Yarn Over Increase (YO)
A yarn-over increase wraps the working yarn around the needle to create a new loop. Worked alone it produces a visible eyelet; paired with a decrease it forms the basic unit of all lace knitting.
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Mechanics
Bring the working yarn from back to front (between needles), then over the right needle from front to back. The yarn now sits on the right needle as a new loop. On the next row, work this loop as a normal stitch.
As a decorative increase
In lace, the yarn over creates the open hole that defines lace fabric. Combined with a decrease in the same row, it adds the eyelet without changing the stitch count.
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As a shaping increase
Worked alone (without a paired decrease), the yarn over adds one stitch and leaves a hole. This is sometimes the desired effect (raglan eyelet shaping; baby blankets where the holes read as decorative).
Direction matters
The standard "knit yarn over" goes from front to back over the needle. A "purl yarn over" or yarn over before a purl stitch needs an extra wrap to keep the right size — bring the yarn from back to front, over the needle, then back to front again before purling.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| yo | yarn over |
| k | knit |
| p | purl |
Tips
- Knit the yarn over through the front loop on the next row to keep the eyelet open.
- Knit it through the back loop to close the eyelet — sometimes useful for invisible yarn-over increases.
- For a yarn-over before a purl, wrap the yarn an extra time to maintain even size.
In depth
The yarn over is the simplest increase in knitting and the foundational element of all lace. The visible hole that gives lace its character is created by working a yarn over and a decrease in the same row, which holds the stitch count constant while opening up the fabric.