Free knitting tool
What yarn weight is this tension?
Old patterns often name a yarn that no longer exists, but nearly all of them give a tension (gauge), such as “7½ sts to 1 inch”. Tension tells you how thick the yarn was. Enter your pattern’s stocking stitch tension and we’ll suggest the modern yarn weight that knits to it, with the usual needle range.
Find the yarn weight
Tension and yarn weight chart
| Yarn weight | Sts per 10 cm / 4 in | Sts per inch | Typical needles |
|---|
How this works, and its limits
- We convert your tension to stitches per 10 cm (4 in) and compare it with the standard ranges published for each yarn weight. Our bands are a little narrower than the official ones so each tension gets one best answer. If your figure sits near the edge of a band, we tell you both possibilities.
- This only works for stocking stitch tension. Rib, lace, cables and textured stitches pull in or spread out, so they give misleading figures.
- Patterns don’t always knit a yarn at its label tension. Many 1940s and 1950s patterns use a firm tension on fine needles, so a 3-ply garment might be knitted at 4-ply tension. Lace and mohair are often knitted much more loosely. If you add the needle size, we’ll flag these cases.
- Ply names are only a rough guide. Vintage “2-ply”, “3-ply” and “4-ply” describe thickness, not how many strands a modern yarn has. Some 2-ply jumper-weight yarns knit at about 4-ply tension.
- Always knit a tension square in the yarn you choose before you start.
Want a vintage pattern already rewritten for your size and gauge? Browse our patterns. For a closer look at the finer weights, read our guide to 3-ply yarn equivalents.