Sweater yardage depends on three things: the finished size, the yarn weight, and your craft. The chart below is knitting yardage for a standard adult pullover — the same size tables the SkeinSense estimator uses.
Knitting yardage by sweater size
| Size | W1 · Sock | W3 · DK | W4 · Worsted | W5 · Bulky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 1,000 yds | 1,200 yds | 1,300 yds | 1,400 yds |
| S | 1,100 yds | 1,300 yds | 1,400 yds | 1,500 yds |
| M | 1,200 yds | 1,450 yds | 1,600 yds | 1,750 yds |
| L | 1,350 yds | 1,600 yds | 1,800 yds | 1,950 yds |
| XL | 1,500 yds | 1,800 yds | 2,000 yds | 2,200 yds |
| 2X | 1,650 yds | 2,000 yds | 2,200 yds | 2,450 yds |
Worked example
Medium knit sweater, worsted yarn, skeins labeled 220 yds / 100 g:
1,600 ÷ 220 = 7.3 → 8 skeins to cover the estimate. Add a 15% buffer (gauge variation, weaving in ends, dye-lot safety) → buy 10. That leaves roughly 600 yds spare — enough for matching accessories, and far cheaper than hunting a matching dye lot later.
Two things that change the answer
Your gauge. Knit tighter than the pattern's gauge and you'll use less yarn; looser and you'll use more. Work a 4-inch swatch before buying for a garment.
The pattern's own number. If your pattern states total yardage, trust it over any generic chart — it accounts for the actual stitch pattern. SkeinSense can read that number straight off a photo of the pattern page.