How Much Yarn for a Shawl? Yardage by Weight for Knit and Crochet
A shawl takes roughly 375 to 550 yards of worsted weight yarn to knit and 475 to 725 yards to crochet. In fine (sport) yarn it takes 450 to 700 yards knit, and in super bulky about 350 to 475. That is 2 to 4 worsted skeins of 100 grams. Buy 10 to 15 percent extra.
Published yardage guides give planning ranges for a shawl in fine, light, medium, bulky, super bulky yarn. In worsted weight, the most common choice, knitting takes 375 to 550 yards and crochet takes 475 to 725 yards. Crochet usually takes 25 to 33 percent more yarn than knitting because the stitches are taller and denser. Treat every figure here as a planning estimate: the yardage printed on your pattern always wins.
How much yarn for a shawl by yarn weight?
Yards are the reliable unit, because grams per yard change with fiber. Skeins of 100 grams and grams use the retailer yards-per-100-gram range for each weight, so a range of skeins covers both dense and lofty yarns.
| Yarn weight | Knit (yd) | Crochet (yd) | Yards per 100 g | 100 g skeins, knit | 100 g skeins, crochet | Grams, knit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fine (sport) | 450 to 700 | 575 to 925 | 300 to 380 | 2 to 3 | 2 to 4 | 120 to 230 g |
| Light (DK) | 400 to 625 | 500 to 825 | 230 to 300 | 2 to 3 | 2 to 4 | 130 to 270 g |
| Medium (worsted) | 375 to 550 | 475 to 725 | 170 to 230 | 2 to 4 | 3 to 5 | 160 to 320 g |
| Bulky (chunky) | 350 to 500 | 450 to 675 | 100 to 170 | 3 to 5 | 3 to 7 | 210 to 500 g |
| Super bulky | 350 to 475 | 450 to 625 | under 100 | 4 or more | 5 or more | 350 g or more |
How many skeins and packs of yarn to buy for a shawl?
Skeins per pack and yards per skein come from each yarn label. The last column covers the top of the crochet range plus 10 percent, so knitters will usually need fewer packs.
| Yarn | Weight | Per skein | Skeins, knit | Skeins, crochet | Packs to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caron One Pound 2-Pack | Medium | 454 g / 812 yd | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Caron Simply Soft (3 Pack) | Medium | 170 g / 315 yd | 2 | 2 to 3 | 1 |
| Lion Brand Basic Stitch Anti-Pilling (3 Pack) | Medium | 100 g / 185 yd | 3 | 3 to 4 | 2 |
| Lion Brand Vanna's Choice (3 Pack) | Medium | 100 g / 170 yd | 3 to 4 | 3 to 5 | 2 |
| Bernat Baby Blanket (2 Pack) | Super Bulky | 300 g / 220 yd | 2 to 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Bernat Blanket 3-Pack | Super Bulky | 150 g / 108 yd | 4 to 5 | 5 to 6 | 3 |
| Bernat Softee Chunky (3 Pack) | Super Bulky | 100 g / 108 yd | 4 to 5 | 5 to 6 | 3 |
| Wool-Ease Thick & Quick 3-Pack | Super Bulky | 6 oz / 106 yd | 4 to 5 | 5 to 6 | 3 |
Yarn and tools for a shawl
Knitter's Pride Lace Blocking Mats, 9 Pack
$40.86A set of nine blocking mats for pinning out shawls and lace to shape while they dry (pins sold separately).
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Leslye Solomon's Original Blocking Wires Kit
$26.95Stainless steel straight and flexible blocking wires with T-pins, for opening up lace to its full size.
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ChiaoGoo SS Red Lace Circular Knitting Needle, 40-Inch (100 cm), US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
$13.74A 40 inch US 1.5 (2.5 mm) steel circular, a length many knitters use for magic loop.
Check pricePrices change often, so confirm on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
How does a shawl compare with other knit and crochet projects?
All figures below are for the same yarn so you can compare projects directly: worsted weight for knit and crochet, plus bulky weight for knit where a published range exists.
| Project | Worsted, knit (yd) | Worsted, crochet (yd) | Bulky, knit (yd) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Hat | 200 to 225 | 250 to 300 | 125 to 200 |
| Cowl | 200 to 300 | 250 to 400 | Not published |
| Mittens | 150 to 250 | 200 to 325 | 100 to 150 |
| Scarf | 375 to 500 | 475 to 675 | 250 to 375 |
| Adult Socks | 275 to 375 | 350 to 500 | 250 to 350 |
| Shawl | 375 to 550 | 475 to 725 | 350 to 500 |
| Adult Sweater | 1,125 to 1,625 | 1,400 to 2,150 | 950 to 1,125 |
| Baby Blanket | 1,000 to 1,125 | 1,250 to 1,500 | 875 to 1,000 |
| Throw Blanket | 2,250 to 3,125 | 2,825 to 4,150 | 2,000 to 2,250 |
| Twin Size Blanket | 4,100 to 5,700 | 5,150 to 7,600 | 3,650 to 4,100 |
| Full Size Blanket | 5,000 to 6,900 | 6,250 to 9,200 | 4,450 to 5,000 |
| Queen Size Blanket | 6,250 to 8,650 | 7,800 to 11,500 | 5,550 to 6,250 |
| King Size Blanket | 7,500 to 10,400 | 9,400 to 13,850 | 6,650 to 7,500 |
Why do yarn estimates for a shawl vary so much?
- Planning estimates only. The yardage stated on the pattern always wins.
- Crochet usually uses about 25 to 33 percent more yarn than knitting for the same size piece.
- Stitch pattern changes yardage: garter used about 46 percent more yarn than stockinette in one test; cables, textures, and colorwork use more.
- Buy 10 to 15 percent extra, from the same dye lot.
- Lion Brand ranges do not state knit or crochet; they are used here as the knit baseline.
Buy it all from one dye lot
Colors shift between dye lots, and a new lot halfway through a shawl can show as a stripe. Buy your full amount plus extra at once. The yarn yardage calculator works out a custom size and gauge.
Frequently asked questions
How many yards of yarn do you need for a shawl?
Published planning ranges for a shawl are 450 to 700 in fine, 400 to 625 in light, 375 to 550 in medium, 350 to 500 in bulky and 350 to 475 in super bulky yarn, in yards, for knitting. Thicker yarn covers more area per yard, so heavier weights generally need fewer yards. Crochet takes more: 475 to 725 yards in worsted. These are estimates; the yardage on your pattern always wins.
How many skeins of yarn for a shawl?
In 100 gram skeins of worsted, which run about 170 to 230 yards each, a shawl takes 2 to 4 skeins to knit and 3 to 5 to crochet. With Caron Simply Soft at 315 yards per skein, that is 2 skeins knit or 2 to 3 crocheted. Always count by yards on the label rather than grams, because fiber content changes how far 100 grams goes.
Does crochet use more yarn than knitting for a shawl?
Yes. Crochet usually uses about 25 to 33 percent more yarn than knitting for the same size piece, because crochet stitches are taller and denser. For a shawl in worsted that is 375 to 550 yards knit against 475 to 725 yards crocheted, a difference of up to 175 yards, or about 2 more skeins of 100 grams. Open lacy crochet stitches narrow the gap; dense single crochet widens it.
How much yarn for a shawl in grams?
Divide yards by the yarn's yards per 100 grams, then multiply by 100. Worsted runs about 170 to 230 yards per 100 grams, so a shawl knit in worsted weighs roughly 160 to 320 grams. In bulky (chunky), at 100 to 170 yards per 100 grams, it is about 210 to 500 grams. Grams vary with fiber: wool, cotton and acrylic in the same weight class can differ a lot in yards per gram.
What yarn weight is best for shawls?
CYC-based charts list shawls among the typical projects for lace, super fine (fingering) and fine (sport) yarn. Finer yarn gives drape and detail, while heavier yarn works up faster and warmer. In worsted, a shawl takes 375 to 550 yards knit. Pick the weight your pattern was written for, then match its gauge with a swatch.
How much extra yarn should I buy for a shawl?
Buy 10 to 15 percent more than the estimate, all from the same dye lot, because a second lot can show as a visible stripe. For a shawl at the top of the worsted crochet range, 725 yards, that means about 800 to 840 yards in total. Garter stitch used about 46 percent more yarn than stockinette in one test, and cables, textures and colorwork add more.
How we research: we compare manufacturer specifications, owner manuals, published standards and recurring themes in verified owner reviews. We do not test products in person, and this is researched guidance, not professional advice. Follow your machine manual and pattern, and take care with rotary cutters, hot irons and needles. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.