What a Yarn Over Does

A yarn over (often written as YO in patterns) is a deliberate loop you create by wrapping yarn around your needle. It adds a stitch to your fabric and leaves a small hole behind. That hole is the whole point—yarn overs are how you make lace, eyelets, buttonholes, and decorative patterns in knitting.

The yarn over itself is not a stitch you knit into. Instead, you create the loop, then knit or purl the next stitch as normal. On the following row, you treat that loop as a regular stitch. The hole appears because the yarn over adds width without adding density.

Yarn overs are one of the easiest techniques to learn once you see them done, but the first few times they feel awkward because you are moving your yarn in a direction opposite to your usual knitting rhythm.

Key Takeaways

  • A yarn over is created by wrapping yarn around your needle between stitches, leaving a deliberate hole in your fabric.
  • The most common yarn over happens between a knit stitch and another knit stitch: knit one, bring yarn to front, knit the next stitch.
  • After you create a yarn over, you knit or purl the next stitch normally—the yarn over itself is not worked into.
  • On the row after a yarn over, treat the loop on your needle as a regular stitch with no special technique.
  • Tension matters: if your yarn over loop is too loose, the hole will be ragged; if it is too tight, you may accidentally decrease a stitch.

Yarn Over Between Two Knit Stitches

This is the most common yarn over and the one to practice first. You will knit one stitch, move your yarn to the front of your work, then knit the next stitch. The yarn wraps around the needle as you do this, creating your loop.

Here are the steps in order: Knit one stitch normally and leave it on the right needle. Bring your working yarn to the front of your needles (toward you). Insert your left needle into the next stitch on the left needle and knit it. As you pull the new stitch through, the yarn naturally wraps around the right needle, creating the yarn over loop.

The key is that your yarn ends up in front after the yarn over is complete, ready for the next stitch. If your next stitch is a knit, you will bring the yarn to the back before knitting. If your next stitch is a purl, the yarn is already in front, so you purl directly.

Yarn Over Before a Purl Stitch

When your next stitch after the yarn over is a purl, the motion changes slightly because purl stitches start with yarn in front. After you knit your stitch, your yarn is already at the back. Bring it to the front over the top of the right needle (not under it), then purl the next stitch.

This wrapping motion—bringing yarn over the needle from back to front—creates the yarn over loop. Your yarn ends in front, ready to purl. The hole appears the same way it does in a knit-to-knit yarn over.

Yarn Over Between Two Purl Stitches

This yarn over is less common but appears in some lace patterns. After you purl one stitch, your yarn is in front. Bring it to the back over the top of the right needle, then purl the next stitch by bringing yarn to front and purling normally.

The wrapping motion—taking yarn from front to back over the needle—creates the loop. Your yarn ends in front again, ready to purl the next stitch. The hole is identical to the other yarn overs, just created from a different direction.

Fixing Common Mistakes

If your yarn over loop is very loose and the hole looks ragged or oversized, your tension was too slack. On the next row, when you work that stitch, pull your working yarn a bit tighter as you complete the stitch. This tightens the loop without unraveling your work.

If you accidentally decreased a stitch (your stitch count dropped by one), you likely pulled the yarn over loop too tight or twisted it. The loop may have slipped off the needle or closed up. Count your stitches after each row with yarn overs until you are confident. If you do drop a stitch, you can pick it up with a crochet hook on the same row or use a lifeline (a piece of yarn threaded through all stitches) to catch mistakes before they spread.

If your yarn over does not create a visible hole, check that you actually wrapped the yarn around the needle. A common mistake is moving the yarn to the front or back without letting it pass over the needle itself. The wrap is what creates the loop.

Reading Yarn Over Symbols in Patterns

Patterns write yarn overs as YO or show them as a small circle (○) on a chart. When you see YO in written instructions, it means "create a yarn over here." On a knitting chart, the circle marks the exact stitch where the yarn over happens.

Some patterns pair a yarn over with a decrease (like a knit two together) to keep your stitch count the same. This creates a lace pattern without adding width. Other patterns use yarn overs alone to increase stitches, which is how you shape lace shawls and some garments.

Always count your stitches after a row with yarn overs, especially when you are learning. This catches mistakes early and builds confidence that you are reading the pattern correctly.

Practice Patterns for Yarn Overs

Start with a straightforward garter stitch base (knit every row) and add a single yarn over every few rows. This lets you see the hole clearly without the distraction of other stitches. Once that feels natural, try a pattern with yarn overs on every row, like a basic lace stripe.

Beginner lace patterns often use yarn overs paired with decreases in a repeating sequence. The rhythm becomes automatic after a few rows. Dishcloths and washcloths are good projects because they are small, mistakes are forgiving, and you finish quickly enough to practice multiple times.

As you gain confidence, move to patterns with yarn overs in different positions and paired with different stitches. Shawlettes and scarves are popular next steps because they showcase lace without requiring a perfect fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a yarn over count as a stitch increase?

Yes, a yarn over adds one stitch to your needle. If your pattern uses yarn overs without decreases, your stitch count will go up. Many lace patterns pair each yarn over with a decrease to keep the stitch count constant while creating the lace texture.

What if I accidentally skip a yarn over?

If you miss a yarn over, your stitch count will be one short. You can pick up the missed yarn over on the next row by inserting a crochet hook through the gap where the hole should be and pulling the working yarn through. Alternatively, use a lifeline before starting a row with yarn overs so you can rip back to that point if needed.

Can I do a yarn over at the edge of my work?

Yarn overs at the very edge (the first or last stitch of a row) are possible but create loose, uneven edges. Most patterns avoid them for this reason. If a pattern calls for an edge yarn over, work it one stitch in from the edge to keep your selvage neat.

Why does my yarn over look twisted?

A twisted yarn over usually means the loop wrapped around the needle in the wrong direction. On the next row, when you work that stitch, insert your needle through the loop the opposite way (through the back loop instead of the front, or vice versa). This untwists it. To prevent this, watch that your yarn wraps over the needle from the same direction each time.

Do I need to block lace to see the yarn overs clearly?

Blocking helps lace open up and makes the holes more visible, but you should see the yarn overs clearly even before blocking. If the holes are barely visible in your finished piece, your tension may be too tight or you may have twisted the stitches. Blocking will improve the look, but it cannot create holes that were not there.