Yarn Weight Chart

CYC 0–7 · data reviewed 15 Aug 2026

Yarn weight chart — see what each number means.

Start with the live DK preview, then compare any weight from Lace to Jumbo without leaving the page.

Which number should you use? WPI for an unlabeled yarn, gauge for pattern fit, m/100 g for ball-band comparison, and needle or hook size as a swatch starting point.

Translate a label or pattern

What term are you looking at?

Search US, UK, AU/NZ, CYC, or Japanese terms. “4 ply” asks what the 4 means before resolving.

Result

DK / light worsted · CYC 3

3/3 High confidence

Default preset preview

DK / light worsted

CYC 3 · Light

3
Illustrative skein; the strand scale carries the comparison.
Relative CYC thickness · DK / light worsted. The line is illustrative, not a physical diameter.
Wraps per inch11–15More wraps in one inch usually means a finer strand; fewer means thicker.
Knit gauge21–24 sts / 4 inMore stitches in the same width usually means finer yarn; match the pattern gauge.
Needle / hook3.75–4.5 mm · 4.5–5.5 mmTool sizes generally increase with yarn thickness; use this range to start the swatch.
Ball-band density210–250 m/100 gFewer metres per 100 g usually means thicker yarn; more metres means finer.
Start here, then compare a neighbour

Names you may see on other labels

US / common
DK, light worsted†
UK
double knitting, DK
AU / NZ
8 ply
Japan
合太 aibuto, 並太 namibuto†

† Published references overlap or disagree. Use the ball-band numbers and pattern gauge to decide.

The graphics explain the published range; the pattern gauge and a blocked swatch still decide the finished fabric.

Use the live preview, or continue with your own yarn.

Compare all 8 weights

Keep the neighbours visible

Lace → Jumbo continuum

The selected strand stays on one fixed visual scale; neighbouring weights remain visible for comparison.

Visual reference first

See all eight yarn weights before reading the table

Each card keeps strand thickness, WPI, gauge, needle size, and m/100 g together. Tap a card to load its complete preview above.

Which measurement should I use?

WPI
Use when the yarn has no readable label.
Gauge
Use when a pattern must finish at the right size.
m / 100 g
Use to compare two real ball bands.
Needle / hook
Use as a starting point for your swatch—not a guarantee.

How the answer is built

Three evidence levels, kept separate

01

Read the convention

CYC rows are standards guidance. UK, AU/NZ, and Japanese names are published conventions that can overlap.

02

Use the label numbers

Length per 100 g is reproducible comparison evidence, but fibre density, loft, twist, and construction still affect fabric.

03

Confirm the fabric

Gauge, drape, and hand come from a blocked swatch in the pattern stitch. No category table can replace it.

Printable reference

Yarn weight comparison chart

Official CYC 0–7 guidance plus clearly marked regional comparisons. A dagger † means credible references disagree.

Comparison of CYC categories 0–7. Ranges are guidance, not an interchangeability guarantee.
CYC US / common UK AU / NZ Japanese comparison Knit gauge Needles Crochet gauge Hooks m / 100 g WPI
0 · Lace Lace, cobweb, light fingering† 1 ply, 2 ply, 3 ply† 2 ply, 3 ply† 極細 gokuboso · 合細 aiboso† 33–40 sts / 4 in 1.5–2.25 mm · US 000–1 32–42 dc / 4 in 1.4–2.25 mm · US steel 6–8 / B-1 600–1100 m/100 g 30–40+
1 · Super Fine Fingering, sock, baby† 4 ply† 4 ply† 合細 aiboso · 中細 chūboso† 27–32 sts / 4 in 2.25–3.25 mm · US 1–3 21–32 sc / 4 in 2.25–3.5 mm · US B-1–E-4 420–580 m/100 g 14–30
2 · Fine Sport, baby† 5 ply, sport 5 ply 中細 chūboso · 合太 aibuto† 23–26 sts / 4 in 3.25–3.75 mm · US 3–5 16–20 sc / 4 in 3.5–4.5 mm · US E-4–7 260–400 m/100 g 12–18
3 · Light DK, light worsted† double knitting, DK 8 ply 合太 aibuto · 並太 namibuto† 21–24 sts / 4 in 3.75–4.5 mm · US 5–7 12–17 sc / 4 in 4.5–5.5 mm · US 7–I-9 210–250 m/100 g 11–15
4 · Medium Worsted, Afghan, Aran† Aran† 10 ply 並太 namibuto† 16–20 sts / 4 in 4.5–5.5 mm · US 7–9 11–14 sc / 4 in 5.5–6.5 mm · US I-9–K-10½ 130–200 m/100 g 9–12
5 · Bulky Bulky, chunky, craft, rug Chunky 12 ply, 14 ply† 極太 gokubuto† 12–15 sts / 4 in 5.5–8 mm · US 9–11 8–11 sc / 4 in 6.5–9 mm · US K-10½–M-13 90–120 m/100 g 6–9
6 · Super Bulky Super bulky, roving† Super chunky 14 ply, 16 ply† 超極太 chōgokubuto† 7–11 sts / 4 in 8–12.75 mm · US 11–17 7–9 sc / 4 in 9–15 mm · US M-13–Q 40–80 m/100 g 5–6
7 · Jumbo Jumbo, roving† Jumbo Jumbo ジャンボ · ロービング† 6 or fewer sts / 4 in 12.75 mm or larger · US 17 or larger 6 or fewer sc / 4 in 15 mm or larger · US Q or larger below 40 m/100 g 1–4
  1. CYC guidance: follow the pattern’s gauge and make a blocked swatch. Same category does not guarantee the same hand or drape.
  2. Grist: metres per 100 g are DMC/Cowgirlblues published orientation bands, not CYC standard fields and not physical diameter.
  3. WPI: current CYC bands overlap substantially and depend on wrapping tension.
  4. Regional/Japanese names: comparisons retain disagreement instead of merging sources into one false equivalence.

Source posture

What this chart can—and cannot—tell you

The controlling CYC rows and WPI table were reviewed on 15 August 2026. Regional terms and length-per-mass bands come from named published references. Thresholds used to rank evidence are practical comparison rules, not standards.

CYC weight system CYC WPI method DMC yarn-weight guide

Private by design: no analytics, cookies, ads, API calls, external fonts, or account. Shared calculation state lives after the # in the URL, which browsers do not send in the HTTP request.

Yarn Weight Chart

Effective 15 August 2026

These terms apply to yarnweightchart.com. Use its reference data and calculations as practical craft guidance—not a guarantee of fit, fabric, safety, stock, or product performance.

What the tool provides

The site translates yarn-weight terminology, ranks likely CYC categories from measurements, and calculates candidate-yarn quantity from the numbers you enter. Some outputs are exact arithmetic; other outputs are standards guidance, published conventions, or explicitly labelled practical comparison rules.

Substitution and held-strand limits

Yarns with the same category or similar metres per 100 g can still differ in fibre, twist, ply structure, loft, elasticity, drape, durability, wash behaviour, and colour. Held-strand calculations assume every metre worked consumes one metre from every active strand. A compatibility verdict identifies a candidate to investigate; it never means yarns are interchangeable.

Follow the pattern, verify manufacturer labels, make a swatch in the pattern stitch, wash or block it as the finished item will be treated, and measure it before purchasing project quantity.

Input, rounding, and reference scope

Results depend on the units and values you enter. Each source yarn is rounded up to whole balls independently. Planning contingency is optional. The chart covers CYC categories 0–7 and named regional comparison sources reviewed on 15 August 2026; regional and Japanese comparisons are ranges where sources disagree.

Warranty, liability, and permitted use

The site is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of accuracy, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or uninterrupted availability, to the extent permitted by law. To the extent permitted by law, the operator is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or economic loss, including wasted yarn, project rework, fit differences, or purchasing decisions.

You may use and print the public reference for personal, educational, or ordinary professional craft work. Do not interfere with the service, attempt unauthorised access, present its output as certification, or republish the complete site as your own service.

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