I have a pattern that tells me to do a yarn over, then a little later it says to do a yarn forward. Are those basically the same thing? Why use two different abbreviations if they do mean the same thing? HELP!!! I’m very confused.
Insofar as I know, they’re the same thing. Do they work in the pattern?
Perhaps someone was “translating” from US to UK (or vice versa) and missed one… 
Before a knit, bringing the yarn forward will automatically create the yo when you knit the next stitch. Before a purl, they specify yo because the yarn is already forward. That is–for some patterns.
It’s a British/American thing-- they both mean the same thing.
I am brand new to knitting, and after reading the post about YO/YF, I am wondering if I am really making a mess of my shawl?! The pattern calls for YO (to me that was an increase), and I was doing the “increase” of knit stitch and then knit in the back of the same stitch to increase the number.
I have no clue what the actual “pattern” is supposed to look like, so it really doesn’t look like anything is wrong to me! :shrug:
A YO can be an increase, or it can just put decorative holes in lace or eyelet patterns. If there’s also decs - k2tog, or ssk/skp - then you have the same number of stitches. What’s the pattern?
Cast on 1 st.
Row 1 - knit into the front and into the back of st
Row 2 - increase, K1: 3 sts.
Row 3-6 - increase, knit across: 7 sts
Row 7 - K3, YO, knit across: 8 sts
repeat row 7 until piece measures approximately 32" from cast on edge, ending with an even number of stitches.
Next row: K3, YO,*K2 tog, YO; repeat from * across to last 3 sts, K3.
Next 4 rows: Increase, kinit across.
Bind off row: K2 tog, *K1, pass second st on right needle over first st; repeat from * across to last 2 sts, K2 tog, pass second st on right needle over first st and finish off
I am using the suggested yarn, Lion Brand, Homespun (which is not easy for me to use - it keeps twisting on me).
Yeah, Homespun isn’t too easy to use, just keep a light tension and use large needles, size 11 are good.
These holes are being used for increases as well as a decorative edge. You need the kfb increases on the first few rows and again at the end, so you don’t have holes in those places. When you get a few inches of it done, you’ll see that you have the beginning solid and that works out fine.
thank you so very much for your help! My friend also knitted the same shawl, and hers looks completely different from mine - but mine is okay, too - just not as fancy! I appreciate your time!