K up one?

#1

I picked up my knitting after many years and am enjoying the feel of it again. I started a shawl but gave up on it 'cos it was too boring. Then I started a scarf and gave up on it 'cos it was too wide. (Hands up anyone else who has failed dismally on a SHAWL!)
Anyway, I decided to use my old wool just to do some practice in following stitches and seeing what they turned out like, following a knitting book I’ve had for years. (building up to knitting a shawl again maybe). I have two questions, which we can refer to as 1 and 2.

  1. Pyramid pattern: 3rd row: K1 *K up 1, K2, sl 1, K1,psso, P6 K2 tog, K2, K up 1, K1, rep from * to end.
    I can do all this except the K up 1. What does that mean? The only thing I can find refers to knitting up in order to do neck bands etc. If it’s supposed to be an increase why isn’t it one of the regular type? You understand that these are sample squares and the number of stitches per row is supposed to stay the same.
  2. Lace knitting (again the number has to stay the same)
    1st row K1, *yfwd, sl 1, K1, psso, K3, K2 tog, yfwd, K1, rep from * to end. I can do all that BUT when I do yfwd and then sl 1 they are kind of tangled up together and when I come to psso I can’t really see which one to pull back over.
    Can anyone help me with one or the other?
#2

I think it seems to mean pick up 1 st, or do an inc like a M1 instead of a yo.

#3

On your 2nd question- I would put my finger on top of the yarn over to keep it there, then pass the slipped stitch (right next to it) off.

#4

Except that it’s not a yarn over. A yfwd between two knit stitches means you just bring the yarn to the front of the work ready to knit the next stitch. So my yarn is brought forward and is just hanging down ready to do the next step. There is no loop or anything to hold onto! Then I slip a stitch from the left needle to the right. Then I pick up my hanging yarn and do a knit stitch and this gets tangled with the slipped stitch.
What worries me is that this combination is in nearly all the lace patterns in my book.

#5

No, this yfwd as it’s written is the same as a yo. But with a slip st between them, it’s easier if you bring the yarn to the front, then to the back again before you slip the st. Holding it out of the way with your finger while you pass the slip st could help.

#6

I think you’re right. It’s funny 'cos my book (UK) gives detailed explanations of yfwd AND yo (called yon) and the yfwd is repeated throughout the lace patterns. But it just can’t be right.

#7

It is. A yfwd is a YO between 2 knit sts, but that doesn’t have to be literal. You have it between a knit st and a slip sts which is passed over a knit st. But you’re slipping the 1 st and the next worked st is a knit so the yfwd is still between 2 knit sts.