Crocheting a blanket can be a great way to add your personal touch to your home or that of a loved one. You may be wondering how much yarn you'll be needing to crochet a king-size blanket. We've thoroughly looked through all the information available and have found some ways to figure out how many skeins you'll need and how long it might take.
There is no way to advise on the exact amount of yarn you will need for a project since stitch tension will vary from person to person. The size of the needle as well as the texture and thickness of your material will also affect the amount of yarn you will need. Here are some ways you can calculate it:
- Make a sample and weigh it
- Work your first motif and measure it
- Compare your stitches to the gauge in the pattern
It's important to know how much yarn to get for a project so that you don't run out or have too many skeins of yarn leftover. We'll discuss each way to find out how much yarn you may need to finish your blanket. Keep reading as we go over how large a king-size bed is and how long it might take you to make a blanket of the right size.
Are All King-Size Beds The Same Size?
To make sure you have the yarn for a king-size blanket, you'll need to decide how large you'll want to make the blanket. There are typically two types of king-size beds. The standard king measures 76 inches by 80 inches. There is also a California king, also known as a western king, that is 4 inches longer.
A blanket for this size bed is typically 108 inches long but can vary in width. The width should be between 90 and 100 inches. A king-size blanket should cover either the standard king or the California king bed.
How Many Skeins Of Yarn Do I Need For King-Size Blanket?
To figure out how many skeins of yarn you'll need, you'll want to know your stitch style and how loose the pattern stitch is. A pattern made up of tight single crochet stitches will use more yarn than a doily motif afghan blanket with loose stitches.
Almost all patterns have some point where they say to continue as you have in the same sequence of stitches until nearly the end of the piece. This is called the repeat, stitch repeat, or pattern repeat. It can be just one line or many lines that continue in a sequence.
Find out the gauge and tension of your stitches for this project by making a test piece with similar yarn you already have on hand. Work the same number of stitches until the pattern repeat. If you are making a granny square or style blanket, make one square or motif for your sample.
Make Your First Sample And Weigh It
Once you have a sample of your work, use a kitchen scale to weigh it. Be sure to fold your swatch so that it's completely on the scale. If it won't stay folded, put your needle on the scale first and press tare to zero the weight of the needle. Then, fold your work and put your crochet needle on top.
Dividing this weight into the total number of repeats in the pattern will give you a rough idea of how much yarn you'll need since the yarn is usually sold by the gram or ounce as well as by the yard.
If your pattern is made up of multiple colors, you'll want to make a sample of each color and weigh it, or if the colors are relatively even, divide the total amount of yarn needed by the number of colors to find out how much you'll need for each color. Be sure to add an extra skein or two for the border stitches.
Work Your First Motif And Measure It
A more precise way to see how much yarn you'll need is to make your first piece of the pattern and then unravel it and measure the lines.
Keep in mind whether weighing or measuring, you do not want to include the first line or border or the last lines and border since these usually differ from the rest of your work. Add an extra skein for these.
It can either be for knitting or crochet work. Once you have your measurement of the color, you would then multiply it by the number of repeats for that color in the pattern. This will let you know how much you need for each color. This video discusses how to measure your work when doing multiple colors.
Compare Your Work To The Gauge In The Pattern
In the pattern, it will have a gauge. This is the number of stitches the author or designer makes per the number of inches measured. Experts recommend making a gauge swatch or sample to make sure your stitches are similar in tension to what is needed to work the pattern.
A standard-gauge swatch is usually 4 inches by 4 inches, but make yours according to the pattern you are working on and then compare. If your stitches are tighter or looser, then adjust your stitches to fit the gauge given. This way you'll be able to use the amount of yarn stated.
Use a tool like the one below to properly measure your swatch. It has a conversion chart listed on it for both knitting and crochet needles.
Click here to see this swatch gauge on Amazon.
How Long Does It Take To Crochet A Blanket For Beginners?
A blanket can usually take longer than most other projects, but it will depend on your skill level, the thickness of the yarn, the type of stitches, and the size of the needle. A beginner can take a few days just to make a baby blanket. A king-size blanket may take a few months to craft.
It's possible to improve your speed in a short amount of time through practice. Some veteran crochet artists may only take a few hours on a baby blanket and a few weeks on an adult blanket.
To find out how long your project may take you in actual minutes, you can make a sample or swatch and time yourself. Measure the swatch and find out how many swatches or repeats will be in your blanket. Then multiply the minutes it took you to work your swatch by the number of swatches in your blanket.
Which Is Faster, Knitting Or Crocheting A Blanket?
Crocheting is usually the fastest and easiest project for a beginner. Knitting has a closer weave and many more types of stitches and techniques. For a beginner, it may feel like a lot of work goes into a small amount of product.
What Kind Of Blanket Is Easiest To Crochet For A Beginner?
To cut the amount of time you will need to spend to get a finished project, consider doing a simpler pattern. One with only one or two stitches that repeat in a short, easy-to-remember pattern is faster to work and easier for a beginner, as there is less to remember and less need to consult the pattern after every line.
This blanket has a one-line repeat. It creates the same shell that is repeated throughout the whole blanket. It starts by chaining the number of stitches it will take to reach your desired width.
Then you'll be making the same shells in every third stitch. Make sure your chain is longer than your blanket width, as the material will shrink.
To read more about finished crochet projects and what to do if it shrinks too much, take a look at this article: Does Crochet Shrink? [And How To Un-Shrink It]
You may also choose to just order a kit if you are a beginner at crocheting blankets. This kit comes with the amount of yarn you'll need as well as the needle and pattern. Its difficulty level is rated as easy.
Click here to see this blanket crochet kit on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to figure out how much yarn you'll need and how long it might take to work at it, schedule some time every day to stitch your project uninterrupted. Don't hurry but rather enjoy the process. This way, you'll have a blanket that looks great, and the time you took to craft it won't seem too long at all.
Do you want to go deeper into the world of crochet? Read the following for more ideas:
