Scale Converter
Scale a recipe, a pattern or a materials list by a factor, or from one batch size to another.
At a glance
- What you enter
- How do you want to scale it?, Quantity of one ingredient, Multiply by, Original batch size, New batch size, Number of sub batches to divide into, Ingredients or lines in the list, Round the practical figure to, Total of the whole original list
- What you get
- Factor applied, Scaled quantity, Scaled quantity, rounded, Total across the whole list, Quantity per item after scaling, Quantity in one sub batch, Scaling up, unchanged or down, A line scaled below one unit, Difference the rounding introduced
- Formula shown
- Yes, every step, right below your results.
- Cost and privacy
- Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.
See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓
Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.
How to use the Scale Converter
- 1 Enter How do you want to scale it?
- 2 Enter Quantity of one ingredient (units), Grams, millilitres, metres, sheets, pieces. Take each line of the original list through this tool in turn.
- 3 Enter Multiply by (times), The multiple. Two doubles the list, 0.5 halves it.
- 4 Enter Original batch size, The size the original list is written for: thirty candles, five metres, twelve portions.
- 5 Enter New batch size
- 6 Enter Number of sub batches to divide into, Only used by the divide option, for splitting a mix into smaller working portions.
- 7 Enter Ingredients or lines in the list, Used for the total across the whole list.
- 8 Enter Round the practical figure to (units), A hundredth of a gram is a common scale resolution. Use 1 for whole units such as sheets or eggs.
- 9 Enter Total of the whole original list (units), Optional. The sum of all the original quantities, for the total after scaling.
- 10 Press Calculate. You get Factor applied, Scaled quantity, Scaled quantity, rounded, Total across the whole list, Quantity per item after scaling, Quantity in one sub batch, Scaling up, unchanged or down, A line scaled below one unit, Difference the rounding introduced, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
- 11 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.
Worked examples
Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.
Doubling a recipe
A single line of 250 grams scaled by a factor of two.
You enter
- How do you want to scale it?
- 1
- Quantity of one ingredient
- 250 units
- Multiply by
- 2 times
- Original batch size
- 30
- New batch size
- 12
- Number of sub batches to divide into
- 4
- Ingredients or lines in the list
- 6
- Round the practical figure to
- 0.01 units
- Total of the whole original list
- 0 units
You get
- Factor applied
- 2.00
- Scaled quantity
- 500.00 units
- Scaled quantity, rounded
- 500.00 units
- Total across the whole list
- 3,000.00 units
- Quantity per item after scaling
- 41.67 units
- Quantity in one sub batch
- 125.00 units
- Scaling up, unchanged or down
- 1
- A line scaled below one unit
- 0
- Difference the rounding introduced
- 0.00 units
Five hundred grams exactly, a factor of 2, and 3 kilograms across a six line list.
Thirty items down to twelve
A batch conversion rather than a multiplier.
You enter
- How do you want to scale it?
- 2
- Quantity of one ingredient
- 250 units
- Multiply by
- 2 times
- Original batch size
- 30
- New batch size
- 12
- Number of sub batches to divide into
- 4
- Ingredients or lines in the list
- 6
- Round the practical figure to
- 0.01 units
- Total of the whole original list
- 0 units
You get
- Factor applied
- 0.40
- Scaled quantity
- 100.00 units
- Scaled quantity, rounded
- 100.00 units
- Total across the whole list
- 600.00 units
- Quantity per item after scaling
- 8.33 units
- Quantity in one sub batch
- 25.00 units
- Scaling up, unchanged or down
- -1
- A line scaled below one unit
- 0
- Difference the rounding introduced
- 0.00 units
A factor of 0.4, so 100 grams, and the same 8.33 grams per item as the original, which is the check that the scaling is proportional.
Dividing a mix into four working portions
A batch split down for four separate pours.
You enter
- How do you want to scale it?
- 3
- Quantity of one ingredient
- 250 units
- Multiply by
- 2 times
- Original batch size
- 30
- New batch size
- 12
- Number of sub batches to divide into
- 4
- Ingredients or lines in the list
- 6
- Round the practical figure to
- 0.01 units
- Total of the whole original list
- 0 units
You get
- Factor applied
- 0.25
- Scaled quantity
- 62.50 units
- Scaled quantity, rounded
- 62.50 units
- Total across the whole list
- 375.00 units
- Quantity per item after scaling
- 5.21 units
- Quantity in one sub batch
- 15.63 units
- Scaling up, unchanged or down
- -1
- A line scaled below one unit
- 0
- Difference the rounding introduced
- 0.00 units
A factor of 0.25, so 62.5 grams in each portion, which is the figure to weigh per pour rather than guessing a quarter of the mix.
Guides that go with it
The Complete Handcraft Measurement Guide for Beginners
If you are new to crafting, measuring is usually the first place things go sideways: a cut is 3 mm short, two "identical" squares are not identical, or a pattern that looked fine on paper does not fit...
How to Fix Common Handmade Crafting Mistakes
You just finished a project and something went wrong. Maybe a seam puckered, a wood joint gaps, glue oozed where it shouldn't, or the paint dried with brush marks. This guide walks you through the fix...
How to Calculate the Amount of Yarn You Need
You are about to start a project and the pattern says "6 skeins of worsted weight." Or worse, you are designing something yourself and there is no pattern at all. You want to buy once, not make three...