KnitCalcs
Intarsia Yarn Calculator — Calculate yarn for each intarsia colour block.
Calculate yarn for each intarsia colour block.
How We Calculate This
This calculator divides your total yarn requirement by colour percentage to estimate how much of each colour you need.
The formula
Colour yarn = Total yarn x Colour percentage / 100
With extra = Colour yarn x (1 + Extra %) + tail waste share
Tail waste assumes two tails per colour join (one each side), at the per-tail length you set, shared evenly across both colours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chart your pattern on graph paper and count the stitches of each colour. Divide each colour's stitch count by the total to get the percentage. For repeating patterns, you only need to count one repeat.
Yes, add 15-20% extra for colourwork. Stranded techniques (Fair Isle) use more yarn due to floats on the back. Intarsia uses more due to tail ends at colour changes.
Stranded colourwork (Fair Isle) typically produces a slightly tighter gauge than single-colour knitting because of the floats. Many knitters go up a needle size for the colourwork section. Always swatch in the colourwork pattern.
Related Calculators
Fair Isle Yarn Calculator
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Colour Block Calculator
Calculate yarn for large colour block sections in garments.
Colourwork Float Adjustment Calculator
Calculate extra yarn needed for colourwork floats in stranded, intarsia and mosaic knitting.
Colour Work Yarn Calculator
Calculate yarn needed per colour for Fair Isle and stranded colourwork from chart dimensions, gauge and yarn weight.
Stripe Sequence Calculator
Calculate yarn needed per colour for striped patterns with custom sequences.
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Last updated: February 2026
All calculations are estimates based on standard yarn weights and gauge. Results may vary with individual tension, yarn brand, and needle size.