Yarn over, Yarn Under
You probably hear a lot of crocheters saying they use the yarn over or yarn under method on social media. You also might be wondering why you would choose one method over the other. There is no wrong answer. It is very much a personal preference, but there is no wrong way to crochet.
I’m going to go through each method and how I do both. At the end I will explain my preference and why I chose the one I did.
Yarn Over
Most new crocheters start out using the yarn over method (myself included). I was taught this way. Follow the photos below to see how you yarn over.
Step 1: Insert your hook into the next stitch and yarn over (when you yarn over, you want to take the working yarn and place it on top of your hook).
Step 2: Pull the yarn through the stitch, you now have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over. You now have 3 loops on your hook.
Step 3: Pull the yarn through the first 2 loops on your hook. You have now completed a single crochet using yarn over.
Yarn Under
Many designers use the yarn under method (myself included). I hear so many say that it’s a lot harder to get used to. Like most things, all new things take practice and for your brain to learn new muscle memory. Follow the steps below to see how you yarn under.
Step 1: Insert your hook into the next stitch and yarn under (when you yarn under, you want to take the working yarn and place it under your hook).
Step 2: Pull the yarn through the stitch, you now have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over (you can also yarn under again. I prefer to yarn over to complete the stitch). You now have 3 loops on your hook.
Step 3: Pull the yarn through the first 2 loops on your hook. You have now completed a single crochet using yarn under.
Compare Yarn Over and Yarn Under
Yarn over is on the left and yarn under is on the right. There is a 0.2 inch/.5 centimeters different between the two.
Yarn under creates an “x” stitch, while yarn over creates a “v” stitch. When you yarn under, the stitches are naturally tighter, which produces a smaller end result.
What I prefer and why
I prefer yarn under when I design and make amigurumi. There are many things that I love about yarn under and here are some of the reasons:
- smaller and tighter stitches
- little to no holes
- it hides the stuffing better
- the stitches are evenly stacked on top of each other, which leaves a clean look
Just these few things alone seal the deal for me. Like I said before, there is no wrong way to crochet, it is just a matter of preference.
*If I am not making amigurumi, then I will use the yarn over method.*
I hope you found this helpful!!
