Shrinkage calculator.
Measure a skein or swatch before and after washing to see exactly how much it moved. Essential for finishing hand-spun and for planning around take-up.
Use the same unit for both (centimetres, inches, yards, grams). Length, area, or weight all work.
How to use it
Take a measurement before you wash, write it down, then measure the same thing afterwards. The calculator shows the percentage change. A positive number means the piece shrank; a negative number means it grew or relaxed open, which can happen with heavily plied or stretched yarn.
For hand-spun, the most telling measurement is a tied skein under gentle, even tension, or a knitted swatch measured across a fixed number of stitches. Wash exactly as the finished item will be washed so the figure reflects real life. Knowing your shrinkage lets you spin and knit to land on the size you actually want.
Record how each yarn finishes.
Spindrift keeps your before-and-after notes alongside the fibre, twist, and wheel settings for every project, so your results are repeatable. Free to download.
Download Spindrift on the App Store