Learn how to knit the purl stitch with this informative post. The basic purl stitch and the knit stitch are the cornerstone stitches in knitting and comprise every knit pattern. Master these two stitches and you can knit anything! Still photos, written directions, and a video explain every step of this basic purl stitch.
This post is part of the ‘All About Knitting’ series. You can find all the links to the rest of the series in the pale green box at the end of this post. But, if nothing else, make sure to visit the How to Long-Tail Cast-On and How to Knit the Knit Stitch posts.
Terms to Know When Knitting the Purl Stitch
Cast on Row (abbreviated co)
The cast on row is the row of stitches you put on one of your needles. Your pattern will tell you how many stitches to cast on. The cast on row DOES NOT count as a row of knitting. Pop on over here to learn about Casting On.
Stitches (abbreviated st(s))
The individual stitch made by pulling yarn through a previously made stitch.
Working Yarn v Tail End
Your yarn will have two ends; the one that is balled is the working end. The end opposite the ball of yarn is the tail end.
Purl Stitch (abbreviated p)
Along with the Knit Stitch, the Purl Stitch is the basic stitch to know when knitting. The finished purl stitch will look like a bump, pearl, or small horizontal row and is made by pulling the yarn from the front of the needles through a previously made stitch. When you turn a purl stitch over, it will be a knit stitch on the other side of the fabric.
Knit Stitch (abbreviated k)
Along with the Purl Stitch, the Knit Stitch is the basic stitch to know when knitting. The finished knit stitch will look like a V and is made by pulling the yarn from the back of the needles through a previously made stitch. When you turn a knit stitch over, it will be a purl stitch on the other side of the fabric.
Important to Know
In essence, the Knit Stitch and the Purl Stitch are the same stitches, just the front and back of the stitch. When you are knitting, the V will be facing you and the purl bump will be in the back. When you are purling, the purl bump will be facing you and the V will be in the back.
Tension
Knitting tension is how tightly or loosely you pull your stitches when knitting. I am a tight knitter, some are looser knitters.
Beginning knitters often pull the yarn much too tight, making it difficult to knit the next row as it’s difficult to slide the stitches up and down the needle. Additionally, it is also hard to get the point of the needle into a stitch. Knitting too tightly will also affect how the finished project looks: it will not lay flat and will most likely be smaller than you want.
Loose knitters produce a loose and saggy fabric. Like Goldilocks, you don’t want your tension to be too tight or too loose; but at minimum, you need to keep your tension consistent throughout your work.
What’s the difference between knit stitches and purl stitches?
Essentially, they are the same stitch but worked the opposite way from each other. When you knit, you keep the working yarn in the back and create the V in the front (the side of the fabric facing you) and the purl in the back. The purl is formed because the yarn is on that side, in this case, the backside.
When you purl, the yarn will be on the side facing you, so you will form the little purl facing you, but if you turn your work over and look at the stitch you just purled, you will see that the back of that stitch shows the V of a knit stitch.
If this is confusing, then do this. Grab your needles and some yarn and cast on a few stitches…like 5. Then knit a row. You will see that the side facing you is all Vs. Turn your work over and you will notice that you have 5 purls. Make sense?
How to Knit the Purl Stitch, Step-by-Step
Hold the needle with stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right hand
Slide the right needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle, from right to left, on top of the left-hand needle.
With yarn starting in front of your work, move the yarn counterclockwise around the point of the right needle.
With your right hand holding the needle and the working yarn, pull down gently
Slide the right needle slowly under the left-hand needle and towards the back. Use the right-hand needle to
pull out the new stitch.
Gently push up the old stitch on the left needle and let it fall off.
Snug up stitch by gently tugging on working and tail end yarn.
Let’s see the steps for the Purl Stitch in action.
Garter Stitch (abbreviated gst)
The Garter Stitch is the pattern made by knitting or purling every row.
Stocking Stitch or Stockinette Stitch (abbreviated st st)
The Stocking Stitch is the pattern made by alternating knit and purl rows.
Ribbing or Rib Stitch (abbreviated 1×1 rib, 2×2 rib)
Rib Stitch is most commonly used around cuffs, necks, and hems of sweaters to create a more elastic piece of fabric. Ribbing is produced by alternating Knit Stitches and Purl Stitches on the SAME SIDE OF THE FABRIC. You will often see it referred to as 1×1 ribbing or 2×2 ribbing and so on. For a 1×1 ribbing, you would alternate a Knit, Purl pattern while a 2×2 ribbing would be produced by Knit, Knit, Purl, Purl pattern.
Things to Remember About the Purl Stitch
- It is the back side of the knit stitch.
- The working yarn should always be in front when working a purl stitch.
- If you forget what side of your work you are on, if you see the purls then you should be purling and if you see Vs, you should be knitting.
- When pushing your needle through the stitches on your needle, make sure you don’t split the yarn.
- Always count the number of stitches after each row. If you have more than the number your cast on, you added some somewhere. If you have fewer, you either dropped some or knit some together. It is better to find those sooner rather than later.
- There are several different knitting styles, this post shows how to knit the English or American Style.
- Like any craft, it takes practice to master. Set aside some time to practice casting on and knitting, but don’t get frustrated. Each time you practice a stitch, you will get better.
- I recommend a needle no smaller than a US7/5mm and a suitable yarn weight. If you don’t have them already, make sure to nab the Needle Conversion Chart and the Yarn Weights Guide.
- When you finish each row, all new stitches will be on the right hand needle and the left hand needle will be empty. Turn the right hand needle, place it in your left hand and repeat the process.
- When you begin each new row, the yarn should be on the right side of the stitches on the left hand needle.
If you want to learn how to knit or are looking to brush up on your knitting skills and knowledge, pop over to the How to Knit page, which houses all of the posts that teach knitting skills. Or, you could go ahead and visit each one by clicking the links below.
All About Knitting
- All About Yarn, including different fibers and weights, how to read a yarn label and a Yarn Weights Chart
- All About Knitting Needles, including material, sizes, styles and a Needle Conversion Chart.
- How to Cast On Using the Long-Tail Method; including how to calculate how much yarn is needed to cast on and how to make a slip knot.
- How to Knit the Knit Stitch
- How to Knit the Purl Stitch
- How to Bind Off; including how to weave in your loose ends.
- How to Read a Knit Pattern; including a Common Knitting Abbreviations Chart.
- This simple Garter Knit Dishcloth will let you put all your new skills to good use!
- How to Block Your Knitting.
- Common Knit Errors; How to Prevent or Diagnose and Fix Them
- Join yarn using the Russian Join
- How to seam pieces of knit fabric with the Mattress Stitch (for sweaters, tops, pillows, etc…)
- Check out our Gift Ideas for Knitters.
To refer back to this post discussing how to knit the purl stitch, bookmark this page or pin the following image.
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