Knit and purl are two separate stitches, but you work them one row at a time

A single row of knitting contains either knit stitches, purl stitches, or a mix of both — but you work the entire row in one direction before turning your needles around. Knit and purl are not two rows; they are two different ways to insert your needle through a loop of yarn. You choose which stitch to use for each individual loop as you move across the row.

The confusion usually comes from how patterns are written. When a pattern says "knit one row, purl one row," it means work an entire row of knit stitches, then turn around and work an entire row of purl stitches. That is two rows total. But knit and purl themselves are single stitches that live in the same row whenever you want them to.

Key Takeaways

  • Knit and purl are two different stitches, not two different rows — you choose which one to make as you work across a single row.
  • A row is the complete journey across your needles in one direction; you turn around and work back the other way to create the next row.
  • You can mix knit and purl stitches in the same row to create texture and pattern, like in ribbing or seed stitch.
  • The direction you are working and which side of the loop you insert your needle into determine whether a stitch is a knit or a purl.

How a single row works

When you start a row, you have a needle with live stitches on it. You hold that needle in your non-dominant hand and an empty needle in your dominant hand. You then work across the needle from left to right (or right to left, depending on your style), creating new stitches on the empty needle one at a time.

For each stitch, you decide: am I going to knit this one or purl this one? If you knit it, you insert your needle through the loop from front to back and pull the yarn through. If you purl it, you insert from back to front. That choice happens once per stitch, and you move to the next stitch. When you reach the end of the needle, that row is complete. You turn your needles around so the full needle is now in your non-dominant hand, and you work the next row the same way.

Why patterns say "knit one row, purl one row"

This phrase means: work an entire row where every stitch is a knit stitch. Then turn around and work an entire row where every stitch is a purl stitch. That creates two rows of fabric. The pattern is telling you which stitch to use for the whole row, not describing two separate things called "knit" and "purl."

This is the most common instruction in basic patterns because alternating a full row of knits with a full row of purls creates stockinette stitch, which is smooth on one side and bumpy on the other. It is the foundation of most sweaters and straightforward projects.

Mixing knit and purl in the same row

You can also knit some stitches and purl others in the same row. Ribbing — the stretchy fabric on cuffs and waistbands — is made by alternating knit and purl stitches across the row. For example, "knit one, purl one" means: knit the first stitch, purl the second stitch, knit the third, purl the fourth, and so on all the way across. That is still one row.

Seed stitch works the same way: you alternate knit and purl stitches across the row, then on the next row you do the opposite — wherever you knitted before, you now purl, and vice versa. This creates a bumpy, textured fabric. Both stitches are happening in the same row; you are just choosing which one to use for each individual loop.

The difference between knit and purl stitches

The only real difference between a knit stitch and a purl stitch is which side of the loop you push your needle through and which direction the yarn comes from. A knit stitch has the yarn in back when you insert the needle; a purl stitch has the yarn in front. The result is that a knit stitch looks like a small V on the front of the fabric, while a purl stitch looks like a bump or a dash.

When you look at a finished piece of knitting, what you see is the result of many rows of stitches stacked on top of each other. If you worked many rows of all knit stitches, you would see Vs on one side and bumps on the other. If you mixed knit and purl stitches in the same row, you would see a pattern of Vs and bumps across that row.

Reading a knitting pattern correctly

Patterns use shorthand to save space. "K" means knit, "P" means purl. A pattern might say "K5, P3, K5" — that means knit five stitches, purl three stitches, knit five stitches, all in the same row. When the pattern moves to the next line, that is the next row, and you turn your needles around and work in the opposite direction.

Some patterns also use charts with symbols instead of words. A blank square usually means knit, and a dot or X usually means purl. Again, each symbol represents one stitch in one row. You read the chart row by row, left to right on one row, then right to left on the next row (because you have turned around).

Common mistakes when learning

The most common mistake is thinking that knit and purl are two separate rows you have to complete before moving on. They are not. You work one row at a time, and within that row, you choose which stitch to use for each loop. If a pattern says "knit one row," you work the entire row using only knit stitches. If it says "knit one row, purl one row," you do two separate rows — one all knits, one all purls.

Another mistake is forgetting to turn your needles around between rows. If you do not turn, you will be working in the same direction twice, and your stitches will not form correctly. Always turn your needles after you finish a row, so the full needle is in your non-dominant hand and the empty needle is in your dominant hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to do a knit row and a purl row every time?

No. You can work many rows of all knit stitches, or all purl stitches, or any mix you want. Alternating knit and purl rows is just one common pattern. Some projects use only knit stitches, others use only purl stitches, and others mix them in different ways depending on the design.

What happens if I knit when I should purl?

Your fabric will look different than the pattern intended, but you will not break anything. If you notice the mistake right away, you can drop back a few rows and fix it. If you do not notice until later, you can usually keep going — the mistake will just be visible as a change in texture or pattern.

Is one row the same as one round?

No. A row is worked flat, back and forth on two needles. A round is worked in a circle on circular needles or double-pointed needles, so you never turn around. In circular knitting, you always work in the same direction, so a "knit round" means you knit all the way around the circle once.

Why does my ribbing look twisted?

This usually means you are inserting your needle in the wrong direction for a purl stitch, or you are twisting the yarn around the needle in an unusual way. Watch a video of someone doing a purl stitch slowly, and compare your hand position to theirs. The yarn should come from the front of the needle for a purl, not wrapped around the back.