The Two Stitches That Build Every Knitted Piece

Every knitted fabric is made from two stitches: the knit stitch and the purl stitch. If you can do both, you can knit anything from a dishcloth to a sweater. The knit stitch pulls yarn through a loop from front to back; the purl stitch pulls it through from back to front. Most beginners learn the knit stitch first because the motion is simpler and more natural to the hand.

You will need needles, yarn, and a cast-on foundation — a row of loops already on your needle. If you do not have a cast-on yet, cast on 10 to 15 stitches on needles that match your yarn weight. The needle size is printed on the yarn label; if you do not have it, a size US 8 or 9 works for most medium-weight yarn.

Key Takeaways

  • The knit stitch is made by inserting the needle through a loop from left to right, wrapping yarn around the needle, and pulling a new loop through.
  • Hold the working yarn (the yarn attached to the ball) in your right hand or left hand depending on your preferred tension method, and keep it loose enough to move freely.
  • The purl stitch is the reverse of the knit stitch — you insert the needle from right to left and wrap yarn the same way, creating a bumpy texture on the front.
  • Tension — how tightly you pull the yarn — matters more than speed; loose, even stitches are easier to work with than tight, uneven ones.

How to Make a Knit Stitch Step by Step

Hold the needle with cast-on stitches in your left hand. The working yarn (the yarn still attached to the ball) should hang from the last stitch on the left needle. Insert the right needle through the first loop on the left needle from left to right, going under the left needle. The right needle now sits inside the loop.

Wrap the working yarn around the right needle in a clockwise motion — bring it from back to front, then around the right needle. The yarn should make a small loop around the right needle shaft. Pull the right needle backward and down, sliding it out of the original loop on the left needle while drawing the new loop through. You now have a new stitch on the right needle and one fewer stitch on the left needle.

Repeat this motion for every stitch on the left needle. When all stitches have moved to the right needle, you have completed one row. Swap the needles so the full needle is in your left hand and the empty needle is in your right hand, and begin the next row the same way.

Tension: Why Your Stitches Look Loose or Tight

Tension is how firmly you pull the yarn as you create each stitch. Loose tension makes large, floppy stitches that are straightforward to see and fix if you make a mistake. Tight tension makes small, hard stitches that are difficult to insert the needle through and exhausting to knit for long periods.

Most beginners knit too tightly because they are concentrating hard and their hands tense up. If your stitches feel difficult to work through or your hand cramps after a few rows, loosen your grip on the yarn. Let the yarn slide through your fingers more freely. Aim for stitches that are snug enough not to fall off the needle but loose enough that you can insert the right needle without forcing it.

Tension becomes more even with practice. Your first rows will look uneven; this is normal. By the time you finish a project, your tension will be noticeably more consistent than when you started.

The Purl Stitch: The Reverse of the Knit

The purl stitch creates a bumpy texture on the front of the fabric. It is made almost the same way as the knit stitch, but the needle enters from the opposite direction. Insert the right needle through the first loop on the left needle from right to left — the right needle goes in front of the left needle instead of behind it.

Wrap the yarn around the right needle the same clockwise way you did for the knit stitch. Pull the right needle backward and down, drawing the new loop through and off the left needle. You now have a purl stitch on the right needle.

When you knit one row and purl the next row, the fabric curls at the edges. When you alternate knit and purl stitches in the same row, you create a ribbed texture that stretches. Knowing both stitches opens up dozens of stitch patterns.

What to Do When You Drop a Stitch

A dropped stitch is a loop that has slipped off the needle. If you notice it right away, pick it up with the right needle and put it back on the left needle. If the stitch has dropped several rows down, you can use a crochet hook to pull it back up row by row, or you can unravel back to that point and reknit.

For now, the simplest fix is to stop knitting, count your stitches, and find where the loop fell. Insert the left needle through the loop from front to back and pull it snug. If you cannot find the dropped stitch until you have knitted several more rows, you may need to unravel back to that row. This is frustrating but not permanent — every knitter drops stitches, and learning to fix them is part of the skill.

Holding the Yarn: English and Continental Methods

There are two main ways to hold the yarn while you knit: the English method and the Continental method. English knitters hold the yarn in the right hand and throw it over the needle with a small wrist motion. Continental knitters hold the yarn in the left hand and pick it up with the needle tip. Neither method is correct; both produce identical stitches. Use whichever feels more natural to your hand.

If you learned to crochet, Continental knitting may feel familiar because the yarn position is similar. If you are starting fresh, try both methods with a small practice swatch and stick with the one that does not make your hand tired. You can always switch later if you want to.

Practice Patterns to Build Muscle Memory

The best way to learn is to knit a straightforward rectangle: cast on 15 stitches, knit every row until the piece is 6 to 8 inches long, then bind off. This teaches you the knit stitch and shows you how stitches stack into rows and rows stack into fabric. The result is a dishcloth or washcloth — useful and forgiving of uneven tension.

Once you are comfortable with knit stitches, make a second rectangle but purl every other row. This teaches you the purl stitch and shows you how alternating knit and purl rows creates a smooth, flat fabric called stockinette stitch. After these two projects, you will have the foundation to follow most beginner patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tight should I pull the yarn after each stitch?

Pull just enough so the stitch sits snugly on the needle without gaps, but not so tight that the next stitch is hard to insert the needle through. Your yarn should move freely through your fingers. If your hand cramps or your stitches look tiny and hard, you are pulling too tight.

What if I accidentally knit into the wrong loop?

You will create an extra stitch or a twisted stitch. If you notice right away, unravel back to that point and reknit. If you do not notice until later, you can drop the stitch and pick it up correctly with a crochet hook, or unravel the affected rows. Mistakes are part of learning.

Do I have to learn purl before I can make anything?

No. You can knit an entire project using only knit stitches — the fabric will curl at the edges, but it is still a finished piece. Learning purl later lets you make flat fabric and textured patterns, but it is not required to start.

Why do my first few rows look messy?

Uneven tension and unfamiliar hand position make early rows look loose or bunched. This evens out as your hands learn the motion. By row 20 or 30, you will see a clear difference in how consistent your stitches look.

Can I knit with any size needle and yarn together?

The yarn label recommends a needle size for a reason — using a much smaller or larger needle creates fabric that is too tight or too loose to wear or use. Match the needle size to the yarn weight for the best results. If you do not have the label, a yarn shop can tell you the weight by looking at the yarn.