Colorwork Yarn Calculator
A garment that eats 400 g at 70% main colour splits into 280 g and 120 g. Get the percentage off the chart: count the squares of each colour in one repeat and that is the ratio for as far as the pattern runs. Plain body and ribbing all go onto the main colour.
Your numbers
Main colour yarn
280g
Contrast colour yarn
120g
Formula
Main colour yarn = Yarn needed × Main colour share ÷ 100, Contrast colour yarn = Yarn needed − Main colour yarn
The minor colour rarely lands on the chart figure. Floats carried across the back use more length than the stitches on the front, and whichever yarn you hold as the dominant one makes slightly larger stitches and goes further. Buy one extra ball of the contrast — matching a sold-out dye lot is the hardest shortfall to fix.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn needed (g)The yarn weight in grams, not a number of balls. | 400 | 1 and up |
| Main colour share (%)The share of chart squares in the main colour; plain stretches all count as main. | 70 | 0 ~ 100 |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only Yarn needed (g) changes and everything else stays put.
| Yarn needed (g) | Main colour yarn (g) | Contrast colour yarn (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | 140 | 60 |
| 300 | 210 | 90 |
| 400 | 280 | 120 |
| 600 | 420 | 180 |
| 800 | 560 | 240 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| Main colour yarn (g)Main-colour yarn to buy, in grams rather than balls. | 280 |
| Contrast colour yarn (g)Contrast yarn by weight — the figure that drifts furthest from the chart. | 120 |
Common mistakes
The minor colour rarely lands on the chart figure. Floats carried across the back use more length than the stitches on the front, and whichever yarn you hold as the dominant one makes slightly larger stitches and goes further. Buy one extra ball of the contrast — matching a sold-out dye lot is the hardest shortfall to fix.
Glossary
- Yarn needed
- The yarn weight in grams, not a number of balls.
- Main colour share
- The share of chart squares in the main colour; plain stretches all count as main.
- Main colour yarn
- Main-colour yarn to buy, in grams rather than balls.
- Contrast colour yarn
- Contrast yarn by weight — the figure that drifts furthest from the chart.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Colorwork Yarn Calculator calculated?
Main colour yarn = Yarn needed × Main colour share ÷ 100, Contrast colour yarn = Yarn needed − Main colour yarn — A garment that eats 400 g at 70% main colour splits into 280 g and 120 g. Get the percentage off the chart: count the squares of each colour in one repeat and that is the ratio for as far as the pattern runs. Plain body and ribbing all go onto the main colour.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With Yarn needed 400g, Main colour share 70%, the answer is Main colour yarn 280g.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter Yarn needed, Main colour share. The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.
Q. How much does the answer move if I change a number?
Changing only Yarn needed (g) moves the answer to Yarn needed (g) 200 → Main colour yarn (g) 140 and Yarn needed (g) 800 → Main colour yarn (g) 560. The table below lays out five steps.
Q. How are the numbers rounded?
Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.
Q. Anything to watch out for?
The minor colour rarely lands on the chart figure. Floats carried across the back use more length than the stitches on the front, and whichever yarn you hold as the dominant one makes slightly larger stitches and goes further. Buy one extra ball of the contrast — matching a sold-out dye lot is the hardest shortfall to fix.
Related calculators
Materials differ in density and absorption. If your label states a figure, use it — the defaults here are only common values.