Yarn Per Row Calculator
A band reading 200 m per 50 g is 4 m per gram. If a 12 g swatch took 40 rows, 48 m went into 40 rows, so one row is 1.2 m. The 60 g you have left is 240 m, which carries 200 more rows. The most accurate version of this is to weigh the work in progress, knit ten rows and weigh it again — then the stitch count per row is already the real one.
Your numbers
Metres per row
1.2m
Rows left
200rows
Formula
Metres per row = Swatch weight × Metres per gram ÷ Rows, Rows left = ⌊Yarn left × Metres per gram ÷ Metres per row⌋
Metres per row scale with the stitches in that row. Carrying 1.2 m from a 40-stitch swatch straight onto a 200-stitch body understates it fivefold — multiply by the ratio of the stitch counts. Cast-on, seaming and finishing are not in this figure.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| Swatch weight (g)What that swatch weighs; weigh it knitted, not unravelled. | 12 | 0.1 and up |
| Rows (rows)Row count, measured up. | 40 | 1 and up |
| Metres per gram (m)Metres per gram — how you read length off leftover weight. | 4 | 0.1 and up |
| Yarn left (g)What the remaining yarn weighs, with the core and band off the scale. | 60 | 0 and up |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only Swatch weight (g) changes and everything else stays put.
| Swatch weight (g) | Metres per row (m) | Rows left (rows) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0.6 | 400 |
| 9 | 0.9 | 266 |
| 12 | 1.2 | 200 |
| 18 | 1.8 | 133 |
| 24 | 2.4 | 100 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| Metres per row (m)Yarn one row eats; it scales with the number of stitches in that row. | 1.2 |
| Rows left (rows)Rows the leftovers still carry, before keeping anything back for finishing. | 200 |
Common mistakes
Metres per row scale with the stitches in that row. Carrying 1.2 m from a 40-stitch swatch straight onto a 200-stitch body understates it fivefold — multiply by the ratio of the stitch counts. Cast-on, seaming and finishing are not in this figure.
Glossary
- Swatch weight
- What that swatch weighs; weigh it knitted, not unravelled.
- Rows
- Row count, measured up.
- Metres per gram
- Metres per gram — how you read length off leftover weight.
- Yarn left
- What the remaining yarn weighs, with the core and band off the scale.
- Metres per row
- Yarn one row eats; it scales with the number of stitches in that row.
- Rows left
- Rows the leftovers still carry, before keeping anything back for finishing.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Yarn Per Row Calculator calculated?
Metres per row = Swatch weight × Metres per gram ÷ Rows, Rows left = ⌊Yarn left × Metres per gram ÷ Metres per row⌋ — A band reading 200 m per 50 g is 4 m per gram. If a 12 g swatch took 40 rows, 48 m went into 40 rows, so one row is 1.2 m. The 60 g you have left is 240 m, which carries 200 more rows. The most accurate version of this is to weigh the work in progress, knit ten rows and weigh it again — then the stitch count per row is already the real one.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With Swatch weight 12g, Rows 40rows, Metres per gram 4m, Yarn left 60g, the answer is Metres per row 1.2m.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter Swatch weight, Rows, Metres per gram, Yarn left. 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 Swatch weight (g) moves the answer to Swatch weight (g) 6 → Metres per row (m) 0.6 and Swatch weight (g) 24 → Metres per row (m) 2.4. 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?
Metres per row scale with the stitches in that row. Carrying 1.2 m from a 40-stitch swatch straight onto a 200-stitch body understates it fivefold — multiply by the ratio of the stitch counts. Cast-on, seaming and finishing are not in this figure.
Related calculators
Materials differ in density and absorption. If your label states a figure, use it — the defaults here are only common values.