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Yarn weight

Yarn weight calculator

Wrap the yarn around a pencil, count the wraps in an inch, and find the matching Craft Yarn Council weight categories.

Wrap the yarn snugly around a pencil, side by side, then count how many wraps fit in one inch.

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Enter a wraps-per-inch count to see the matching Craft Yarn Council weight categories.

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What this calculation does not account for
  • WPI is subjective — results vary with how tightly you wrap. The Craft Yarn Council recommends practicing on a known-weight yarn.
  • CYC WPI ranges overlap, so a value can match more than one category. The tool shows all possibilities rather than guessing.
  • The CYC gauge ranges are guidelines only, and lace gauge is hard to pin down.
  • WPI identifies weight, not yardage — it never converts wraps to how much yarn you need.
Last updated 25 August 2026Found a wrong number? Tell us.
How to measure wraps per inch
  1. Wrap the yarn around a pencil or another cylinder with a consistent circumference, for a few inches.
  2. Keep it snug — wraps side by side, no overlaps, no large gaps, and do not pull too tight.
  3. Count how many wraps fit in one inch, and measure in a few places like you would a gauge swatch.

Based on the Craft Yarn Council's Wraps Per Inch guide and Standard Yarn Weight System.