What the purl knit stitch is and when to use it
The purl knit stitch is a two-row pattern that alternates a knit row with a purl row. On the first row you knit every stitch. On the second row you purl every stitch. Then you repeat those two rows. This creates a textured fabric called garter stitch when done in a single color, or a bumpy, reversible pattern when you change colors or yarn weight between rows.
You use this stitch when you want a fabric with visible texture on both sides, or when you are learning because the rhythm is straightforward: knit a whole row, then purl a whole row, then start again. It lies flat, does not curl at the edges the way stockinette does, and works well for blankets, scarves, and dishcloths.
Key Takeaways
- Row 1: knit every stitch from left needle to right needle; Row 2: purl every stitch the same way, then repeat both rows.
- Hold the yarn in front of your body when you purl, and in back when you knit, switching between rows.
- Count your stitches after every few rows to catch dropped stitches before they unravel down multiple rows.
- The fabric will look bumpy and textured on both sides, which is correct and means the stitch is working.
How to hold your needles and yarn for the knit row
Start with your working yarn (the yarn attached to the ball) in your right hand or left hand, depending on whether you knit English style or Continental style. English style means holding the yarn in your right hand; Continental means holding it in your left. Either works for this stitch.
For the knit row, hold the yarn behind your needles. Insert your right needle through the first stitch on your left needle from left to right, wrap the yarn around the right needle, and pull the loop through. Slide the old stitch off the left needle. Repeat across the entire row until all stitches are on your right needle.
At the end of the row, swap your needles so the full needle is now in your left hand and the empty needle is in your right hand. You are ready to purl.
How to hold your needles and yarn for the purl row
For the purl row, move your yarn to the front of your needles. This is the key difference from the knit row. Insert your right needle through the first stitch on your left needle from right to left (the opposite direction), wrap the yarn around the right needle, and pull the loop through. Slide the old stitch off the left needle.
Repeat across the entire row. When you finish, swap your needles again so the full needle is in your left hand. Now you are ready to knit the next row, so move your yarn back to the rear of your needles and begin again.
Switching yarn position between rows
The most common mistake is forgetting to move the yarn from front to back or back to front between rows. If you knit a row with the yarn in front, you will accidentally purl. If you purl a row with the yarn in back, you will accidentally knit. Either way, your stitch pattern breaks and the texture looks wrong.
Develop a habit of moving the yarn as the very first thing you do when you pick up your needles for a new row. If you knitted the last row, the yarn is in back—move it to the front before you purl. If you purled the last row, the yarn is in front—move it to the back before you knit. This takes one second and prevents a whole row of mistakes.
Reading your stitches to know if you are on track
A knit stitch looks like a small V on the right side of your fabric. A purl stitch looks like a bump or a horizontal line. When you are doing the purl knit pattern correctly, you will see rows of Vs alternating with rows of bumps. If you see two rows of Vs in a row, you knitted twice and missed a purl row. If you see two rows of bumps, you purled twice.
Stop and count your stitches every few rows. Slip your needle through each stitch on your left needle and count them out loud. You should have the same number you started with. If you have fewer, you dropped a stitch somewhere in the last few rows. The sooner you catch it, the easier it is to fix by picking it back up with a crochet hook.
What to do if you drop a stitch
A dropped stitch is a loop that slipped off your needle and is now unraveling down through the rows below. If you catch it right away—on the same row or the next row—pick it back up with your working needle or a crochet hook and put it back on your left needle before you continue.
If the stitch has dropped several rows and you do not notice until later, use a crochet hook to pull the loop back up through each row. Insert the hook through the dropped loop from front to back, hook the horizontal strand of yarn above it, and pull the strand through the loop. Repeat for each row until the stitch is rebuilt and sits on your needle at the correct height.
Common tension problems and how to fix them
If your edges are too tight, you are pulling the yarn too hard when you insert your needle or wrap it around. Relax your grip slightly and let the yarn flow more freely. If your edges are too loose, you are not pulling the yarn tight enough. Tighten your grip just a little on the working yarn after you complete each stitch.
Uneven tension usually shows up as some rows looking tighter than others. This happens when you switch between knit and purl rows and change how hard you pull without meaning to. Purl stitches often feel looser than knit stitches because the yarn is in front of your needle instead of behind it. Compensate by pulling slightly tighter on purl rows if your purl rows look noticeably looser than your knit rows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is purl knit the same as garter stitch?
Yes. Garter stitch is the official name for the fabric created by knitting one row and purling the next row, repeated. Some people call it purl knit because of the pattern, but garter stitch is the standard term you will see in patterns and books.
Can I purl knit with circular needles?
Yes. Circular needles work the same way as straight needles for this stitch. Knit one round, purl one round, and repeat. The only difference is that you do not turn your work at the end of each round—you just keep going around the circle.
What happens if I knit every row instead of alternating?
If you knit every row without purling, you are making garter stitch the other way—by knitting flat instead of knitting in the round. The fabric looks the same: bumpy and textured on both sides. The purl knit pattern and all-knit rows produce identical results.
How do I know if I am purling correctly?
Your purl stitches should look like small bumps or horizontal lines on the right side of your fabric. If they look like Vs, you are actually knitting instead of purling. Check that your yarn is in front of your needle before you insert it, and that you are inserting the needle from right to left instead of left to right.
Can I use this stitch with different yarn weights?
Yes. You can knit one row with one weight of yarn and purl the next row with a different weight. This creates a striped, textured fabric. Just make sure both yarns are compatible with your needle size so the stitches sit evenly on your needle.