards in a Skein of Yarn? Why Labels Differ
How many yards in a skein? There's no standard: read the label's yards and grams, compare yards per 100 g, then let the yarn calculator count skeins.
How to Read a Knitting Pattern: Sizes, Repeats and Charts
How to read a knitting pattern for beginners: the materials, gauge, sizes in parentheses, knitting abbreviations, repeats, RS and WS, and charts.
How Much Yarn for a Scarf, Hat or Sweater? Work It Out From Your Swatch
How much yarn for a scarf, hat or sweater? Measure the project, weigh a swatch, and the yarn calculator gives skeins. Worked examples and maker ranges.
How to Make a Gauge Swatch, With the Math
How to make a gauge swatch for knitting or crochet: how big, which stitch, how to block and count it, and what one stitch off does to your width.