Yardage per skein depends on both the weight of the yarn and the weight of the put-up, so the only fair way to compare across weight categories is yards per 100 grams. Thinner yarn packs more length into the same weight of fiber, which is why a lace skein can hold four times the yardage of a bulky skein at the same gram weight.
| Category | Yards per 100g (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Lace | 400-800+ |
| Fingering / Sock | 350-450 |
| Sport | 250-350 |
| DK | 200-250 |
| Worsted | 180-220 |
| Aran | 150-200 |
| Bulky | 100-150 |
| Super Bulky | 40-100 |
| Jumbo | Under 40 |
These are general ranges, not a substitute for the yardage printed on an actual label. Fiber content shifts the number meaningfully. Wool tends to sit lighter for its volume than cotton, so a cotton worsted and a wool worsted at the same yardage can feel different in hand, and a wool skein can occasionally beat these ranges while a dense cotton skein runs under them.
Use this chart for early planning, like estimating how many skeins a pattern might need before you've picked a specific yarn, then swap in the label's exact yardage once you've chosen one for the yardage calculator or stash calculator.