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 working yarn toward you and through the loop from back to front, a purl stitch pushes the yarn away from you and through the loop from front to back. The result looks bumpy on the side facing you—that's the purl bump—and smooth on the back.
You need the purl stitch because knit and purl together create texture and pattern. Alternating rows of knit and purl makes ribbing, which stretches and recovers. Mixing them within a row creates cables, seed stitch, and stockinette (the smooth V-pattern you see on most sweaters). Without purling, you can only make garter stitch—bumpy on both sides—which is useful but limited.
Key Takeaways
- A purl stitch is worked with the yarn in front of the needle, and you insert the needle from right to left through the loop.
- The working yarn stays in front of your needles for the entire purl row; moving it to the back signals you are switching to knit.
- Purl stitches are slower than knit stitches at first because the motion is less natural, but speed comes with repetition.
- Ribbing (alternating knit and purl columns) and seed stitch (alternating knit and purl within each row) are the most common uses for purling.
How to hold the yarn for a purl stitch
The yarn position is the biggest difference between knit and purl. For a purl stitch, the working yarn must be in front of your needles before you insert the needle into the loop. If you knit English style (yarn in your right hand), bring the yarn forward between the needles so it rests on top of your index finger. If you knit Continental style (yarn in your left hand), the yarn is already in front—just make sure it stays there.
The yarn stays in front for the entire purl row. As soon as you finish the last purl stitch and are ready to knit the next row, move the yarn to the back between the needles. This is the only time the yarn position changes. Many beginners forget this step and end up with extra loops on their needles, so make it a habit to check before you start a new row.
The step-by-step purl motion
Hold the needle with the active stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right. The yarn is in front. Insert the right needle through the loop from right to left—the opposite direction from a knit stitch. The right needle goes in front of the left needle, not behind it.
Wrap the working yarn around the right needle from right to left, going underneath and then over the top. This is the opposite wrap direction from knit. Pull the right needle back through the loop, bringing the new stitch with it. Slip the old loop off the left needle. You have completed one purl stitch.
Repeat this motion across the entire row. The rhythm is: insert, wrap, pull through, slip off. Your tension should feel the same as it does when you knit—not tighter, not looser. If your purl stitches look bunched or loose compared to your knit stitches, adjust your grip on the working yarn slightly.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
The most frequent error is moving the yarn to the back mid-row without meaning to. This creates a yarn-over—an accidental hole—and changes the stitch count. Before you insert the needle, glance down and confirm the yarn is in front. It takes a second and prevents a row of mistakes.
The second common mistake is inserting the needle in the wrong direction. For purl, the right needle enters from right to left (the same direction your eyes read). For knit, it enters from left to right. If you insert backward, you will twist the stitch and it will look wrong on the next row. Slow down on the first few rows of a new pattern until the direction becomes automatic.
Tension problems usually show up as purl stitches that are noticeably looser than knit stitches. This happens because the wrap motion feels awkward at first and your hand relaxes. Keep the same light grip on the yarn that you use for knit stitches. If you knit Continental, the yarn may slip through your fingers more easily when purling—pinch it slightly tighter with your index and middle finger.
Ribbing: the most common use for purl
Ribbing alternates columns of knit and purl stitches. The most basic ribbing is 1x1: one knit stitch, one purl stitch, repeated across the row. On the next row, you knit the stitches that look like knits (the V's) and purl the stitches that look like purls (the bumps). This creates vertical columns that stretch sideways and snap back.
Ribbing appears at the cuffs, waistbands, and necklines of sweaters because it hugs the body and stays in place. To work ribbing, you do not need to move the yarn between stitches—just insert the needle and wrap. The yarn naturally ends up in the right place for the next stitch. This makes ribbing faster than it sounds once you find the rhythm.
Seed stitch: mixing knit and purl in one row
Seed stitch alternates knit and purl within each row, creating a bumpy, textured fabric that looks the same on both sides. Row 1 is knit one, purl one, knit one, purl one, and so on. Row 2 is purl one, knit one, purl one, knit one—the opposite of row 1. This means you purl over the knits and knit over the purls.
Seed stitch is slower than stockinette because you move the yarn back and forth between stitches. It is also very forgiving—mistakes are hard to see in the texture. Seed stitch is common in blankets, scarves, and baby items because the fabric is squishy and does not curl at the edges.
Stockinette stitch: why you need purl rows
Stockinette is the smooth V-pattern you see on most store-bought sweaters. It is made by knitting one row and purling the next row, over and over. The knit side (the V's) faces outward, and the purl side (the bumps) faces inward. This is the fastest stitch to work once you are comfortable with both knit and purl, because you work whole rows of the same stitch instead of alternating.
Many beginners want to skip the purl rows and only knit, but that creates garter stitch instead—bumpy on both sides. Garter stitch is useful for scarves and blankets, but stockinette is what most patterns call for. Learning to purl opens up the majority of knitting patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my purl stitches look looser than my knit stitches?
Purl stitches often look looser because the motion is less familiar and your hand relaxes slightly during the wrap. Keep the same tension on the working yarn as you use for knit stitches. If you knit Continental, try pinching the yarn a bit tighter with your left hand while purling. Tension evens out with practice.
Do I have to move the yarn between every knit and purl stitch?
Only if you are switching stitches within a row, like in seed stitch or ribbing. If you are working a whole row of purl stitches, the yarn stays in front the entire time. Move it to the back only when you start a knit row.
What does it mean if I have extra loops on my needle after a purl row?
You likely forgot to move the yarn to the back before starting a knit row, which created yarn-overs (accidental holes). Check the yarn position before every new row: it should be in front for purl rows and in back for knit rows.
Is purl stitch harder than knit stitch?
It feels harder at first because the motion is less natural, but it is not actually more difficult. Your hands learn the rhythm quickly with repetition. Most knitters find purl and knit equally fast after a few projects.