I plan to knit the Chic Cable Sweater from a pattern I got from Ravelry. The yarn recommended is Red Heart Shimmer, 100 gram balls, 280 yards. I am going to use Knit Picks Simply cotton worsted, which are also 100 grams, but only 164 yards. So I need to make sure the yardage is enough, rather than the weight. Is this the correct way to make sure I have enough yarn for my project?
Choosing yarn
It’s a good way to get started, but be sure to buy an extra skein, just in case.
Yes, multiply the yardage in the pattern to find the total used, then divide the 164 yards into that number to find how many balls of the simply cotton. Cotton weighs a lot more than acrylic or wool, which is why there’s less yardage in a ball. Yarn is sold by weight so the yardage can differ depending on the fiber.
Thanks Suzeeq! On the last sweater I made, I matched the cotton yarn recommended for another, and so the weight matched. I started this project, and realized that I should have been thinking about yardage, not weight. I was very lucky to realize my mistake early enough. I was able to get enough yarn with the matching dye lot to continue on. Big whew! I also got another ball, just to make sure I have enough yarn. That way I can make the sweater and sleeves a little longer, as well. Lisa