Sock Yardage Estimator
Posted on 12.26.05 by lucia @ 10:45 am

This calculator provides a rough estimate of the total amount of yarn you will need if you knit a sock using stockinette or broken rib1. The estimate is for a generic ankle sock; some shapes may use more, some less. (Knee socks require a more complicated program. I may write one soon!)

To use the form, refer to this illustration, and change the values I put in the form to your values. If you have javascript turned on, the form should fill with numbers.

Sock Schematic
Enter stitch gauge: stitches per inch.
Enter the sock length of the sock measured from top to bottom of heel turn as illustrated on sock to the left and above. (This includes the length of any heel flap.) inches long.
Enter sock foot length:
Shown on both socks.		 inches long.
Enter sock circumference:
Shown on sock on right. If you have a sock that fits your foot, you can determine this by laying the sock flat, measuring across the foot, and multiplying by two. 		inches around.

Results:

Based on the values you provided, the number of stitches around your sock foot and ankle should be about stitches.) If your pattern has a few more stitches, add a bit to this estimate. (Or increase the sock circumference to make the stitches match.)

I estimate you will need yards ( meters) to knit two socks in stockinette stitch and yards ( meters) to knit in broken rib.

Other stitch patterns may take more or less yarn.

1. The yardage estimate for broken rib is given because I collected data to estimate yardage with the stitch pattern. It takes up more yarn than stockinette and illustrates how the stitch pattern affects the amount of yarn required. It is not necessarily a good stitch pattern for socks. 2. To find other sock tips, techniques, patterns and tools visit my hand knit sock links page.

Comments: 6


Please leave comments! 6 Comments

6 Comments »

  1. Thank you for this.

    Comment by Coggie — 12/26/2005 @ 1:00 pm

  2. [...] Take a photo, and show the world your socks. Notes: 1. If you prefer to knit using 5 needles, divide the stitches on needle #2 and place on two needles. Then call the needles 2a and 2b. While knitting the gusset, just knit across all stitches. Later, when shaping the foot, work the decrease on 2a, knit to the end of that needle. Then, knit until 3 stitches remain on 2b, k2tog, k1. This is filed with other patterns in pattern generators and also in sock knitting patterns, tips and techniques. 1. Added Dec. 26. I knit both, and need to weight the remaining ball to figure out exactly how much yardage I used; 300 meters may be close to what I used. I now have a sock yardage estimator on line. Previous posts: ( Heel Turn Haiku | Home | Graft Toe)   [...]

    Pingback by The Knitting Fiend » Blog Archive » Sock-u-lator Socks — 1/4/2006 @ 1:45 pm

  3. [...] Check out these two sites for some yardage calculators. It can help you construct your chart. Both are excellent resources. And don"t forget – that LYS (local yarn store) is a great resource – they are there and anxious to help. [...]

    Pingback by Hankering for Yarn » Confused About How Much Yarn To Buy? — 1/17/2006 @ 3:11 am

  4. [...] Sock Yardage Estimator [...]

    Pingback by How Much Yarn Do You Need? ? Knitmodo - Everything for the Discerning Knitter — 4/28/2006 @ 12:24 am

  5. WOW. This is great for all of the leftover yarn I have. And when buying hank yarn.

    Comment by Peggy — 3/11/2009 @ 9:58 am

  6. This is great. Thank you for putting it out there for us. It is a good tool for figuring out if you can get two socks out of a shank of yarn.

    Comment by Deb Kutchery — 3/11/2009 @ 10:27 am

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