WPI and Yardage By: Natalie Langkilde

(all rights reserved, please ask before copy or distribution to others except personal use) e-mail nammyl@charter.net http://www.nataliesknitting.com

Wraps per inch (WPI) can help you substitute yarn, or decide what to do with that unidentified yarn in your stash. Do this: Wrap the yarn loosely around a ruler for 2 inches. Then count how many times you wrapped per inch. That tells you wraps per inch. You can buy handy and cute little tools for this in yarn supply magazines, or websites. Or make your own. The point is always keep the same tool for your own reference. It's a general reference, not a strict measurement. Everyone will wrap looser, or tighter, etc…

A general guideline is:
Wraps per inch: 18+ wpi is Lace = 2600+ yards per pound
16 wpi is Fingering = 1900 to 2400 yards per pound
14 wpi is sport = 1200 to 1800 yards per pound.
12 wpi is worsted = 900 to 1200 yards per pound.
10 wpi is bulky = 600 to 800 yards per pound
8 or less wpi is very bulky = 400 to 500 yards per pound

2600+ yds/Lb - lace weight
1900- 2400 yds/Lb - fingering weight
1200- 1800 yds/Lb - sport weight
900 - 1200 yds/Lb - worsted weight
600- 800 yds/Lb - bulky weight
400- 500 yds/Lb - very bulky