Yarn weight means how thick the yarn is, not how heavy the ball is. Labels use a number from 0 to 7, and many countries have their own names too. This chart lines them up, with the usual hook and needle sizes.
| Weight | Also called | Wraps per inch | Hook | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 Lace | Cobweb, lace, UK 1 to 2 ply | 30 to 40+ | 1.5 to 2.25 mm | 1.5 to 2.25 mm (US 000 to 1) |
| 1 Super Fine | Sock, fingering, UK 4 ply | 14 to 30 | 2.25 to 3.5 mm | 2.25 to 3.25 mm (US 1 to 3) |
| 2 Fine | Sport, baby, UK 5 ply | 12 to 18 | 3.5 to 4.5 mm | 3.25 to 3.75 mm (US 3 to 5) |
| 3 Light | DK, light worsted, UK 8 ply | 11 to 15 | 4.5 to 5.5 mm | 3.75 to 4.5 mm (US 5 to 7) |
| 4 Medium | Worsted, aran, afghan, UK 10 ply | 9 to 12 | 5.5 to 6.5 mm | 4.5 to 5.5 mm (US 7 to 9) |
| 5 Bulky | Chunky, craft, rug, UK 12 ply | 6 to 9 | 6.5 to 9 mm | 5.5 to 8 mm (US 9 to 11) |
| 6 Super Bulky | Super chunky, roving | 5 to 6 | 9 to 15 mm | 8 to 12.75 mm (US 11 to 17) |
| 7 Jumbo | Jumbo, roving | 1 to 4 | 15 mm and up | 12.75 mm and up (US 17+) |
Most beginner patterns, including our free patterns, use medium (4) yarn. It is thick enough to see your stitches and not so thick that it is hard to work.
Planning a project? The yarn calculator estimates how much you need for each weight.
Questions
What is worsted weight yarn?
Worsted is a medium (4) yarn. In the UK it is close to aran or 10 ply. It is the most common yarn for beginner projects, used with about a 5.5 to 6.5 mm hook.
What is DK yarn in US terms?
DK (double knitting) is a light (3) yarn, also called light worsted. In Australia and New Zealand it is 8 ply.
What is WPI?
Wraps per inch. Wrap the yarn around a pencil without gaps or stretching and count how many wraps fit in 1 inch. It helps you find the weight of an unlabelled yarn.
Keep count with Crochet Counter
The app has this chart in its Tools tab, with the yarn and gauge calculators. The core app is free, has no ads and needs no account. Pro is optional.
