Yarn-Overs My Way

The next sock in the series of “60” Socks contains a sweet and simple lace pattern. Lace involves yarn-overs. And the lace pattern that is in this sock involves yarn-overs that occur between a knit stitch and a purl stitch, and also between a purl stitch and a knit stitch. So, I just want to share a bit of advice about these maneuvers.

But before that, I want to mention that in my standard knitting – for both the knit stitch and the purl stitch – I work into the front leg of a stitch, and I wrap the working yarn counter-clockwise around the tip of the right needle. If your knitting maneuvers are different, you may have to “translate” my yarn-over instructions to suit your method of knitting.

Here are my general instructions for yarn-overs:

In all cases, the working yarn must start in the front of your knitting and then it goes over the right hand needle from front to back. Then the yarn goes to where ever it needs for the following stitch. So,

Between two knit stitches: bring the yarn from the back to the front between the two needles, take the yarn over the right needle to the back of the knitting, then knit the next stitch.

Between two purl stitches: the yarn is already in the front of the knitting, take the yarn over the right needle to the back of the knitting, bring the yarn to the front of the knitting between the two needles, then purl the next stitch.

Between a knit stitch and a purl stitch: bring the yarn from the back to the front between the two needles, take the yarn over the right needle to the back of the knitting, bring the yarn to the front of the knitting between the two needles, then purl the next stitch.

Between a purl stitch and a knit stitch: the yarn is already in the front of the knitting, take the yarn over the right needle to the back of the knitting, then knit the next stitch.

I find it interesting that a yarn-over performed between a knit stitch and a purl stitch requires a lot of movement, while a yarn-over between a purl stitch and a knit stitch requires next to no movement. I love something for nothing in my knitting!