Estimating if have enough yarn left to knit another row

I’m sitting here wondering if you’re all already doing this, because it seems so simple, but it’s something I only thought to do the other day.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m knitting a curl…

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I’d increased it to around 250 stitches when I found myself heading towards the end of the first ball of yarn…

Curl

I looked at my reducing yarn thinking there’s not many things worse than tinking back nearly 250 stitches of lace ,because you overestimated how much yarn you have and ran out just before the end of a row, when I hit on an idea. If I started weighing my yarn a few rows before the end, I could see how much yarn each row was using and therefore if I had enough left for another row.

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When I tried it, my first row teetered between weighing 5g and 6g. Subsequent rows measured…4g, 4g, 3g, 3g, 1g. I was confused by this pattern until I realised the yarn over rows would use less yarn than the ‘return rows’. I was still a little apprehensive, but I went for it and my theory held good. I made it to the end with yarn to spare.

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So, is this a new discovery, or am I just an idiot who hasn’t done this before?

 

32 thoughts on “Estimating if have enough yarn left to knit another row”

      2. I think your idea’s great and would work for more complex stuff, if you work out how much per row, but that’s probably more of a faff than weighing. Weighing did make me think about the lace using different amounts or yarn different rows too – so weighing definitely feels a better option there.

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  3. Not sure my scales are quite precise enough so I normally measure out a few metres of yarn and put a slip knot in for my next row before I think I’m going to run out, that gives me a good idea of how many metres I’m using in each row. I’ve also started splicing the yarn mid row if it’s a bit woolly – very much like that solution 🙂

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    1. Interesting to hear other people’s solutions. Yes, you do need food scales or similar to use my method. I don’t like splicing mid row, even if it is woolly. Certainly would have been crazy to try it on this yarn

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  5. lol I don’t usually weigh, that is a great idea! I am not afraid to change yarns mid row if necessary, though, especially if it is on a rest (purl ) row. I just leave a long tail on each end, and then weave it in after blocking.

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      1. LOL – no nightmares! You don’t have to do it, truly you don’t. 🙂 But seriously, do you never do it when making a sweater or something more solid? It saves having so many leftover bits.

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  6. I have weighed my yarn per row when working on shawls with lacy bits. I don’t why I never thought to post about it 🙂 It is definitely an awesome idea to see how much yarn you are using per row. Since so many patterns repeat, it lets you be the boss of your knitting.

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  7. I knew this before – and constantly keep forgetting to weigh the yarn until it is too late *sigh*

    If it isn’t bind off, I sometimes consider Russian Joint or simple felting. Depends on the pattern but if it isn’t too lacy, it blends in. I prefer braids anyway 🙂

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