How to Knit Yarn Overs | Knitting Tutorial for Beginners | Between Purl & Knit Stitches

This tutorial is aimed at beginners who want to learn all about yarn overs (yo), and who want to see a demo of yarn overs between knit stitches, between purl stitches and between knit & purl stitches.
I also demonstrate how to deal with yarn overs on the next row, whether you want to keep them, or you want to be dropping the yarn over off the needle because you did it accidentally!
Yarn overs are made by simply wrapping yarn around the right-hand needle, so it's an easy technique to do...however, yarn overs can be confusing because they are executed slightly differently depending on the stitches directly before and after it.
Yarn overs are a single increase technique, so they can be used to increase the total number of stitches on the needles by 1. Instead, though, they are often paired up with a decrease (often a k2tog decrease) on the same row so that the overall number of stitches remains unchanged.
So why would we do this?
Well, because a yarn over creates a hole in your knitted work - and funnily enough, yarn overs are actually most often used to add holes to knitting! This may sound like a bad thing, but it can be used to create beautiful lace knitting patterns by arranging these yarn over holes into a pattern.
I hope this video makes the method nice and clear for you.
Thanks for watching!
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[@347raptor]

I am an absolute beginner & mentally challenged knitter. I now know what YO means and how to do it between Knit stitches also between Pearl stitches K to P and P to K stitches. Thank you for the extremely clear explanation. You are a fantastic teacher.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thank you :D So glad it helped you!

[@marilynsmith5901]

I cannot thank you enough for this video.I was literally going a bit batty trying to figure. out this stitch. Your video nailed it. If no one has said it yet today, you a fabulous teacher.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks so much! Glad you found it useful :D

[@isabellaholden8997]

I am unable to watch videos due to being partially blind. Your verbal explanation is easy to follow. At last I can do a yarn over. Many, many thanks for making a knitting tutorial a blind person can follow. You are the best! 🇿🇦😎😷👍🙏🙏🙏

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw that's great to hear! Thanks for your comment and I'm glad you found the video helpful :)

[@janwilson8592]

Thank you so much for this, I had started my children’s cardigan 12 times until I found your demonstration and it’s worked perfectly. Thank you so much

[@RokoleeDIY]

Wonderful! :D

[@audreyburman3023]

Very helpful as I work through a beginner's knitting book. Seeing the stitches done is much better than looking at drawings only.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! :D

[@arlo6345]

This is the best of all the yarn over explanations and demos I’ve seen! I wish I had seen it first when I started to learn to lace. Thank you so much.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks very much! :D

[@dianeanderson905]

This is great; thanks so much. And I had no idea I was doing yarn overs unknowingly for so long!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! :D

[@paulgoodman8476]

Thank you - thank you - thank you. I have struggled with the whole concept of the wrapping and you are the first person I have watched who explained it conceptually and it''s practical ramifications. Now I can do it in the new pattern I am tackling.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks very much, I'm happy to hear that :D

[@rebexsa1]

I'm a newbie trying a lace pattern and yarn overs were doing my head in! I now have got it sorted thanks to your video and my lace is starting to look like the picture! Thank you!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Excellent! Thanks for watching :)

[@moirastevenson4567]

Thank you so much for such a clear tutorial. Best I’ve ever found!

[@RokoleeDIY]

You're very welcome! Thank you :D

[@alicegroves572]

I just found your video after struggling with a lace pattern for days. Your explanation of how to do a yarn over between the different stitches was amazing and exactly where I was going wrong! Thank you so much for your detailed video

[@RokoleeDIY]

So glad the video helped :D Thanks for watching!

[@donnaquinn6746]

Your video was very clear and easy to see this way for BUTTONHOLES! It made it sooo much easier for me. Its my 1st time doing buttons and I've asked people before, but they shy away from buttonholes and prefer doing jumpers instead! So thanks again for this. 🧶💜🧶

[@RokoleeDIY]

You're welcome! I'd glad it helped :) It's pretty simple once you know how

[@RetroMinnie87]

I cannot tell you how helpful this is. Thank you so much for making this. I love that you included what the pattern might say and how you do it cause I’ve never done yarn overs before and I was confused by my pattern on what exactly to do. Thank you!!!!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching :D

[@annettecleworth5298]

Thank you for such a well explained video. It can be a bit confusing knitting a YO in purl or plain. You have shown how simple it really is. I am thinking of knitting a lacey baby's blankie and feel very confident about tacking it thanks to you.

[@criticalmass5402]

Just gone back to lace knitting & needed a yo refresher - thanks so much, your tutorial was so clear - back on track & knitting up a storm!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Excellent! Happy knitting :D

[@fiona4228]

Thank you. This is very helpful. I wasn't sure what to do with the yo as far as knitting it on the other side -- your video was perfect.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was useful! :D

[@marilynperno4330]

Thank you!

[@mariehansen2534]

Perfect, I now know how to do a yo purlwise. I cannot understand why I didn't know that. Brilliant tutorial.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad I could help! :)

[@susanheyborne3875]

Excellent! I couldn't find one from a purl to a knit! BRAVO!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@anzaforbes8819]

Amazing! This was the best video tutorial I’ve seen on yarn over, thank you! New subscriber 💛

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks so much! :)

[@tanjamiller3321]

Thank you for this wonderful video. To be honest, your video is the only one that taught me yarn overs; all others were confusing, not the right light/colored yarn, etc. I have severe ADHD and yours I was able to watc over and over to get the yarn over. This video has helped me make the Quadri hat by Michele Wang. I was putting off this hat until I discovered your video! I have been nervous for YEARS in trying to do the yarn over!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw I'm so glad the video helped you! I just looked up that hat pattern and it's now in my favourites :D Very pretty. I hope it turned out well!

[@ilikemydogsbetter]

I absolutely love your tutorials. You explain everything so well. As a new knitter I really appreciate the time you take to break things down. I did your cable tutorial and was cabling in no time! Thank you for your channel...and happy knitting!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks so much for your nice comment :) I'm always glad to hear that people follow along!

[@nancygough9005]

Thank you you make it very clear, and no annoying music

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank you :)

[@joysmith6013]

Excellent tutorial, thank you. Just what i needed. 👍

[@RokoleeDIY]

You're welcome :)

[@felixbassoon3365]

thank you for a great video....you explained the yo technique beautifully!!!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thanks very much! :)

[@bowling_with_yarn]

Thank you for showing all 4 ways 😀 so helpful. Im knitting socks and i was lost on the yarnover part, but now its clear

[@RokoleeDIY]

I’m glad it helped you 🙂 thanks for watching!

[@shirleylaprise8306]

excellent detailed description! I finally get it!! thank you

[@RokoleeDIY]

Excellent! Thanks for watching :)

[@romyt9816]

Thanks, very detailed video about yarn overs

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! :D

[@johngkeegan4037]

At last - a yarn over video that makes sense!! Thanks for that. I'll get on it right now. :-)

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it was helpful! :D

[@jennyallan8794]

Thank you for sharing, blond moment/ senior moment again 😄😄😄 I've been knitting for years and years lack of concentration I think 😂😂😂

[@RokoleeDIY]

:D Glad it helped!

[@elaine58100]

Thank you so much. You have made it all so clear. Brilliant tuition :)

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aw thanks! I'm glad it was helpful :)

[@katiegasson6259]

Thank you so much, beautifully explained :-) I feel confident to attempt this after watching your wonderful video !

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aww thanks :)

[@TheRbarron]

I couldn't figure out why my k, yo, p wasn't leaving a hole. This was super helpful! Thank you!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad it helped! :D

[@emmajones8960]

Wonderful tutorial, so clear , thank you !!!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank you :D

[@junifatimah4029]

Thank you. You explained it very well.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank you:D

[@denisetucker1155]

Good description and easy to follow!!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Glad you liked it :) Thanks

[@taleofawhale6964]

Thank you for explaining so well

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thanks for watching :)

[@alisonculleton9327]

Thank you, really clear explanation it was so helpful

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thanks very much :D

[@missioncreek2]

Excellent English style tutorial, thank you.

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank-you :)

[@tlowenbraun]

Awesome explanation. I just subscribed!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thanks so much!

[@SzumKrwi]

Finally someone explained this to me!

[@RokoleeDIY]

:D

[@agemoth]

This is brilliant, now I know what the yarn over techniques is supposed to achieve (apart from just holes! 😂) I found that I was somehow losing stitches all the time as my pattern called for slipping a stitch, and then knitting 2 together with the yo.. The twisted effect on the needles really confused me!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Excellent :D So glad it helped you!

[@candy_sweet2582]

As a beginner, this video helped a lot with my understanding of yarnovers and such. Would the examples apply to KR over PL, KL over PR, KR over KL, and KL over KR? I can't seem to find any information online tieing back to these aberrations. Anyhow, thank you for the help, and have a wonderful day!

[@RokoleeDIY]

I'm so glad the video was helpful :) I'm afraid I've not come across the abbreviations KR, KL, PR or PL before...I'm guessing they are purl left/right and knit left/right but I'm not sure what that would be? Sorry

[@murraymoira9971]

Please could you do a button hole using the cast on/off method?

[@RokoleeDIY]

I will do that at some point, it's in my long list!

[@mariathompson222]

This is so helpful. Thank you!

[@RokoleeDIY]

I'm glad you found it useful. Thanks for your comment :)

[@knitknack2285]

How do I do a yo, knit 2, pm, k3, pm, k2. Starting with seven stitches. I just don’t know how to start off with a yarn 🧶 over. Very thorough video. Thanks

[@RokoleeDIY]

Hi! You need to start off with the yarn in front of the needles (towards you), which as it's the first stitch is quite difficult so you have to just imagine the yarn is starting at the front of the needles. Then when you go to knit the first stitch, the yarn will need to go around the outside of the right hand needle - so the working yarn goes from the front, around the RH needle anti-clockwise, and then you use it to knit. Hope that explains it :)

[@knitknack2285]

Rokolee DIY thanks 😊 so much.

[@kellyevans1023]

Super helpful - thank you!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank you for watching :)

[@yvonneleslie1435]

Very clear instructions and well demonstrated with the knitting. Thank you!

[@RokoleeDIY]

Thank-you :)

[@joycejados6854]

Thank you so much!! New knitter here, trying to figure out why it just didn’t look quite right. I was bringing my yarn over the wrong direction 🙄

[@RokoleeDIY]

Aha! Glad you managed to fix the issue :)

[@dlmcder]

I am having a problem where on the right side I have yarn overs, and then when I go back on the wrong side I am pearling all the way across. How do I pearl those previous yarn overs from the row before?.... Can you help me with this thank you

[@RokoleeDIY]

Hi! You simply treat the yarn overs as normal stitches on the next row even though they look odd. You just need to purl them as with the other stitches. Hope that helps, thanks for watching :)

[@RokoleeDIY]

I should add that that method ^ keeps the holes in your work, where the yarn overs are. If you want to have yarn overs but no holes, then you would need to purl into the back of the yarn overs on the next row. If you accidentally made a yarn over and want to get rid of it, you just drop it off the needle on the next row instead. So there's a few options for what to do with a yarn over, depending on if you want to keep it and if you want a 'yarn over hole'. I hope that's clear :)