What a Purl Stitch Is and Why You Need It

A purl stitch is the reverse of a knit stitch. Where a knit stitch creates a smooth V-shaped bump on the front of your work, a purl stitch creates a horizontal bump. The two stitches are mirror images of each other, and learning both lets you create texture, patterns, and the flat fabric that most knitting projects need.

Most knitted fabric uses both knit and purl stitches in combination. Stockinette stitch—the smooth, flat fabric you see in most sweaters and scarves—is made by knitting one row and purling the next row, over and over. Ribbed fabric, which stretches and hugs your body, alternates knit and purl stitches on the same row. Without the purl stitch, your options are limited.

Key Takeaways

  • A purl stitch is worked with the yarn held in front of your needles instead of in back, and you insert the needle from right to left instead of left to right.
  • The motion is the same as a knit stitch—wrap the yarn and pull a loop through—but the entry point and yarn position are reversed.
  • Purling is slower than knitting at first because the yarn position feels awkward, but speed comes with repetition.
  • Tension matters: purl stitches often come out looser than knit stitches on the same row, so you may need to tighten your grip slightly.

How to Hold Your Yarn for a Purl Stitch

Before you insert your needle, move your yarn to the front of your work. If you just finished a knit row, your yarn is already in back; bring it forward between your two needles. The yarn should sit in front of your working needle, not wrapped around it yet.

Keep your yarn tension the same as you use for knit stitches. Many knitters find their purl stitches come out looser because they unconsciously relax their grip when the yarn moves to the front. Watch your tension as you work—if your purl stitches look noticeably bigger than your knit stitches, tighten your grip slightly on the yarn.

The Steps to Work a Single Purl Stitch

Hold your needles as you normally do: the needle with live stitches in your left hand, the empty needle in your right hand. Your yarn is in front of your work.

Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from right to left—the opposite direction from a knit stitch. The tip of the right needle should go in front of the left needle, not behind it. This is the hardest part to remember when you are learning.

Wrap the yarn around the right needle from right to left, going underneath and then over the top. This is the same wrap you use for a knit stitch, just with the yarn starting in a different place.

Pull the right needle backward and down, drawing the new loop through the old stitch. The new stitch slides onto the right needle. Slip the old stitch off the left needle. You have completed one purl stitch.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

The most common mistake is inserting the needle from the wrong direction. If you insert from left to right (the knit stitch direction) while the yarn is in front, you will accidentally twist the stitch. The stitch will look crossed or uneven. Check your needle entry point: it should come from the right side of the stitch, going toward the left.

The second common mistake is forgetting to bring the yarn to the front before you start. If your yarn is still in back when you purl, the stitch will be malformed and your tension will be off. Make it a habit to move your yarn forward before you purl and backward before you knit.

If your purl stitches are much looser than your knit stitches, you are probably relaxing your grip when you move the yarn to the front. Keep the same tension on the yarn throughout the stitch. Some knitters find it helps to hold the yarn slightly closer to the needle when purling.

Purling a Whole Row

Once you can do one purl stitch, a whole row is just repetition. Insert, wrap, pull through, slip off—over and over until all stitches have moved from the left needle to the right needle. Your first purl row will be slow. That is normal. Speed comes after you have purled 10 or 20 rows.

Pay attention to your rhythm. Many knitters find that purling feels awkward at first because the yarn position is unfamiliar. Your hands will adjust. If you are knitting a project that uses both knit and purl stitches on the same row (like ribbing), you will switch the yarn position back and forth. This is slower than a row of all knits or all purls, but it becomes automatic with practice.

When You Will Use Purl Stitches in Real Projects

Stockinette stitch—knit one row, purl one row—is the most common use. The result is smooth on one side and bumpy on the other. Most sweaters, scarves, and blankets use stockinette.

Ribbed fabric uses knit and purl stitches on the same row. A common pattern is knit one, purl one, repeated across the row. Ribbing is stretchy and is used for cuffs, collars, and waistbands because it hugs the body without being tight.

Seed stitch alternates knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern. The result is bumpy and textured on both sides. Garter stitch, by contrast, uses only knit stitches (or only purl stitches), so you do not need to purl at all for that pattern.

Building Speed and Confidence

Your first purl rows will take twice as long as knit rows. This is expected. After 20 or 30 rows of purling, your hands will remember the motion and your speed will increase. Do not rush. Tension and stitch shape matter more than speed when you are learning.

If you are working on a project that uses both knit and purl stitches, the rhythm becomes easier once you stop thinking about which stitch comes next. Your hands will learn the pattern. Many knitters find that watching a video of someone else purling helps them see the motion from a different angle and understand where the needle should go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my purl stitches look bigger than my knit stitches?

Purl stitches often come out looser because knitters unconsciously relax their grip when the yarn moves to the front. Keep the same tension on the yarn as you use for knit stitches. If the problem persists, try holding the yarn slightly closer to the needle when you purl.

Can I purl if I knit continental style?

Yes. Continental knitters hold the yarn in the left hand and use the needle to pick it up. Purling in continental style means inserting the needle from right to left and picking the yarn with a slightly different motion. The principle is the same: yarn in front, needle from right to left, wrap and pull through.

What if I accidentally knit when I meant to purl?

If you notice the mistake right away, you can drop the stitch and redo it. If you do not notice until later, you can use a crochet hook to pick up the stitch and fix it, or you can keep going—one wrong stitch usually will not ruin a project. As you gain experience, you will catch mistakes faster.

Do I have to move my yarn to the front for every purl stitch?

Yes. The yarn position is part of what makes a purl stitch a purl stitch. If the yarn is in back, you are knitting, not purling. Moving the yarn between stitches becomes automatic once you have done it many times.