What a purl stitch is and why you need it
A purl stitch is the reverse of a knit stitch. Where a knit stitch pulls the yarn through the loop from back to front, a purl stitch pulls it through from front to back. The result looks bumpy on the side facing you instead of smooth. You need purl stitches because they let you create texture, patterns, and reversible fabric—most knitted items use both knit and purl stitches together.
The purl stitch itself is not harder than a knit stitch; it just feels backwards at first because your hands move in the opposite direction. Once you have done a few rows, the motion becomes automatic.
Key Takeaways
- A purl stitch is worked by bringing the yarn to the front of your needles before inserting the right needle, then pulling the yarn through from front to back.
- The working yarn stays in front of your work for the entire purl stitch, unlike the knit stitch where it stays in back.
- Purl stitches create a bumpy texture on the side facing you and a smooth texture on the back.
- Alternating knit and purl rows creates ribbing; doing them in the same row creates seed stitch and other textured patterns.
How to position your hands and yarn before you start
Hold your needles the same way you do for a knit stitch—the needle with live stitches in your left hand, the empty needle in your right hand. The difference is where the yarn sits. For a purl stitch, bring the working yarn to the front of your work, between the two needles. If you just finished a knit row, the yarn is already in back, so you will need to move it forward under the right needle.
Keep the yarn at the front for the entire purl row. This is the single biggest thing that trips up new knitters—they forget the yarn position and accidentally create twisted stitches or accidentally knit instead of purl.
The four steps to complete one purl stitch
Insert the right needle through the next stitch on the left needle from right to left (the opposite direction from a knit stitch). The right needle should go in front of the left needle, not behind it. This is the move that feels most foreign if you are used to knitting.
Wrap the working yarn around the right needle, moving it from right to left underneath the needle. The yarn is already in front, so you are just wrapping it around the shaft of the right needle.
Pull the right needle backward and down, drawing the wrapped yarn through the loop on the left needle. The new stitch forms on the right needle. This pulling motion is gentler than in a knit stitch because the yarn is already loose in front.
Slip the old stitch off the left needle. You now have one completed purl stitch on the right needle. Repeat these four steps until you reach the end of the row.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
The most common mistake is forgetting to bring the yarn to the front before you start purling. If you work a purl stitch with the yarn in back, you will create a twisted stitch that looks wrong and is hard to work into on the next row. If you notice this while you are still on the row, drop back to that stitch and redo it with the yarn in front.
The second mistake is moving the yarn to the front but not keeping it there. If the yarn drifts to the back in the middle of a purl row, you will accidentally knit one or two stitches instead of purling them. These show up as smooth stitches in a bumpy row and are straightforward to spot. Again, drop back and redo those stitches.
The third mistake is inserting the right needle in the wrong direction. For a purl stitch, the right needle enters from right to left (toward you), not left to right (away from you). If you insert it the wrong way, you will twist the stitch. Practice the insertion motion slowly until it feels natural.
How purl stitches combine with knit stitches to make patterns
A knit row followed by a purl row creates stockinette stitch, the smooth fabric used in most sweaters and scarves. The knit side faces out and looks smooth; the purl side faces in and looks bumpy.
A knit stitch and a purl stitch alternated in the same row creates seed stitch, a textured fabric that looks the same on both sides. Seed stitch is thicker and less stretchy than stockinette, so it is often used for blankets or items that need structure.
Alternating knit and purl stitches in a 2-by-2 or 1-by-1 pattern creates ribbing, the stretchy fabric you see on the cuffs and hems of sweaters. Ribbing pulls the fabric in and holds it snug against your body.
When to call in help or watch a video
If you have worked through several rows and your stitches still look twisted or uneven, a video demonstration can help more than text. Seeing the hand motion in real time makes the direction of the needle insertion much clearer. Search for "purl stitch tutorial" on any video platform and watch someone work through the motion slowly.
If you are working from a knitting pattern and the instructions use abbreviations like "P" for purl or "K" for knit, a pattern guide will show you how to read those symbols. Most patterns also specify which rows are knit rows and which are purl rows, so you do not have to memorize the sequence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a knit stitch and a purl stitch?
A knit stitch pulls the yarn through from back to front; a purl stitch pulls it through from front to back. The yarn position is opposite, and the needle insertion direction is opposite. On the finished fabric, a knit stitch looks smooth on the side facing you, and a purl stitch looks bumpy.
Do I have to move my yarn to the front for every purl stitch?
Yes. The yarn must be in front before you insert the needle. If you are working a purl row, bring the yarn to the front once at the start, then keep it there for the entire row. If you are alternating knit and purl stitches in the same row, you will move the yarn back and forth between stitches.
Why do my purl stitches look loose or sloppy?
Purl stitches often look looser than knit stitches because the yarn is already in front and does not need to be pulled as far. Tighten your tension slightly by holding the yarn a bit closer to the needle. As you practice, your hands will find the right tension automatically.
Can I purl if I knit left-handed?
Yes. Left-handed knitters hold the needles in the opposite hands but follow the same logic: the working needle goes in the opposite direction from a knit stitch, and the yarn stays in front. Watch a left-handed tutorial to see the hand position, since the mirror image of a right-handed video can be confusing.
What happens if I accidentally knit a stitch when I meant to purl?
You will see a smooth stitch in a row of bumpy stitches, or vice versa. If you catch it right away, drop back to that stitch and redo it. If you do not notice until later, you can often leave it—one misplaced stitch rarely ruins a project, especially in a beginner piece.