Yarn Overs: You're Doing it Wrong

[gnomi]

(warning: knitting nattering ahead)

(For the non-knitters: The following is "Blah blah blah needles blah blah blah yarn blah blah.")

So, I'm working on this pattern that should be relatively easy. It's got yarn overs before and after a p4 section, which, OK. No problem. But, problem. The pattern line in question is:

K2, ssk, yo, p4, yo, k2tog, k2.

The first yo looks fine. The second yo, when I do the next row (p4, k4, p4), looks tiny-tiny while the first yo looks like a normal yo.

So, my questions:

1. What am I doing wrong when I do the yo that it comes out so tiny (because I'm starting from purling, I bring the yarn to the back, up and over the needle, and then back to the back)?

2. Is it cheating to move the yos over one each, so it's k2, yo, ssk, p4, k2tog, yo, k2? It's a small panel of 12 stitches in the center of a 36-stitch row, basically, and from an aesthetics perspective I don't think it'll make a gigantic difference.

Nrrrgh!

Comments

[tpau]

i woudl have to play with yarn (and not headphone cord which si what i am doing) to really grok the issue. try nto bringing the yarn to the back though. just leave it where is, toss over the needle in a yo, and do the k2tog stuff. that should fix it if i am visualizing it correctly...

[byrne.livejournal.com]

The yarn is on the purl side, though, so there's nowhere to toss it to.

Nomi, just do it as is but keep the tension SUPER loose. It's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid. I wouldn't move it over until you want to change the whole pattern.

[tpau]

i'd think you could move it to the back, over the needle...

[byrne.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly, but the problem is coming from the way the yarn has to move for the first YO -- it creates a longer, looser YO as it comes from the back to the front. When you're just leaving it on the front and wrapping it to the back for the second one, you get a tighter, smaller YO.

(I think my error in replying to you the first time is that I don't think of the second yarn over as 'toss' but more of a 'put' -- knitting semantics! Language issues for the win!)

[tpau]

ah i thoguht the problem she was havign was that hte second one is too small not tha thte first one is weird :)

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

I just did a sample of that pattern, and both YOs look fine to me, at least when I knit continental.

Could it have something to do with the k2tog?

Just looked again. You seem to be wrapping more than you need. Yarn is in front from the purling. Just bring it to the back and you have an YO.

[tygerseye.livejournal.com]

IMHO, it's never cheating to change a pattern to something that you like better/works better for you.

I can't answer the part about the tiny stitch without needles in my fingers. ;-)

Also? I fail at socks. Actually, I fail at the whole three needles thing. I've never done it before and I find it more than a little perplexing. But I haven't yet given up. LOL

[byrne.livejournal.com]

Do it with five needles, so the sock is on four, in a square. OR do what I do -- two circs. :D

[tygerseye.livejournal.com]

Okay, but, If it's on four... then how do you do the heel? And are the stitches divided evenly on each needle?

I prefer circs. I may go that route. Even so, there's still the heel thing.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

Depends on the type of heel, but yes, generally. It's not a problem. And with the circs, you do the heel with the sock essentially folded in half lengthwise. Really, having a heel split in half is a total non-issue.

[tygerseye.livejournal.com]

*nod nod* I'll be trying that tonight. Last night I gave up. Heh.

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

Or one long one.

(I just tried two circs. It worked just fine, but when I had to start the sock over, I went straight to magic loop.)

[byrne.livejournal.com]

I loathed magic loop -- even with knitpicks cables. Just HATED it. I adore the two circs, though. :D

[mamadeb.livejournal.com]

One of the lovely things about knitting (and, you know. Life in general) - we can all find what suits us best.

[byrne.livejournal.com]

Dude -- so true. And if one method fails there's, like, nineteen people waiting to show you another way!