A worked example
The cheaper pack can cost more.
Suppose you need 450m of blue and 150m of cream, with 100m per ball and no stash. You need at least 5 blue balls and 2 cream balls.
| Illustrative offer | Buy | Yarn | Delivery | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: single balls at £2 | 5 blue + 2 cream | £14 | £3 | £17 |
| B: 3-ball packs at £5 | 2 blue packs + 1 cream pack | £15 | £4 | £19 |
Offer B has a lower price per ball but requires 9 balls instead of 7. Offer A costs £2 less for this particular order. These are invented prices for the example, not live offers.
How the comparison works
For each colour, we add any chosen allowance, subtract the usable length you own, divide by metres per ball and round up. We then round up again to whole packs for each offer. The order cost is the total price of those packs plus one delivery charge. A colour with enough stash needs no new packs.
Before you choose an offer
Check that both shops offer the exact yarn, ball size and shades on your list. The tool compares your entered prices; it does not check stock, dye lots, free-delivery thresholds or vouchers. If you are changing yarn, check suitability separately. This comparison assumes the same yarn and quantities on both sides.
Read the full cost comparison guide · Why colours must be calculated separately