Easy yo twice for Beginners

Welcome back to the Knitting Bee! 🐝🧶

If you’ve ever stumbled across a gorgeous lace knitting pattern, chances are you’ve seen a variety of yarn overs (YO). Yarn overs are the bread and butter of lace knitting—they are the simple little maneuver that creates those beautiful, decorative holes in your work.

But what happens when a pattern calls for a YO twice (sometimes written as YO2 or double yarn over)?

A standard yarn over creates a small eyelet. But wrapping that yarn around the needle twice? That creates a beautifully dramatic, oversized hole that adds a stunning, airy texture to your knits. It’s a favorite for drop-stitch patterns, airy summer tops, and bold lace scarves.

Before we dive into the step-by-step breakdown, I put together a super quick, 12-second visual guide for you. Watch the YouTube Short below to see exactly how it’s done!

How to Do a Double Yarn Over (YO2) Step-by-Step

While the video shows you the motion, here are the written steps so you can reference them while your hands are busy with your needles:

Step 1: Bring your working yarn to the front of your work, just as you would for a standard yarn over.

Step 2: Wrap the yarn completely over the top of your right-hand needle, bringing it back to the front. (That’s wrap number one!).

Step 3: Don’t stop there! Wrap the yarn over the top of your right-hand needle a second time, bringing it back to the front again. (That’s wrap number two!)

Step 4: Move on to your next stitch. You will now have two extra wraps of yarn sitting on your right needle.

The Most Important Part: The Next Row!

Here is the biggest mistake knitters make with a double yarn over: on the next row, you have to do something with those two wraps!

If you knit them together like a normal stitch, you’ll lose that beautiful big hole you just made.

When you reach your YO2 on the next row:

• Option A (The Drop): Knit (or purl) into the first wrap, and simply let the second wrap fall off the needle. This creates a long, elongated stitch.
• Option B (The Double Knit): Knit into the first wrap, then purl into the second wrap. This keeps the hole large but secures the stitches so they don’t stretch out too much over time.

(Tip: Always check your specific pattern to see which method it prefers!)

What to Make with the YO2 Stitch

The double yarn over is incredibly versatile. Try using it in:

• Airy market bags: The large holes make the bag stretchy and breathable.
• Summer shawls: It creates beautiful, bold lace panels that look much more complicated than they actually are.
• Drop-stitch cowls: Alternate a few rows of garter stitch with a row of YO2s, and drop them on the next row for a trendy, boho look.

Drop Stitch Ripple Lace Stitch Knitting Pattern (Easy Lace Tutorial)

Make this beautiful drop lace stitch with this yo twice knitting stitch.

Over to You!

Have you ever used a double yarn over in a project? What are you currently knitting? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more quick knitting tutorials and tips!

Happy Knitting! 🧶✨
— The Knitting Bee