Yarn-Overs Unravelled!

[LeighAnn]

Hi, I am working a scarf pattern that has a button/botton hole on it. Right now I am working on the button hole.

The pattern said to yarn over three times, and then continue knitting, turn... etc.

Now I've gone back accross the row since I've turned the work, and when I got to the three yarn overed 'stitches' it said "purl next stitch together with yarn yo". When I did that the other two yarn overs just came un done and left a long string between the sticth I just knitted and the next actual stitch to be knit (there were no yarn overs left on the left needle). The pattern called to repeat the row twice, so it seems the yarn overs should have stayed there....

What happened? Does it have something to do with the direction I yarn overed?

Help is greatly appreciated!

Leigh-Ann