Knitting Gauge Calculator | Stitch & Row Conversion, Even Increases/Decreases, Rows-Stitches-Times, Needle Sizes, Yarn Amounts
Enter the gauge printed on the pattern (stitches and rows per 10 cm square) and the gauge of your own swatch, and the tool converts the pattern's stitch and row counts to your gauge. Counts can be rounded to a pattern repeat, such as a multiple of 4 plus 2 for 2x2 rib, and it shows how large the piece would turn out if you knit the pattern as written. You can also get the cast-on number from a measurement in cm. For “increase (decrease) N stitches evenly,” it gives step-by-step instructions such as “[knit 10, increase] 9 times,” with a diagram of the row, for both flat and in-the-round knitting. For shaping every few rows, as in sleeves, armholes and necklines, it works out the spacing in the pattern notation “6-1-4” (rows-stitches-times). It also includes a chart of Japanese knitting needle, crochet hook and lace hook sizes against mm, US and UK sizes, a guide to yarn weights (worsted, DK and so on) with suggested needles, the number of balls needed when substituting a different yarn (converted by length), and the total yarn needed for a project from the weight of your swatch.
Enter your gauge
Gauge is the number of stitches and rows in a 10 cm square. Enter the gauge printed on the pattern and the gauge you measured on your own swatch.
Pattern gauge
Your gauge
Stitch count rounding (pattern repeat)
What do you want to calculate?
Stitches at your gauge
100sts
Calculated: 100 sts
Rows at your gauge
140rows
Calculated: 140 rows
Finished size (pattern)
50×50cm
After conversion: 50 x 50 cm
Knitted as written
55×53.6cm
Width +10% (larger)
Stitch gauge compared with the pattern: fewer stitches per 10 cm (looser), so knitting the pattern as written will turn out larger. Either re-knit with needles 1–2 sizes smaller, or knit with the stitch and row counts above.
What you enter is saved only in this browser and is not sent to a server.
ABOUT
About Knitting Gauge Calculator | Stitch & Row Conversion, Even Increases/Decreases, Rows-Stitches-Times, Needle Sizes, Yarn Amounts
The Knitting Gauge Calculator gathers the calculations you need to get the size the pattern intends. Gauge is the number of stitches and rows in a 10 cm square. If the pattern says “22 stitches x 30 rows” but your swatch gives “20 stitches x 28 rows,” knitting the same stitch count makes the piece about 10% larger. Enter the pattern's stitch and row counts and the tool works out the counts that give the same size at your gauge, rounded to the pattern repeat, for example a multiple of 4 plus 2 for 2x2 rib (example: 110 stitches at a 22-stitch gauge = 50 cm; at a 20-stitch gauge that is 100 stitches, or 102 with the multiple of 4 plus 2). You can also get the cast-on number from a measurement in cm. For changes within a single row, such as “increase 10 stitches evenly across 100,” it gives instructions and a row diagram: for flat knitting, “knit 5, increase → [knit 10, increase] 9 times → knit 5 at the end”; for reducing 96 stitches to 84 in the round, “[knit 6, k2tog] 12 times.” For shaping every few rows, as in sleeves, armholes and necklines, it gives the spacing in the pattern notation “rows-stitches-times” (6-1-4 = 1 stitch every 6 rows, 4 times). It also includes a chart of Japanese knitting needles (No. 0 / 2.1 mm to No. 15 / 6.6 mm), crochet hooks (2/0 to 10/0) and lace hooks against mm, US and UK sizes, a guide to yarn weights such as worsted and DK with suggested needles, the number of balls needed when substituting a different yarn (converted by length, not by weight), and the total yarn for a project from the weight of your swatch.
How to use Knitting Gauge Calculator | Stitch & Row Conversion, Even Increases/Decreases, Rows-Stitches-Times, Needle Sizes, Yarn Amounts
- 1In “Gauge conversion,” enter the pattern's gauge (stitches and rows per 10 cm) and your own gauge (you can also enter the stitch count and width measured on your swatch)
- 2Enter the pattern's stitch and row counts, choose a pattern repeat such as 2x2 rib, and check the counts at your gauge
- 3In “Even increases/decreases,” enter your current stitch count, the number to increase (or decrease), and flat or in the round, then knit exactly as the steps say
- 4In “Shaping rows (rows-stitches-times),” enter the number of rows and the stitches on one side, choose whether to shape only on right-side rows, and check the pattern notation
- 5In “Needle sizes,” convert the needle in a pattern (for example US 8 or 7.5/0) to a Japanese size or mm
- 6In “Yarn balls,” enter the yarn in the pattern and the length and weight of one ball of your yarn to see how many balls to buy
- 7Use “Copy result” to make a note, or “Copy URL for these settings” to save or share them
Great for
- My swatch gauge does not match the pattern, and I want to recalculate the stitches and rows for my gauge
- I want to decide the cast-on number from a measurement in cm, such as chest circumference or hat circumference
- The pattern says “increase N stitches evenly” where the ribbing changes to the body, and I want to know how often to increase
- I want to know where to decrease evenly in the round at the top of a hat or on a yoke
- I want to calculate how many rows apart to do sleeve increases or armhole and neckline decreases, and how many times (rows-stitches-times)
- I want to convert the needle size in a foreign pattern (such as US 8) to a Japanese size
- I want to check in a chart how many mm a 7.5/0 crochet hook or a No. 6 knitting needle is
- I am using a different yarn from the pattern and want to know how many balls to buy
Good to know
- For an accurate gauge, treat the swatch the way you will finish the piece (wash it or steam it) and let it relax, then measure a 10 cm area in the center, away from the edges.
- Stitch counts are rounded to the pattern repeat (for example, 2x2 rib is a multiple of 4 plus 2), so they differ slightly from the calculated counts. The size after rounding is shown too, so you can check whether the difference is acceptable.
- Row counts are rounded to an even number on the assumption of flat knitting, where right-side and wrong-side rows alternate. If an odd number is fine, such as in the round, uncheck the option.
- Even increases and decreases are counted as adding one stitch between knit stitches for an increase and as k2tog (two stitches into one) for a decrease. For flat knitting, knit stitches are left at both ends so that nothing is increased or decreased at the edge.
- For even increases and decreases, “Group equal spacing” favors an easy-to-remember pattern, while “Spread long and short” distributes the changes evenly across the whole row. In both cases the spacing differs by at most one stitch.
- Rows-stitches-times is written from the top (end of knitting) to the bottom (start of knitting), as in Japanese patterns. Knit from the bottom line up. When shaping on both sides, the change in stitch count is twice that of one side.
- Needle size conversion shows the size whose thickness (mm) is closest. If a system has no size with exactly the same thickness, it is shown as a “close size.” Sizes may differ slightly between manufacturers.
- The needle and gauge guidelines for yarn weights are general ranges. In practice, follow the suggested needle and gauge on the yarn label first.
- The number of balls is calculated as the amount needed to knit the same length. Yarns of different thickness also change the gauge, so it is safer to swatch first and then decide how much extra to buy. Buying yarn from the same dye lot is recommended.
- What you enter is saved only in this browser and is not sent to a server.
Questions this tool answers
Use Knitting Gauge Calculator | Stitch & Row Conversion, Even Increases/Decreases, Rows-Stitches-Times, Needle Sizes, Yarn Amounts for searches like these:
- I want to calculate stitches and rows when my gauge differs from the pattern
- I want to calculate the cast-on number from a measurement
- I want to know how often to increase or decrease N stitches evenly
- I want to know where to decrease evenly on a hat knit in the round
- I want to calculate how many rows apart to do sleeve increases
- I want to know how to read rows-stitches-times in a pattern
- I want to know how many mm a knitting needle or crochet hook is and convert it to US sizes
- I want to calculate how many balls I need when knitting with a different yarn
FAQ
- How do I calculate the stitch count when my gauge differs from the pattern?
- Divide the pattern's stitch count by the pattern gauge and multiply by 10 to get the size in cm, then multiply that size by your gauge and divide by 10 to get your stitch count. If the pattern has 110 stitches at a 22-stitch gauge (50 cm) and your gauge is 20 stitches, then 50 x 20 ÷ 10 = 100 stitches. If you round to a multiple of 4 plus 2 for 2x2 rib, it becomes 102 stitches. Rows are calculated the same way.
- When my gauge is off, is it better to change the needles or the stitch count?
- Generally, if you have more stitches per 10 cm than the pattern (your knitting is tight), go up one or two needle sizes; if you have fewer (loose), go down one or two sizes, and make a new swatch. If changing needles does not work or you do not want to change the fabric, use this tool to convert the stitch and row counts to your gauge and knit those.
- How do I knit “increase 10 stitches evenly across 100”?
- For flat knitting, divide the 100 stitches into spaces separated by 10 increases, leaving half of the shortest space at each end so you do not increase at the edges. “Knit 5, increase → [knit 10, increase] 9 times → knit 5 at the end” gives 110 stitches. In the round, the start and end join up, so it is “[knit 10, increase] 10 times.”
- How do I decrease evenly from 96 to 84 stitches in the round?
- You are removing 12 stitches, so work k2tog 12 times. Each k2tog uses 2 stitches, so divide the remaining 72 stitches into 12 spaces: “[knit 6, k2tog] 12 times.” Each repeat uses 8 stitches, which matches 96 ÷ 12 = 8.
- What does “6-1-4” in a pattern mean?
- In the “rows-stitches-times” notation, it means 1 stitch every 6 rows, 4 times (increase or decrease). If the pattern, from the top, says “2 rows straight / 6-1-3 / 4-1-4,” you knit from the bottom up: 1 stitch every 4 rows 4 times → 1 stitch every 6 rows 3 times → 2 rows with no shaping.
- How often should I increase to add 8 stitches on one side over 40 rows?
- If you shape only on right-side rows, 40 rows ÷ 8 times = 5 rows, so split it into even spacings and combine “1 stitch every 6 rows, 4 times” with “1 stitch every 4 rows, 4 times” (6 x 4 + 4 x 4 = 40 rows). In pattern notation that is “4-1-4 / 6-1-4” (knit the 6-1-4 at the bottom first).
- How many mm is a Japanese No. 6 knitting needle? What is that in US sizes?
- A Japanese No. 6 knitting needle is 3.9 mm. Japanese needles start at No. 0 (2.1 mm) and get 0.3 mm thicker with each number. The US has no size of exactly 3.9 mm, and the closest is US 6 (4.0 mm). US 8 is 5.0 mm, and the closest Japanese needle is No. 10 (5.1 mm).
- How many balls do I need if I knit with a different yarn from the pattern?
- Convert by length, not by weight. If the pattern uses 8 balls of 80 m yarn, you need 640 m. If your yarn has 120 m per ball, 640 ÷ 120 = about 5.3 balls, or 6 balls with a 10% allowance. Comparing by weight (40 g x 8 balls ÷ 50 g = 6.4 balls) does not work for yarns of different thickness.
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