Label basics
Read a yarn label before planning your purchase
For shopping arithmetic, the most useful label details are the exact yarn, the colour and the length in each ball. Grams describe mass; they are not a universal measure of how far a ball will go.
Copy the complete identity
Record the brand and range, not just a broad description such as cotton or DK. Copy the shade name or number, and keep any dye-lot information with your project notes. Before ordering, check that the retailer’s selected variant matches what you wrote down. A link to a range does not necessarily select your colour.
Separate grams from yarn weight category
A label may describe the ball as 100g and also use a thickness category such as DK. These describe different things. The Craft Yarn Council publishes label and weight-symbol references; use the actual yarn label alongside the pattern’s requirements rather than treating a category as a complete specification.
Copy the length per individual ball
If the label says 100g / 200m, use 200 as metres per ball. If the shop sells three of those balls together, keep 200 as the per-ball length and enter 3 as balls per pack. Entering 600m per ball as well as 3 per pack would count the pack size twice and understate the number of packs required.
Convert yards without changing the label field
The shopping planner can take pattern quantities and stash in yards, while the ball-length field remains metres. One yard is 0.9144m, so a label giving only 200yd corresponds to 182.88m per ball. Keep enough precision for the calculation and do not switch units without updating the values.
Treat hook and tension information separately
Labels can show recommended tools and tension information. Those are relevant to making the fabric, while our calculator only converts your entered requirement into a purchase. It cannot confirm garment fit or make two yarns interchangeable. Follow your pattern’s swatch and tension instructions before relying on a changed yarn choice.
Keep a record when the band comes off
A quick photograph or written note preserves the exact product and length-to-weight ratio for a later top-up. The leftover converter can estimate metres from grams only when you know which yarn you are weighing. For unidentified leftovers, enter a measured length you trust or keep the uncertainty outside a supposedly exact shopping plan.
| Label or listing | Planner entry |
|---|---|
| 100g / 200m per ball | Metres per ball: 200 |
| Three balls of the same shade | Balls per pack: 3 |
| £6 for the whole pack | Price for one pack: £6 |
| Pattern requires 650m | Pattern length: 650; units: m |
| Usable matching stash: 50m | Already owned: 50 |
Check before you move on
- Exact range and shade recorded
- Metres per individual ball separated from pack size
- Pattern and stash units consistent
- Label or photo kept for later top-ups
Try it with your own numbers.
Calculate whole balls or packs for every colour. Subtract your stash and add UK delivery.
Build my list ↗Common questions
Does 100g always contain the same length?
No. Read the length printed for the exact yarn. A leftover conversion also needs that yarn’s own length-to-weight ratio.
Sources and scope
Sources checked 29 September 2026. Label facts come from the linked references; worked purchase examples and arithmetic are our own illustrations.
Keep planning
- How many balls of yarn do I need?
- Subtract the yarn you already own
- Yarn multipacks vs single balls: compare the whole order
- Check your measuring and planning kit
These are planning methods, not physically tested crochet patterns. Read our method and editorial approach.