Yarn “weight” isn’t about grams. It’s about how thick the strand is. Thicker yarn knits up faster with bigger needles. Thinner yarn makes lighter, finer fabric. Here’s the whole system on one page.
Yarn weight chart
Gauge, needle and hook ranges are from the Craft Yarn Council’s standard yarn weight system, which most US yarn labels use (look for the little yarn-ball symbol with a number). Gauge is stockinette stitches per 4 inches. Yards per 100 g is a typical range we’ve added; check your label.
| Weight | Also called | Knit gauge (4 in) | Needles | Hooks | Typical yd / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Lace | Lace, light fingering | 33–40 sts | 1.5–2.25 mm (US 000–1) | Steel 1.4–1.6 mm, or 2.25 mm (B-1) | about 600–800+ yd |
| 1 Super Fine | Fingering, sock, baby | 27–32 sts | 2.25–3.25 mm (US 1–3) | 2.25–3.5 mm (B-1 to E-4) | about 350–450 yd |
| 2 Fine | Sport, baby | 23–26 sts | 3.25–3.75 mm (US 3–5) | 3.5–4.5 mm (E-4 to 7) | about 300–350 yd |
| 3 Light | DK, light worsted | 21–24 sts | 3.75–4.5 mm (US 5–7) | 4.5–5.5 mm (7 to I-9) | about 220–270 yd |
| 4 Medium | Worsted, aran, afghan | 16–20 sts | 4.5–5.5 mm (US 7–9) | 5.5–6.5 mm (I-9 to K-10½) | about 170–220 yd |
| 5 Bulky | Chunky, craft, rug | 12–15 sts | 5.5–8 mm (US 9–11) | 6.5–9 mm (K-10½ to M-13) | about 100–150 yd |
| 6 Super Bulky | Super bulky, roving | 7–11 sts | 8–12.75 mm (US 11–17) | 9–15 mm (M-13 to Q) | about 60–100 yd |
| 7 Jumbo | Jumbo, roving | 6 sts or fewer | 12.75 mm+ (US 17+) | 15 mm+ (Q and larger) | about 20–50 yd |
What each weight is good for
- Lace (0): airy shawls and doilies. Slow going, gorgeous results.
- Fingering (1): socks, baby clothes, lightweight sweaters and shawls.
- Sport (2): baby things, light sweaters, accessories.
- DK (3): the all-rounder. Sweaters, hats, baby blankets, amigurumi.
- Worsted / aran (4): the most popular weight in the US. Blankets, hats, cozy sweaters, dishcloths.
- Bulky (5): quick hats, cowls, chunky throws.
- Super bulky and jumbo (6–7): weekend blankets, arm knitting, statement scarves.
US, UK and Australian names
| US | UK | Australia / NZ |
|---|---|---|
| Fingering | 4-ply | 4-ply |
| Sport | 5-ply | 5-ply |
| DK / light worsted | DK | 8-ply |
| Worsted | Aran | 10-ply |
| Bulky | Chunky | 12-ply |
| Super bulky | Super chunky | 14-ply+ |
Ply names are a rough guide. Modern yarns can have any number of plies, so the gauge on the label is the thing to trust.
Switching to a different weight
Want to use a thicker or thinner yarn than your pattern? The yarn substitution calculator estimates how much of the new yarn to buy, and our guide on using DK instead of worsted covers what changes in the fabric.
Free calculatorYarn substitutionSwap a yarn →Questions
What is the most common yarn weight?
In the US, worsted (medium, #4) is the most widely used weight for everyday knitting and crochet projects like blankets and hats.
How do I tell the weight of a yarn with no label?
Wrap it snugly around a ruler for one inch without stretching, and count the wraps (wraps per inch). More wraps means thinner yarn. Roughly, worsted lands around 9 wraps per inch and DK around 11. Then swatch to confirm.
Is aran the same as worsted?
They’re both category 4 (Medium). Aran is usually a touch thicker than worsted, but most patterns treat them as interchangeable. Check the gauge to be safe.