Sweater Quantities and Dyed to Order
Sweater Quantities & Dyed to Order
Planning a sweater (or cardigan) with Sassy Black Yarns and not sure how many skeins you need? You’re in the right place.
This page is a simple guide to help you estimate sweater quantities with SBY bases, plus an overview of how I handle larger orders and any dyed-to-order options.
All Sassy Black Yarns skeins are hand-dyed in small batches in Manchester, CT, with a focus on ready-to-ship colorways. That means what you see in the shop is truly in stock and ready to head to your needles or hook.
Yarn Bases & Yardage
Most SBY bases fall into these ranges (per 100 g skein):
- Fingering / Sock: ~400–463 yards
- DK: ~230–250 yards
- Worsted: ~200–220 yards
For each product, you’ll see exact yardage in the Yarn Details section. When in doubt, use:
Pattern yardage ÷ yards per skein = minimum number of skeins
(and then round up for safety)
How Many Skeins Do I Need for a Sweater?
These are rough estimates for adult-sized sweaters and cardigans. Always check your specific pattern for exact yardage (especially if there are cables, colorwork, or long lengths).
Fingering-weight sweaters
- XS–S: 3–4 skeins
- M–L: 4–5 skeins
- XL–3X: 5–7 skeins
DK-weight sweaters
- XS–S: 3–4 skeins
- M–L: 4–5 skeins
- XL–3X: 5–7 skeins
Worsted-weight sweaters
- XS–S: 3–4 skeins
- M–L: 4–5 skeins
- XL–3X: 5–7 skeins
You’ll need more yardage if:
- The sweater is long (tunic length or coat-style)
- It has a lot of cables or heavy texture
- It has big sleeves, shawl collars, or a hood
You may need slightly less if:
- The sweater is cropped
- Sleeves are short or ¾ length
- It’s an open-front cardigan with minimal overlap
SBY tip: For hand-dyed yarn, it’s always better to have one extra skein than to run out at the yoke or a sleeve. Leftover skeins make great hats, cowls, or mitts.
What If I Don’t See Enough Skeins in Stock?
Because I dye in small batches of six or fewer, you might not always see a full sweater quantity available for a single colorway/base in the shop.
If you’re planning a sweater and:
- You don’t see enough skeins of a colorway
- Or you’re worried about matching across different batches
Here’s what to do:
- Check the product description to see if it’s a repeatable colorway or an OOAK/festival leftover. Repeatables are more likely to come back.
- Use the contact form or email me with:
- The colorway name
- Base/weight
- How many skeins you’re hoping for
- The general type of project (e.g., “DK cardigan, size 48” bust”)
- I’ll let you know:
- What’s currently on hand
- Whether I expect to dye that colorway again
- If it’s realistic to put together a sweater quantity for you
I can’t always recreate a previous batch exactly—especially for one-of-a-kind or heavily variegated colorways—but I’ll be honest about what’s possible.
About Dyed-to-Order
Right now, most Sassy Black Yarns colorways are ready-to-ship, and the shop is stocked from regular dye sessions and festival prep.
From time to time, I may open limited dyed-to-order slots for certain repeatable colorways and bases. When that happens, I’ll always:
- Announce it via the newsletter and social media
- Clearly mark dyed-to-order listings with the estimated turnaround time
If you’re interested in dyed-to-order for a sweater quantity:
- Please reach out before you purchase so we can talk about:
- Colorway
- Base
- Number of skeins
- Timing (especially if you have a deadline)
I can’t promise every request will be possible, but I’m happy to discuss it.
Heading: Need Help Planning?
If you’re staring at a pattern and feeling unsure, you don’t have to guess alone.
Use the Contact page and tell me:
- The pattern name
- Your size
- The SBY base/weight you want to use
I’ll do my best to help you estimate how many skeins you’ll need and make suggestions for colorways that work especially well for sweaters and garments.
Your next favorite sweater is absolutely in your future — let’s make sure you have enough yarn to enjoy knitting or crocheting it without the yarn chicken panic. 💜