Tools
Knitting-to-Crochet Pattern, Gauge & Yardage Converter
Love a knitting pattern but you crochet? Enter the knitting stitch, gauge, needle, cast-on and yardage, choose the crochet stitch that imitates it best, and get the hook to use, the foundation chain that keeps the same width, the rows for the same length and how many extra skeins crochet will need.
Free · No sign-up · Runs in your browser
- Crochet hook
- 5 mm (US H-8)
- Foundation chain
- ch 106
- Crochet yardage
- 906 yd (+38 %)
- Skeins to buy
- 4
| Item | Knitting | Crochet |
|---|---|---|
| Needle / hook | 4 mm | 5 mm (US H-8) |
| Width | 19.7 in | 19.7 in |
| Stitches | Cast on 110 | 105 sts (ch 106) |
| Gauge (sts × rows / 10 cm) | 22 × 30 | 21 × 23 |
| Rows for the same length | 10 | 7.7 |
| Yardage | 656 yd | 906 yd (+250 yd) |
| Skeins | 3 | 4 |
Chain 106 (the last 1 ch turn), then work 105 stitches per row with a 5 mm (US H-8) hook. Where the knitting pattern says a number of rows, use the “rows for the same length” line: it scales every 10 knitted rows.
Buy 4 skeins of CYC 3 – Light yarn
Crochet yardage differential: +38 % (250 yd more than the knitting pattern), because a crochet stitch stacks more loops of yarn than a knitted stitch of the same size.
Get 4 skeins of CYC 3 – Light yarn on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Hobbii are affiliate links too: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our assumptions: needle and hook sizes from the Craft Yarn Council standard charts; recommended hook = needle + 0.5 to 1.0 mm (more for dense stitches) rounded to the nearest standard size; crochet gauge estimated as a share of the knitting gauge per stitch (waistcoat 0.95, YO-slst 1.0, sc 0.85, esc/hdc 0.85, moss 0.9); extra yarn for crochet versus knitting of the same area: YO-slst +22 %, esc/hdc +25 %, moss +27 %, sc +32 %, waistcoat +38 % (planning estimates within the commonly quoted “crochet uses about a quarter to a third more yarn” range). Always check with a swatch.
How it works: the math behind the tool
Hook size. Crochet fabric is thicker and stiffer than knitting made with the same yarn, so the usual starting point is a hook 0.5 to 1.0 mm larger than the knitting needle. The converter adds 1.0 mm for dense stitches (waistcoat stitch and yarn-over slip stitch), 0.75 mm for single crochet and 0.5 mm for half double and moss-type stitches, then rounds to the nearest standard hook of the Craft Yarn Council chart and shows its US letter. A 4 mm needle becomes a 5 mm (US H-8) hook for waistcoat stitch.
Width and foundation chain. The width of the original piece is the cast-on divided by the knitting gauge: 110 stitches at 22 stitches per 10 cm make 50 cm. That width is multiplied by your crochet gauge to get the stitches of each crochet row, rounded to the stitch multiple (moss and lemon peel need an even count), and the turning chain is added on top. Crochet stitches have a different shape from knitted ones, so the crochet gauge is first estimated from your knitting gauge and should be replaced by a real swatch. The “rows for the same length” line tells you how many crochet rows replace every 10 knitted rows.
Hook = nearest standard size (needle + 0.5–1.0 mm) · Chain = round(width × crochet sts ÷ 10, multiple) + turning ch · Yarn = knitting yardage × (1.22–1.38)
Yardage differential. A crochet stitch wraps and stacks several loops of yarn, so the same area of fabric takes more yarn than knitting. We apply a planning differential by stitch: +22 % for yarn-over slip stitch, +25 % for extended single and half double crochet, +27 % for moss stitch, +32 % for single crochet and +38 % for the very dense waistcoat stitch, in line with the commonly quoted rule that crochet uses about a quarter to a third more yarn. The result is converted to whole skeins of the yarn you choose, with links to Amazon and other partner stores.
Last updated: November 8, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What crochet stitch looks most like knitting?
For stockinette, the waistcoat stitch (also called center single crochet or knit stitch) gives the closest V pattern. Yarn-over slip stitch imitates ribbing and has the best drape, and lemon peel or moss stitch is the closest match for seed and garter stitch textures.
What size crochet hook should I use instead of knitting needles?
Start 0.5 to 1.0 mm above the needle size and swatch. With a 4 mm needle, a 4.5 to 5 mm hook is a typical starting point; dense stitches such as waistcoat stitch need the larger end of that range to avoid a stiff fabric.
How much more yarn does crochet use than knitting?
Usually about a quarter to a third more for the same size piece. The converter applies +22 % to +38 % depending on the stitch, so a pattern that calls for 600 m of yarn needs about 730 to 830 m in crochet.
How do I convert cast-on stitches to a crochet chain?
Divide the cast-on by the knitting gauge to get the width, multiply that width by your crochet gauge, round to the stitch multiple and add the turning chain. The converter does this for you: 110 stitches at 22 per 10 cm become a 50 cm wide foundation chain.