[FONT=“Georgia”]I just joined this site and it’s terrific! The videos alone are so helpful. I’ve founded a small but growing group in San Antonio, TX to knit baby hats for charity. One of the women gave me a gift of a calendar with a knitting pattern for each day of the year.
I found one that I want to knit, but the directions confuse me. It says, "CO 9; Knit 1, yf to last 2 sts, K2; purl every even row. This first row evidently increases by 7. But I don’t get how yf (yarn forward according to their glossary) is done. If I bring the yarn forward, how do I knit? It would be a pearl. I thought of knitting the front of the stitch, but that’s what happens anyway. If the yarn is in front, what do I grab to knit? If anyone can help, I’d be most grateful and so will the cold babies I’d knit it for. I’ve made almost 30 hats so far and sent 19 to Philadelphia and the rest to New Jersey- Thanks in advance- Harmony[/FONT]
A yf used this way is the same as a yarn over. It is an increase as you thought. You just need to bring the yarn to the front between the needles and then knit from there, even though it seems impossible. LOL It isn’t. It will make a lazy strand over the needle which when worked on the next row will make a hole.
I knit Continental and when I bring it to the front I hold it at the top of the right hand needle with my right index finger as I do the next knit stitch. If you knit English you just bring the yarn to the front and then insert the RH needle as usual and yarn around the RH needle starting with the yarn in front and knit it as usual.
Look on this site or elsewhere for a yarnover if you need pictures.
A yo described in this way is british terminology. But when you bring the yarn to the front, you have to put over the top of the needle to make the knit stitch, creating the yo. Same thing really.