The purl stitch is the reverse of a knit stitch

A purl stitch is made by inserting your needle through a loop from front to back instead of back to front, then wrapping the yarn and pulling a new loop through. If a knit stitch pushes the needle away from you, a purl stitch brings it toward you. The two stitches are mirror images—when you knit on one side of your work, you're purling on the other side.

Most knitting patterns use both stitches together. Stockinette stitch (the smooth, V-shaped fabric you see on most sweaters) is made by knitting one row and purling the next. Ribbed fabric, seed stitch, and cable patterns all rely on switching between knit and purl in different combinations. Learning to purl smoothly takes the same practice as learning to knit, but the motion becomes automatic once your hands understand the rhythm.

Key Takeaways

  • Insert your needle through the loop from front to back, opposite the direction of a knit stitch.
  • Wrap the yarn around your needle and pull a new loop through to complete the stitch.
  • Keep tension consistent by holding the yarn the same distance from your needle as you do for knit stitches.
  • Practice purling entire rows before mixing knit and purl stitches in the same row.

Step-by-step purl stitch with English (throwing) method

If you hold the yarn in your right hand and throw it around the needle (English method), start with your working yarn in front of your needles. Insert your right needle through the loop on your left needle from front to back—the needle goes in from the side closest to you and comes out the back side. Your right needle should be underneath the left needle at this point.

Wrap the yarn around your right needle counterclockwise (from right to left, then down and around). Pull the right needle back through the loop, bringing the new stitch with it. Slip the old loop off your left needle. You now have one purl stitch on your right needle. Repeat across the row.

Step-by-step purl stitch with Continental (picking) method

If you hold the yarn in your left hand and pick it with your needle (Continental method), keep your working yarn in front of your needles before you start. Insert your right needle through the loop on your left needle from front to back, the same direction as English method. Your right needle goes underneath the left needle.

Use the tip of your right needle to pick the yarn from underneath and pull it back through the loop. Slip the old loop off your left needle. The motion is smaller and faster than throwing—your left hand stays still and your right needle does the work. Once you develop the habit, Continental purling is often quicker than English purling.

Keeping your tension even between knit and purl

The most common problem when switching between knit and purl is uneven tension. Purl stitches often come out looser than knit stitches because the yarn is in front of the needle instead of behind it, and your hand position changes. To keep tension consistent, hold the yarn the same distance from your needle for both stitches—usually about one inch away.

If your purls are noticeably looser, tighten your grip slightly on the yarn as you wrap it. If they're tighter than your knits, relax your grip a little. The goal is not to make every stitch identical (that comes with time), but to notice the difference and adjust. Knitting a few practice rows of all purls, then all knits, then alternating helps your hands find the right tension for each stitch.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

The most frequent error is inserting the needle in the wrong direction. A purl stitch requires the needle to go through from front to back. If you insert it from back to front (the knit direction), you'll accidentally knit instead of purl. Check the direction before you wrap the yarn—it's easier to correct before you pull the yarn through.

Another common mistake is leaving the yarn in the wrong place. If you finish a knit row and forget to bring the yarn to the front before starting a purl row, your first stitch will be twisted or dropped. Before you begin any purl row, take a moment to position the yarn in front of your needles. If you're mixing knit and purl in the same row, move the yarn to the front before each purl stitch and to the back before each knit stitch.

Accidentally yarning over (wrapping the yarn around the needle without going through a stitch) creates an extra loop that looks like a hole. This happens when you move the yarn between stitches but forget you've already wrapped it. Keep the yarn still until the needle is through the stitch, then wrap it for the next stitch.

Practicing purl stitches before mixing them with knits

Before you try a pattern that alternates knit and purl, spend time purling entire rows. Cast on 20 to 30 stitches and purl 10 rows straight. This builds muscle memory and lets you focus on the purl motion without thinking about what comes next. The fabric will look bumpy and uneven at first—that's normal. Your hands are still learning the rhythm.

Once purling feels automatic, try a straightforward pattern like garter stitch (knit every row) or stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row). Stockinette is the best next step because it uses only two stitches in a predictable order. Your brain can focus on switching between them instead of remembering a complex pattern. After stockinette feels smooth, you're ready for patterns that mix knit and purl within the same row.

When purl stitches are used in common patterns

Stockinette stitch uses purl on the back side of the fabric. When you knit flat (back and forth on straight needles), you knit one row and purl the next. The result is smooth V-shaped stitches on the front and bumpy horizontal lines on the back. Most sweaters, scarves, and blankets use stockinette because it's straightforward and shows off yarn color and texture.

Ribbed patterns (like on the cuffs of sweaters) alternate knit and purl stitches in the same row. A 1x1 rib is one knit, one purl, repeated across. A 2x2 rib is two knits, two purls, repeated. The alternating stitches create vertical lines that stretch and recover, which is why ribbing is used on edges that need to hug the body. Seed stitch alternates knit and purl in a checkerboard pattern and creates a bumpy, textured fabric on both sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a purl stitch harder than a knit stitch?

Not harder, just different. Your hands have to move in the opposite direction and the yarn position changes. Most people find purling takes slightly longer to feel automatic than knitting, but with the same amount of practice, both become equally fast. Some knitters actually prefer purling once they get the hang of it.

Why does my purl stitch look twisted?

A twisted purl usually means the needle went through the loop in the wrong direction (back to front instead of front to back), or the old stitch wasn't fully off the left needle when you pulled the new loop through. Check your needle direction before you wrap the yarn, and make sure the old loop slides off cleanly.

Can I purl if I knit Continental style?

Yes. Continental purling uses the same left-hand yarn hold as Continental knitting. The needle motion is slightly different (you pick from underneath instead of above), but the principle is the same. Many Continental knitters find purling faster than knitting because the hand position doesn't change as much between stitches.

What if I accidentally knit when I meant to purl?

One wrong stitch in a stockinette row will show as a bump on the smooth side. If you catch it right away, you can drop the stitch and fix it with a crochet hook. If you don't notice until later, you can either frog (rip back) to that row and re-knit it, or leave it as a learning mark. Mistakes become less visible as you gain experience.

Do I need to change needle size when I purl?

No. Use the same needle size for both knit and purl stitches. If your purls are consistently looser than your knits, the problem is tension, not needle size. Adjusting your grip on the yarn will fix it faster than changing needles.