Crochet time calculator

Making a gift to a deadline? This calculator estimates the hours a project takes from your own speed and the type of stitch, adds the finishing time people forget, such as weaving in ends and blocking, and tells you how many minutes a day you need to finish on time.

How to use the calculator

1. Time yourself for 5 minutes of steady work in the project's stitch and divide the stitches by 5 to get stitches per minute. Or time one row or motif instead.
2. Enter the project's stitch total and the stitch type, or the number of rows or motifs and the minutes each takes. The stitch and row calculator gives the stitch total for a rectangle.
3. Enter the ends to weave in, and the time for seaming and blocking.
4. Optionally enter how much is done, the days left and the stitches per row.

How the calculator works

Crochet time = stitches × stitch-type factor ÷ (60 × stitches per minute) hours

The stitch-type factors are estimates: 1 for basic stitches, 1.25 for textured stitches such as C2C, shells and moss, 1.35 for tight amigurumi, 1.5 for post stitches, waffle and cables, and 2 for puffs, bobbles and popcorns. If you time a row or motif instead, the factor is not needed: crochet time = rows or motifs × minutes each ÷ 60.

A long-session option slows the speed to 85%, because people tire over hours.

Finishing = ends × 45 seconds + seaming and blocking time

Per day = time left × 60 ÷ days left, rounded up to whole minutes.

Reading your results

• Crochet time, finishing and total: in hours and minutes.
• Per day to finish on time: minutes a day, and roughly how many rows that is.
• Warnings: if finishing takes more than half the crochet time, or the daily time is over 3 hours.

Worked example

A double crochet blanket 150 stitches wide and 120 rows long is 18,000 stitches. You work 20 stitches a minute, have 24 ends to weave in and 30 minutes of blocking, and 14 days left.

• Crochet time: 18,000 ÷ (60 × 20) = 15 hours.
• Finishing: 24 × 45 s = 18 minutes, plus 30 minutes: 48 minutes.
• Total: 15 h 48 min.
• Per day: 15.8 × 60 ÷ 14 = 67.7, so about 68 minutes a day, or 8.6 rows.

Accuracy and limits

• The arithmetic is exact and covered by our automated tests, but your measured speed is the main input, so the estimate is only as good as your timing.
• The stitch-type factors and 45 seconds per end are working estimates.
• Breaks, counting and fixing mistakes are not included; add your own allowance.

Common mistakes

1. Timing a sprint. Measure your speed on the project's stitch, at your normal pace, not on something easier.
2. Forgetting the finishing. Weaving in ends, seaming and blocking can add hours to a multi-colour project.
3. Counting turning chains as stitches. Use the stitches per row × rows; turning chains are quick.

Tips for more accurate results

• Time two or three 5-minute stretches and use the average.
• Split the daily time into comfortable sessions with breaks using the session and travel planner.
• Selling the item? Put the hours into the pricing calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides and tools

• How fast double crochet works up