It’s October, and that means blanket season
The evenings are drawing in, the heating has gone on, and suddenly all I want to do is curl up on the sofa with a hook in my hand and a pile of yarn on my lap.
If you’re anything like me, October is when the blanket ideas start. A cosy throw for the sofa, a baby blanket for a friend, or that big bed blanket you’ve been dreaming about for years.
But before the first stitch, there’s always the same question: how much yarn do I actually need?
My blankets
I’ve made a few blankets over the years, but the one I’m most proud of is my Home Sweet Home blanket (the one in the picture!).
It was a real labour of love (and a fair bit of swearing!).
It’s worked in C2C, which grows surprisingly fast, but it’s still a king-size blanket. That’s a lot of blocks!
If you like it, you can find the Home Sweet Home pattern here.
But the real reason I’m telling you about it is this: before I started, I had to work out exactly how much yarn to buy to finish it. Too little and you’re hunting for the same dye lot halfway through. Too much and you’ve got a stash mountain in the cupboard (not that I’m complaining).
Meet my free Blanket Yarn Calculator
So I made something to take the guesswork out of it: a free Blanket Yarn Calculator, right here on the blog.
You tell it about your yarn, your swatch and the size of blanket you want, and it tells you how many skeins to buy.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- The weight and length of one skein (from the yarn label, or weigh one on a scale)
- A swatch made in the same yarn, hook and stitch as your blanket
- The size you’d like your blanket to be
It works for two kinds of blankets:
- Blankets worked in rows – you’ll also get an approximate stitch and row count.
- Corner to corner (C2C) blankets – you’ll get the number of blocks across and up, the total number of diagonal rows, and a simple plan telling you when to increase and when to decrease.
You can use metric or imperial, pick a ready-made size (from a little lovey up to a king-size bed), and add an extra allowance for your border and yarn tails.
Blanket Yarn Calculator
Find out how much yarn you need for your crochet blanket, based on your own swatch.
Your C2C plan
The secret is in your swatch
I know, I know – nobody loves making a swatch. But for a blanket it really is worth it, and it only takes a few minutes.
- Use the same stitch as your blanket. Different stitches use very different amounts of yarn, so a swatch in plain Double Crochet (DC – in US terminology) won’t tell you much about a textured stitch like a bobble or a waffle stitch.
- Make it a little bigger than 10 x 10 cm. Around 15 x 15 cm gives a much more accurate result.
- Wash and block it. Treat it just like you’ll treat your finished blanket, so it behaves the same way.
- Weigh it or measure it. A kitchen or jewellery scale is perfect. No scale? Unravel the swatch and measure the yarn with a tape measure instead.
Then pop your numbers into the calculator and you’re ready to shop.
One last tip: buy all your yarn from the same dye lot, so the colour matches from the first row to the last.
If you buy online, you might not be able to choose the dye lot, but usually if you buy yarn in the same day, they should give you the same lot.
Happy blanket making
I hope the calculator saves you a few trips to the yarn shop (or makes those trips a little more planned!).
If you give it a try, I’d love to see what you’re making. Tag me on Instagram at @_elendipity_ or leave a comment below with the blanket you’re planning this autumn.
And if you’d like more free tools, patterns and tips straight to your inbox, you’re very welcome to join my newsletter filling this form.
Happy Crocheting!
Eleonora
- About the Author
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Hi, I’m Eleonora. I grew up in Milan and have been living in London since 2019. I left a corporate career to turn my lifelong passion for crafts into a full-time creative business. Creating with my hands has always been part of who I am – from crochet to sewing, from small handmade projects to full garments. I also have a soft spot for animals, especially cats. I started crocheting at a young age and later taught myself how to sew through books and online tutorials. Over time, I began experimenting with different techniques, patterns, and materials, discovering just how powerful and calming handmade creativity can be. That journey led me to share my knowledge online, first through YouTube and later through classes, patterns, and workshops. Today, I’m a crochet and embroidery teacher, helping others learn at their own pace and find confidence through making.
