Yfrn vs yon vs yo

How-to Questions
1

I posted this at the end of a previous thread, but thought it might be better to just start a new one:

Alright, I’m back with another question about the pattern I posted above. I’m confused about the yfrn vs. yon. On this website, the glossary considers both of these, as well as other similar abbreviations, to mean the same thing: they all are like yo. But, why does this pattern specify the two different terms? I ended up running out of stitches once I got to about the 7th row, so I’m wondering if I’m not doing the yarn over quite right.

If yfrn means “with yarn in front”, then when it says … yfrn, p2, …, does that mean to purl 2 with the yarn in front each time, or does it mean yarn over, purl, purl?

Here’s the pattern:

Worked across 24 sts on a background of reverse St st.
1st row (right side): K3, k2tog, k4, yfrn, p2, yon, k2tog, p2, yon, k4, sl 1, k1, psso, k3.
2nd and every alt row: P9, k2, p2, k2, p9.
3rd row: K2, k2tog, k4, yf, k1, p2, k2tog, yfrn, p2, k1, yf, k4, sl 1, k1, psso, k2.
5th row: K1, k2tog, k4, yf, k2 p2, yon, k2tog, p2, k2, yf, k4, sl 1, k1, psso, k1.
7th row: K2tog, k4, yf, k3, p2, k2tog, yfrn, p2, k3, yf, k4, sl 1, k1, psso.
8th row: P9, k2, p2, k2, p9.
Rep these 8 rows.

2

Hi again. Yeah, that is a bit odd, confusing, but correct.
Each one of those terms has to be a YO (increase) so as to keep the decreases balanced or you won’t end with 24 sts at the end of each row. By using the different abbreviations they are just trying to remind you that because some of your YO are after knits/purls and before purl/knits that you just have to be sure to set yourself up correctly for the next stitch and not loose your YO loop.
For rows 1 and 3 I counted your inc/dec and tried to note the specifc YO as per their abbreviations. Hope this help. Do the same for rows 5/7 yourself just to see how it works out.

1st row: K3, k2tog (dec1), k4, yfrn (YO then to front to purl, inc1), p2, yon (YO over needle, inc 1), k2tog (dec1), p2, yon ( YO over needle, inc1), k4, sl 1, k1, psso (dec1), k3.

2nd and every alt row: P9, k2, p2, k2, p9.

3rd row: K2, k2tog (dec1), k4, yf (yarn to front to YO, inc1), k1, p2, k2tog (dec1), yfrn (YO then to front to purl, inc1), p2, k1, yf (yarn to front then YO, inc1), k4, sl 1, k1, psso (dec1), k2.

5th row: K1, k2tog, k4, yf, k2 p2, yon, k2tog, p2, k2, yf, k4, sl 1, k1, psso, k1.
7th row: K2tog, k4, yf, k3, p2, k2tog, yfrn, p2, k3, yf, k4, sl 1, k1, psso.
8th row: P9, k2, p2, k2, p9.

3

There are different ways of writing YO depending on what sts it’s between. Going from a knit to knit is yfwd - bring yarn to front, then knit; from a knit to a purl is yfrn which mean wrap the yarn all the way around the needle and bring to the front for the purl st. From a purl to a knit is yon and just lay the yarn loosely over the top of the needles.