How to Yarn Over in Knitting: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to YO Increases

Understanding the Yarn Over (YO) in Knitting

The yarn over, often abbreviated as YO in knitting patterns, is a fundamental technique. It’s one of the easiest ways to increase the number of stitches on your needle. Mastering the yarn over opens up a world of possibilities in your knitting projects.

But what exactly is a yarn over? Simply put, it’s moving the working yarn in a specific way around your needle. This creates a new loop, which becomes a stitch in the next row or round. Yarn overs are not just for increasing; they also create decorative eyelets, commonly used in lace patterns and even for making buttonholes.

Why Learn to Yarn Over?

• Increases: The most common use is to increase your stitch count, shaping your project.
• Decorative Element: Yarn overs create eyelets, adding visual interest to your knitting.
• Lace Knitting: Essential for creating intricate lace patterns.
• Buttonholes: A simple way to create functional and neat buttonholes.

The Basic Yarn Over: Step-by-Step

The basic yarn over is incredibly simple. It just involves moving your yarn. Here’s how to do it between two knit stitches:

1. Identify your working yarn: This is the yarn coming from your ball of yarn.
2. Bring the yarn forward: If you’re about to knit, your yarn is usually at the back of your work. Move it between the needles to the front, as if you were going to purl.
3. Knit the next stitch: Now, bring the yarn back to the back of your work and knit the next stitch as you normally would.
4. A new loop is created: The movement of the yarn creates a loop on the needle. This loop is your new stitch, the yarn over.

That’s it! You’ve successfully completed a yarn over.

Yarn Overs Between Different Stitches

The placement of the yarn over changes slightly depending on the stitches before and after it. Here’s a breakdown of some common scenarios:

Yarn Over Between Knit and Purl

When transitioning from a knit stitch to a purl stitch with a yarn over, the process is similar. Bring the yarn to the front (as if to purl), then purl the next stitch.

Yarn Over Between Purl and Knit

This one requires an extra step. Since the yarn is already in front after a purl stitch, simply bring the yarn over the needle to the back, and then knit the next stitch.

Yarn Over Between Two Purl Stitches

With the yarn already in front, bring the yarn over the right needle, around to the front again, and then purl the next stitch. This essentially wraps the yarn around the needle twice.

Important Considerations and Tips

• Stitch Count: Remember that a yarn over increases your stitch count by one. Be sure to account for this in your pattern.
• Working the Yarn Over on the Next Row/Round: On the next row or round, you’ll typically knit or purl into the yarn over loop. This secures the stitch and creates the eyelet.
• Tightness: Be mindful of how tightly you make your yarn overs. Too tight, and they’ll be difficult to work into on the next row. Too loose, and they may look sloppy.
• Pattern Instructions: Always refer to your specific pattern instructions. Some patterns may have unique ways of working yarn overs.
• Continental vs. English Knitting: The direction you wrap the yarn can be slightly different depending on your knitting style (Continental or English). Experiment to see what works best for you.

Troubleshooting Yarn Overs

Sometimes, yarn overs can seem a bit tricky. Here are some common issues and how to solve them:

Dropping the Yarn Over

If you accidentally drop the yarn over off your needle, don’t panic! You can usually pick it up and place it back on the needle. If it unravels too much, you may need to tink (un-knit) back to the yarn over.

Uneven Yarn Overs

If your yarn overs look uneven, it’s likely due to inconsistent tension. Practice maintaining even tension as you work your yarn overs.

Holes Too Big or Too Small

The size of the hole created by a yarn over can be adjusted by using a larger or smaller needle size, or by adjusting your tension.

Yarn Over Chart Symbols

Knitting charts use symbols to represent different stitches and techniques. Here’s what to look for when it comes to yarn overs:

Symbol	Description
o	Commonly used symbol for yarn over
YO	May also be written as ‘YO’ on a chart

Advanced Yarn Over Techniques

Once you’ve mastered the basic yarn over, you can explore more advanced techniques:

• Double Yarn Over: Wrap the yarn around the needle twice for a larger eyelet.
• Yarn Over Slip Stitch Bind Off: Creates a stretchy bind off, ideal for socks or other items that need to stretch.

The yarn over is a deceptively simple technique with a wide range of applications. With a little practice, you’ll be using it confidently in all your knitting projects!