Purl Stitch

Purl stitch is the second fundamental stitch in knitting. It is really just a reversed knit stitch, and once you’ve mastered both knits and purls, you’ll be able to knit stockinette stitch, rib stitch and many, many more.

To begin, grab your yarn and needles and cast on a row of stitches.

Step 1: Insert the right-hand needle into the front of the first stitch on the left-hand needle, from right to left.

Step 2: Pass the yarn behind and round the right hand needle

Step 3: Pull the new loop through the stitch on the left hand needle.

Step 4: Slip the stitch off the left-hand needle. One stitch has been completed.

Next Steps

If you were to purl every stitch on every row you would make garter stitch (this is the same outcome as knitting every stitch on every row, although knitting is much faster). If you knit one row, and then purl the next you will make stockinette stitch, which is one of the most frequently used stitch patterns in knitting.