How to figure how much yarn you will need

[Onemagicmummy]

i want to make a Amigurumi ballerina for my kids dance school for a xms pressie, i have an idea of how i am gonna make it but i have no idea how to calculate how much yarn i will need

im thinking of making the doll about 16inch tall, other than that i have no idea how to describe it.
im am going to be using Sirdar Bonus DK yarn as its easy to get a hold or, cheap enought so im not blowing a fortune if i mess it up and i know how it works up.

any help or ideas on how to calculate/estimate/plain wild guess how much i will need?

thanks

Kiz

[Juvysen]

Do a swatch in the gauge you're expecting to use. Measure the size of the swatch, guestimate (best you can do, unless you have a pattern) how much bigger the doll will be. Then unravel the swatch and measure the length. Multiply by how much bigger you think the doll will be. i'd add a bit to the top to make sure you have enough, though.

Alternatively, if you can find a pattern for a similar sized/shaped doll, you could guestimate from that, as long as it has a similar gauge?

[flapjack]

I would estimate that you're looking at 200g, comparing it with the size of a pair of longies. It depends how fat she's going to be, and what you're making her skirt of?

[Onemagicmummy]

i was thinking of making it with pink for the shoes, skintone/peach for the arms/legs/head and lilac for the body and a skirt out of lilac as that is the colour of the uniform's my DD wears. i have some tapestry wool to use for hair. i was also thinking of getting some magnets for the hands and feet and pipe cleaners to make it poseible
so that would work out as maybe 50g of pink 100Gish of skin tone and 100g of lilac maybe a bit more. i will swatch first tho as i have some lilac here now so will use that.

thanks for info

Kiz

i dont think it will be too fat.