DK weight yarn (Craft Yarn Council Category 3: Light) sits between sport and worsted, and covers a large share of the sweater patterns published today. DK is short for double knitting; British, Australian and New Zealand patterns call the same weight 8-ply, and US yarn labels sometimes say light worsted. It is a common choice for garments that combine comfort, drape and reasonably quick knitting.
Quick Specifications
Why DK Weight is the Ultimate Sweater Yarn
DK weight offers the sweet spot in garment design: it is warm enough for crisp autumn days without feeling overly hot or heavy indoors.
- Adult Cardigans & Pullovers: Drapes gracefully across the shoulders and body without the bulk of heavy outerwear.
- Colorwork Yokes: Distinct stitch definition allows complex yoke motifs to shine without distorting garment fit.
- Baby & Children's Sweaters: Knits up quickly while remaining soft and flexible for young children.
- Winter Hats & Scarves: Warm, comfortable accessories that fit easily inside coat pockets.
While you can sometimes force a worsted yarn to match DK stitch width by using smaller needles, the resulting fabric will feel stiff like cardboard. Choose genuine DK yarn to preserve garment drape.
DK Sweater Yardage by Size
DK is a sweater weight first, so the number most knitters need from this page is how much to buy. Figures below assume stockinette at 21–24 sts per 4 in10 cm and a long-sleeve pullover with standard ease. A typical DK skein runs about 230 yd210 m per 3.5 oz100 g.
| Size (bust) | Yardage | Meters | Skeins (3.5 oz / 100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS (30–32 in) | 1,100–1,250 yd | 1,005–1,145 m | 5–6 |
| S (34–36 in) | 1,250–1,450 yd | 1,145–1,325 m | 6–7 |
| M (38–40 in) | 1,450–1,650 yd | 1,325–1,510 m | 7–8 |
| L (42–44 in) | 1,650–1,900 yd | 1,510–1,740 m | 8–9 |
| 1X (46–48 in) | 1,900–2,150 yd | 1,740–1,965 m | 9–10 |
| 3X (54–56 in) | 2,300–2,600 yd | 2,100–2,375 m | 10–12 |
Cardigans add roughly 10% for button bands and front overlap. Cables and allover texture add 15–25%. Cropped or short-sleeve versions come down by about the same margin.
British and Australian patterns call this weight 8-ply. It refers to the thickness category, not the number of strands spun into the yarn, so an 8-ply pattern and a DK pattern are asking for the same thing.
Working from a pattern with its own yardage figure? Use that instead — these are planning estimates for stash shopping. The yarn calculator converts between skeins and total yardage.
Recommended US & International DK Yarns
Popular, readily available DK yarn lines with verified ball-band specs:
Paintbox Yarns Simply DK
100% acrylicLoveCrafts' own budget acrylic DK, a common US-pattern substitute for Stylecraft Special DK thanks to a near-identical gauge and huge color range.
Sirdar Snuggly DK
55% nylon, 45% acrylicA machine-washable nylon-acrylic blend that Sirdar sell for newborn and children's knitting.
Lion Brand Wool-Ease DK
80% acrylic, 20% woolAn affordable machine-washable acrylic-wool blend, sold in 3 oz85 g balls rather than the 1.75 oz50 g or 3.5 oz100 g most of this list uses.
Stylecraft Special DK
100% acrylicA budget acrylic DK with 322 yd295 m on a 3.5 oz100 g ball — the longest yardage per gram of any DK in this list, which is what makes it a common choice for blankets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'DK' stand for?
DK stands for 'Double Knitting'. Historically, it was spun to be twice as thick as traditional 4-ply (fingering) yarn. Today it refers strictly to a standard weight category (CYC 3: Light) that knits to approximately 22 stitches per 4 inches10 cm.
What is 8-ply yarn?
In British, Australian, and New Zealand knitting patterns, '8-ply' is the standard equivalent of DK weight yarn, typically knit on US 6 (4.0 mm) needles.
Can I hold two strands of fingering yarn to make DK weight?
Yes! Holding two strands of standard fingering weight yarn (approx. 28 sts/4 in) together generally yields a gauge of 21–22 sts per 4 in, which is an exact substitute for DK weight yarn on US 6 (4.0 mm) needles.
Yarn weight categories, their standard gauge ranges and the recommended needle sizes on this page follow the Craft Yarn Council's Standard Yarn Weight System. Needle size equivalents are cross-checked against the CYC knitting needle size chart, and the WPI figures against CYC’s wraps-per-inch chart. Yardage is not part of the standard: the range shown is the spread across the yarns in our own brand guide, measured per 3.5 oz (100 g).