The Knitting Fiend/ Diet Diary

Recently, someone on the knitlist asked:

I have a pattern for a No Holes Dishcloth which calls for making a backward YO. Supposedly, this eliminates the hole you get with a normal YO. How do you do a backward YO? This is the first time I’ve seen this instruction and I’m wondering if perhaps the writer really means you to use another increase instead of a YO since YO’s by their very nature leave holes.

In fact, that particular week, a whole passel of questions were asked regarding the direction of the wrap when creating backward YOs, standard YOs, clockwise or counter-clockwise YOs. This article will discuss both the normal yarn-over, backward yarn over, knitting off the yarn overs on the next row, and the effect of all three of these on the size of the hole created.¹ Bear in mind, increases created with yarn overs always leave holes. If you want a more invisible increase, I recommend the lifted increase.

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Disclaimer. Before describing the types of yarn over, I want to caution the reader. In my experience, different pattern writers use different vocabulary when describing yarn overs. This is true, and will remain true, despite any rules or standards set forth by any groups or person who appears to be a member of “Knitting Police”. This includes me; I try to verify my terminology make it consistent with that used in popular reference books, but I find some fairly well respected references differ. It is especially true for “Yarn Overs”, “Yarn Forward”, “Yarn Round Needle” or any other term for doing something that results in a strand of yarn around the needle!

So, when in doubt, scan your pattern for detailed instructions for working any special technique. Unfortunately, you may find the instructions are not there. They assume you use some “standard”. So, if you can’t find the pattern writers instructions, give mine a try, and also try to compare my photos to the finished product you are making. When text fails, knowing the final result you are trying to achieve will help you select the correct technique. This is why I try to illustrate both the technique, the appearance and explain when you might use one technique rather than another.

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Now to begin!

Let’s define standard, as I will use it. According to Walker’s Treasury of Knitting Patterns, when working a yarn over, the yarn should pass exactly once over the top of the needle and moves from front to back while going over the top.

How to work a YO: (Also called “forward YO” or “standard YO”.)

If you just finished knitting a stitch, the yarn will be to the back. Take the yarn under the needle, then forward toward you, (see photo to left; note that I placed the right needle in front of the left needle to photograph. I would need to move it to the back to knit the next stitch. ). Next, pass the yarn over the needle and return to the back. Work the next stitch. (If the next stitch is a purl, working the next stitch will require you to bring the yarn forward, passing under the needle just as you always do when switching from knit to purl; note the yarn passes once over the needle but twice under the needle.)

If you just finished knitting a purl, the yarn will be to the front. Take the yarn over the needle, away from you. If you are going to knit the stitch, notice the yarn has passed once over the needle, and it’s in the back. So, stop winding, and knit the stitch. If you are going to purl under the needle, bring the yarn under the needle and to the front, now purl.

Notice when you work (p, yo, k) the way results in a yarn over with a very short strand of yarn. This will create smaller holes than would be found when working (k, yo, k) or a (p, yo, p).

How to work a backward YO.
If you just finished knitting a stitch: Begin with yarn in back. Lift the yarn over the needle and bring it to the front (toward you). If you are purling the next stitch, notice the yarn is in the correct place, and it’s passed once over the needle. So, work the stitch.

If you are going to knit a stitch, take the yarn below the needle and to the back. This is illustrated in the photo to the left. (Note that I brought the right needle to the front to take the photo; I would need to take it to the back to knit the next stitch. ) Knit the stitch.

Notice that when you work a (k, yo backward, p) it results in a very short yo; this mirrors the short yo obtained when you work a (p, yo, k). In contrast (k, yo, p) and (p, yo backwards, k) both result in long yarn overs.

When yarn overs are used decoratively, as on either side of a raglan increase when knitting a sweater top down, a designer may want to make sure the lengths of yarn overs match. If so, may provide specific directions. Unfortunately, sometimes the pattern writer does want you to mirror, but doesn’t give detailed instructions. In that case, you, the knitter, will need to decide whether you want the holes formed by the yarnovers to match in size, and whether you want them to be larger or smaller, select mirror image techniques and make them match!

I already discussed the “longer or shorter” options when you are switching form knit to purl. You can also make the size of the hole created by a YO smaller by twisting the stitch; this applies to any yarn over.

“Twist! She didn’t say ‘Twist’!”

Yes. I said twist. The yarn overs may or may not twist, depending on how you knit into them on the next row. If you scroll up and examine the photos I used to illustrate yarning over, you’ll see I drew yellow arrows to illustrate the twisted stitches on either side of the a pillar stitch. The stitches were twisted by purling through through left leg of the yarn over.

Below and to the right, I illustrate purling into a YO I created by yarning over backward between two knit stitches. I turned the work to purl back. When I encountered this YO I found it sits “Eastern”, that is, the left leg sits in in front of the needle, while the right leg sits in back.

I have inserted the tip of my right needle through the left leg of the yarn over. This happens to be called “the front loop”. I just placed the right tip to the right of the leg and slid it through. Next I yarn over and pull through to purl.

I then knit over until I came across the next YO from the row below. I created this by working the YO forward. To twist this, I inserted the tip of my right needle through the left leg of the yarn over. This happens to be the back loop; so you will generally hear this called “purling through the back loop”. To stick the tip through the back leg, I had to place the right needle tip to the left of the left leg, fold the needles away from me, and shove the tip through the whole. Afterwards, I wrap the yarn around the needle and purl through.

Knitting to Twist the Yarn Over.

Purl Through Left Loop when it sits back.

Purl Through Left Loop when its sits front loop.

To the left, I reposted an image I showed further up in this article. Examine and notice the yellow arrows indicating the direction of the twist. To the right of the pillar stitch, the right leg lies over the left leg; this occurs when you yarn over using the standard method and then later purl through the left leg of the YO, (which will be the back loop of the YO). To the left of the pillar stitch, the left leg lies over the right leg; this occurs when you yarn over backward and later knit through the right leg of the YO (which will be the front loop of the YO.)

So, the holes are fairly small, the stitches are not twisted, and also mirror images of each other. Knitters might think this is wonderful when increasing on either side of pillar stitch a raglan seam. However, knitters working increases for a sleeve worked from top to bottom might think the whole process a bit fiddly. In this case, they might work all yarnovers the standard way.

As long as they are working all YO the standard way, they may also decide not to twist the yarn overs when knitting the next row. This can be done by purling into the right loop; when you work a standard YO, this happens to be the front loop. This illustrated to the right.

When worked this way, neither yarn over will be twisted, the holes will be symmetric and similar in size.

The one caution I can make: if you don’t twist the yarnover when knitting or purling into it, the yarn over will create a larger hole. I didn’t take a photo, but take my word for it: they holes will be the size you might expect in a lace pattern. That may be acceptable or unacceptable, depending on your project. Many knitters decide they want twist when working increases, but don’t twist when working lace.

Have you noticed, I haven’t answered the answered the question posed at the knitlist directly? I just provided the information for the person who asked to figure out the answer. Possibly, you know why I did that. It’s because, given her question, I don’t have a clue whether she is working these yarn overs between knit or purl stitches, wants to twist them or whatever! That’s the problem with those pesky questions on the knitlist. People who don’t know the answer don’t know which information is required to give one and only one question.

My guess: She said she things the goal is to make a small hole. Other than that, the increases are just to shape the dishcloth. So, likely, she’ll to yarn over backwards sometimes, forwards sometimes and twist on the next row! But, she’s really going to have to sort that dishcloth pattern out. As long as she’s consistent and she likes the final appearance, her dishcloth is going to be fine.

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The reader should be aware that when I use the terms “forward”, “backward”, “standard” or any term that implies a “normal” direction, I mean the standard direction for people who knit using the “Western Cross” method. This is the method taught in the overwhelming majority of “how to” books in the US, England and Western Europe.

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