What the Purl Stitch Is and Why You Need It
The purl stitch is the reverse of the knit stitch — instead of inserting your needle from front to back, you insert it from back to front, and the yarn sits in front of your needle instead of behind it. When you pull the loop through, you create a bump on the side facing you rather than a smooth V. Most knitting patterns use both knit and purl stitches together to create texture, patterns, and fabric that doesn't curl at the edges.
If you have already learned the knit stitch, purl uses the same needles, yarn, and basic motion — just reversed. Your hands stay in the same position. The only difference is where the yarn starts and which direction your needle travels through the loop on your needle.
Key Takeaways
- Hold your yarn in front of your needle (not behind it) before you insert the needle into the stitch.
- Insert the needle from right to left through the loop, going from back to front instead of front to back.
- Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull a new loop through, then slide the old loop off.
- Practice purling across a full row slowly before you try mixing knit and purl stitches in the same row.
- The bumpy side of a purl stitch faces you; the smooth side faces away, which is the opposite of a knit stitch.
How to Hold Your Yarn for Purl
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 behind your needles. Bring it forward between the two needles, toward you. The yarn should sit loosely in front of your work, not pulled tight.
Keep holding the yarn the same way you do for knit stitches — either in your right hand (English style) or your left hand (Continental style). The only change is its position relative to your needles. Your tension should feel the same as it does for knit stitches. If your purls come out tight and bunched, you are probably pulling the yarn too hard as you complete each stitch.
The Four Steps to Purl One Stitch
Step 1: Insert the needle. Hold the needle with the stitches in your left hand. Take your working needle (the empty one in your right hand) and push it through the loop on the left needle from back to front — the opposite direction from a knit stitch. The needle should go in from right to left, passing behind the loop. Your working needle now sits in front of the loop on the left needle.
Step 2: Wrap the yarn. Bring the yarn around your working needle. If you hold yarn in your right hand (English style), wrap it counterclockwise around the needle tip. If you hold yarn in your left hand (Continental style), use your left index finger to guide the yarn around the needle. The yarn should make a complete loop around the needle shaft.
Step 3: Pull the new loop through. Push the working needle forward and pull the new loop back through the old loop on the left needle. This new loop stays on your working needle. The motion is smoother if you keep the working needle tip close to the left needle as you pull.
Step 4: Slide the old loop off. Let the old loop slide off the left needle. You now have one purl stitch on your working needle. Repeat these four steps until you reach the end of the row.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The most frequent error is forgetting to move your yarn to the front before you start purling. If your yarn is still behind your needles when you insert, you will accidentally create a yarn over (an extra loop) instead of a purl stitch. Check your yarn position before every purl row.
Purls that are much looser than your knits usually mean you are not maintaining even tension as you wrap and pull. Try wrapping the yarn a little tighter around your needle, or slow down and count "wrap, pull, slide" for each stitch until the motion becomes automatic. Uneven tension is normal when you are learning — it smooths out with practice.
If you accidentally knit when you meant to purl (or vice versa), you will see it when ready because the texture changes. Purl stitches have a visible bump facing you; knit stitches show a smooth V. If you make a mistake in the middle of a row, you can drop back one or two stitches and fix it, or straightforward keep going and fix it on the next row by working into the stitch below.
Practicing Purl Rows and Garter Stitch
Start by purling an entire row, then knitting the next row, then purling again. This creates garter stitch — the bumpy, reversible fabric you see on many scarves and blankets. Garter stitch is the best way to practice because you can see when ready whether your stitches are even, and both sides look identical, so there is no "wrong" side to worry about.
Work at least three full rows of garter stitch before you try mixing knit and purl stitches in the same row (which creates ribbing or other patterns). Your hands need to build the muscle memory of the purl motion, and garter stitch lets you focus on that without also tracking which stitch comes next.
Moving Between Knit and Purl in the Same Row
Once you are comfortable purling full rows, you can alternate knit and purl stitches in a single row to create ribbing or textured patterns. The key is moving your yarn to the correct position between stitches. After a knit stitch, your yarn is behind your needles — bring it forward before you purl. After a purl stitch, your yarn is in front — move it behind before you knit.
This yarn movement happens between stitches, not during them. Bring the yarn forward or back while the loop is still on your left needle, before you insert your working needle into the next stitch. If you move the yarn after you have already inserted the needle, you will create accidental yarn overs that add extra stitches to your row.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a knit stitch and a purl stitch?
A knit stitch is worked by inserting the needle from front to back, with yarn behind the needle. A purl stitch is worked by inserting the needle from back to front, with yarn in front of the needle. The two stitches are mirror images — a purl stitch on one side of the fabric looks like a knit stitch on the other side.
Do I need to change how I hold my needles or yarn?
No. Your hand position and yarn hold stay the same. Only the yarn's position relative to your needles changes (front instead of back), and the direction your needle travels through the loop reverses. This is why purl is easier to learn after you have already mastered the knit stitch.
Why do my purl stitches look loose compared to my knits?
Purl stitches often feel looser because the yarn path is slightly longer than in a knit stitch. Maintain the same tension you use for knits by wrapping the yarn firmly and pulling the new loop through smoothly. Uneven tension between knits and purls is common when learning — it evens out as your hands build consistency.
Can I fix a purl mistake without unraveling the whole row?
If the mistake is only one or two stitches back, you can drop the stitches down to the error row, fix them with a crochet hook, and pick them back up. For mistakes further back or if you are not comfortable with that technique, unraveling back to the error and re-knitting is faster and safer than trying to fix it in place.
What happens if I forget to move my yarn forward before purling?
You will create a yarn over — an extra loop that adds a stitch to your row. This is visible as a hole in your fabric. Check your yarn position before you start each purl row, and if you notice yarn overs appearing, stop and move your yarn to the front before continuing.