Stitch · Increase · First project
Yarn over (yo): a deliberate hole that adds a stitch
A yarn over is the only increase that also makes a hole, which is precisely why lace is built on it. This entry covers how to work one without dropping it on the next row, what controls the size of the eyelet, and why every yarn over needs a partner.
Published Abbreviation yo
- Vknit
- Oyarn over
At a glance
- SymbolO
- Abbreviationyo
- TypeStitch
- FamilyIncrease
- LevelFirst project
Working chart
| Step | Round / row | Stitches |
|---|---|---|
| Cast on 20 sts and knit one row A plain row makes the first eyelet row easier to read. | - | 20 |
| k1, then yarn over The yarn crosses over the right needle without going through a stitch. | 2 | 21 |
| k1, yarn over, repeat to the end of the row Ten yarn overs over twenty stitches adds ten stitches. | 2 | 30 |
| Purl the next row Purling a yarn over keeps the hole open; knitting it closes it up. | 3 | 30 |
| Measure the eyelet In DK on 4.0 mm needles the hole lands at about 2.5 mm across. | 4 | 30 |
Measurements
| Needle (mm) | Sts / 10 cm | Eyelet size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.25 | 26 | 2.0 |
| 4.00 | 22 | 2.5 |
| 4.50 | 20 | 2.8 |
| 5.50 | 16 | 3.5 |
Yarn and yardage
| Yarn weight | Extra yarn per 10 yarn overs | Tension loss vs plain |
|---|---|---|
| Fingering (4-ply) | 0.9 m | 12% |
| DK | 1.2 m | 15% |
| Worsted | 1.4 m | 18% |
| Chunky | 1.9 m | 24% |
How a yarn over is made
Bring the yarn to the front between the needles, then over the right needle to the back - or simply wrap it once around the right needle if you are working a knit stitch next. No stitch is knitted or purled to make it; the yarn just crosses the needle.
On the following row that crossing is treated as a stitch and worked like any other. Purl it and the eyelet stays open; knit it and the twist closes most of the hole while keeping the extra stitch.
What sets the eyelet size
The finished hole is roughly one needle diameter across, so it is controlled by needle size far more than by how loosely you wrap. In DK on 4.0 mm needles an eyelet measures about 2.5 mm; move up to 5.5 mm and the same yarn over opens to roughly 3.5 mm.
Blocking widens it further. A lace shawl can gain 15-20% in width after a proper wet block, and the eyelets that looked tight on the needles open out into the pattern's intended shapes.
Every yarn over needs a partner
A yarn over adds one stitch. Left alone, it turns a 96-stitch sleeve into a 120-stitch sleeve within a few rows, so in any flat fabric with a stable stitch count each yarn over must be paired with a decrease - classically k2tog or ssk.
The pairing also decides the direction of the lace line. Yarn over followed by k2tog leans one way; yarn over followed by ssk leans the other. Reversing the order on a mirrored half of a shawl is the difference between a symmetric leaf and a wonky one.
Yarn over as a shapeless increase
In garter-stitch or lace patterns the hole is part of the design, and a yarn over is the correct increase. In a stocking-stitch yoke where you do not want holes, use a lifted or make-one increase instead - m1l or m1r - which adds a stitch from the horizontal bar between two stitches and leaves no opening.
A useful test: hold the fabric up to a window. If light comes through where you increased, you used a yarn over.