Purl stitch in knitting?

Question

Hi I'm teaching myself how to knit to keep a hold of my sanity while I finish my degree. How do I do a purl stitch? I can do a regular knit stitch... In, round, under, over kinda thing... Can anyone expolain how to purl?

Answer 1

Yes...it's easy! Instead of putting your needle through the back of the stitch as you would for plain, put it through the front of the stitch, wind the wool round in the usual way and slip off the stitch...that's it! Complete one row like this then knit one plain row and continue alternating like that!

Hope that helps

Answer 2

When you purl you just put the right hand needle in the stitch but at the FRONT of the left hand needle rather than at the back like knit stitch.

You can then alternate stitches to make different patterns. Try knitting one row then purling the next row - this creates 'stocking stich' most commonly used on jumpers. Don't worry - it always goes a bit curly at the sides. Just iron with a very cool iron when finished.

Good luckx

Answer 3

Garter stitch, where you knit or purl every row (not alternate rows of one then the other) produces what look like ridges of little bumps or bricks. This is because you always use the same face of the stitch in each row. When you alternate rows then you get one fabric face that looks like columns of Vs, this is the knitted side, and rows of bumps (they actually look to me like running bond brickwork), which is the purl face, this is stockinette or stocking stitch. When you want ribbing you alternate knit and purl stitches in the same row and then when you turn to knit the other face, you knit where the V stitches are below the needle, and purl where the bumps are below the needle. Textured knitting patterns are based on the different appearance of these two stitches. BTW, the difference in the appearance of these two stitches is the reason that stockinette rolls. The geometry of the stitches is different. Purl stitches are more square, knit stitches are vertically rectangular. The yarn wants the shapes to be the same and to use the same amount of yarn in each stitch so it tries to even itself out, pulling the fabric to relax itself into an even shape, which causes rolling. This is why stockinette knit pieces intended to remain flat--scarves or afghans--always need a border of a non-rolling stitch like garter or moss stitch. Stockinette pieces intended to be sewn together, like sweaters, have the roll cancelled by the seaming because the individual pieces want to roll in different directions. This is also how one gets rolled hems or necklines on sweaters or rolled brims on hats, you just don't put a border on those edges.

Answer 4

Put the needle with point downwards into the front of the stitch put the yarn around the front needle in an anti clockwise directionthen gently move the front needle so that it picks up the yarn as a stitch-move the needle to the right to do this slide the original stitch off the needle then carry on with the next stitch

Answer 5

Sure!

1. bring your working yarn to the front.

2. Put your right hand needle in, but from the back to the front of the loop (if you were knitting, you'd put it from front to back).

3. Take the yarn you have pulled to the front and wrap it around the needle in the front (just like you would if you were knitting, but in front)

4. slide it back out just like a knit stich.

If your next stich after purling is a knit stitch, remember to bring your yarn back to the back.

Hope this is helpful!

Answer 6

The 'in' is in the front of the stitch - from top to bottom of the strand. Then its round, under, off. Much the same as knit except sort of from the front of the stitch. Hard to explain - but easy to do once you figure it out

Answer 7

With yarn in front, insert tip of right needle from back to front through next stitch on left needle. Wrap yarn counterclockwise around needle. Pull loop through to back. Slide worked stitch off left needle.
The words don't make much sense taken alone, visit this link for pictures and a video. http://www.anniesattic.com/knitting/content.html?content_id=161 There are lots of other tutorials on the site as well. Have fun!

http://www.knittinghelp.com/ and http://knitting.about.com/ are also helpful sites.

Answer 8

You put the needle in your right hand from right to left to the front of the stitch on left hand needle. You wind the wool round it in an anti clockwise direction as opposed to clockwise when doing a plain stitch. Wish I could draw it for you.

Answer 9

Instead of putting the needle into the back of the stitch, put it into the front (the side nearest you) and do the round & drop thing as normal

Answer 10

Ohhh... would you believe, I am 60 and never knitted
in my life ...until now.. like you am perplexed,
the knitting patterns are as complicated as a degree
course !!! I have decided to ask around for a person
who knits and beg lessons !!! being a Landlady
of a rumbustious Pub, I would prefer you told
no one..thanks....