35 minutes ago

Beginner Knitter Basics: Knit and Purl Stitches and How to Tell the Difference

People often assume learning to knit will be near impossible, they tell themselves all sorts of stories in their heads about how they are not capable, not smart enough, not creative or crafty enough to learn how to knit. Having taught people from all over the world at ages from 5 - 65+years old, I can assure you all that internal messaging is absolute rubbish.

Alice, a knitting teacher holds wooden knitting needles and cream yarn in the garden.

Everyone can knit because, and this is where I need you to lean in and swear to keep this to yourself, knitting is easy. Why do I want you to keep that fact on the DL? Well because some of us knitters enjoy the fact that non knitters think we are pretty amazing. But the real truth is, knitting is simple, repetitive and manageable to learn in approximately 30 mins*

* opinion formed after nearly 20 years of teaching new knitters

Of course I get why people assume knitting is difficult, it looks intricate and complex but - and here's the shocker - there are only 2 stitches to learn. The knit and the purl stitch, these 2 knitting stitches are the foundation for every knitted textile you have seen. Sure they have some twists and variations but ultimately, knitting and purling is all you need to develop your skills as a knitter.

Why Do I Need to Know the Difference between a Knit and Purl Stitch? It is important to be able to distinguish the knit stitch from the purl stitch, not only how to actually create each stitch with your yarn and knitting needles, but so you can understand your knitted textile and have some autonomy over what it looks like. Being able to identify both knit and purl stitches helps you locate where you are in a knitting pattern, what went off piste (we all make mistakes, no matter how advanced our knitting experience may be), and enables you to break down a knitted textile that inspires you and have a go at knitting it yourself.

Alice, a white knitting teacher holds a stack of brightly coloured handknits with wooden knitting needles in her mouth

Let’s break each of the two knitting stitches down so you can feel super clear about which is which and what they each bring to the knitting table. The Knit Stitch The first of the two stitches you will learn when learning to knit, this stitch is created by putting your right knitting needle through the stitch closest to the tip of your left needle from the front and pushing through to the back. The yarn is then wrapped around the right needle from the back before the right hand needle draws that loop of yarn through the loop on the left needle. The loop (aka stitch) you just pulled your needle back through now gets knocked off the left hand needle, leaving the right hand needle with a fresh new loop of yarn.

If, like me, you are more a visual learner then consider my pre–recorded Lesson One from my Beginner Knitting Course to follow along step by step as I demonstrate on screen.

What Does the Knit Stitch Look Like? The knit stitch looks like this:

As a knitting teacher, I encourage my students to identify what it looks like to them and name it - this helps you distinguish between the knit and purl stitches.

Here are some of the ways my knitting students over the years have identified the knit stitch for themselves:

- The letter V

- The ‘Flat stitch' (this will become clearer when we contrast it with the Purl Stitch)

- A Wave

- An Arrowhead

- A Peace Sign

The Knit Stitch Benefits: Being a smooth, flat stitch this is a great choice for all types of knitwear. It's smooth finish is the perfect canvas for colour work, stripes and intarsia, stranded and fair isle. These colour knitting techniques really pop on a knit stitch side of knitting.

I Can't See My Knit Stitches When you initially learn to knit, you will learn the knit stitch and use that for every stitch on every row until you build in confidence and flow. The actions will quickly become a muscle memory and you will be riding a wave of euphoria realising you are actually knitting and in turn, producing something that may well look like the beginnings of a scarf.

However, when you look at the finished rows of knitting you just made you won’t actually see full coverage of a knit stitch as seen in the image above, but something more like this:

This is what is called Garter Stitch Pattern and it is the fabric created when we knit every stitch and every row. Depending on your knitting needle size, on first glance you may not realise it is made up of ridges and flat rows, so pull it down and away from your knitting needle to see this:

Garter Stitch Knitting pulled apart — Garter Stitch ridges are alternate rows of Purls and Knits

Can you now spot the flat sections are made up of what we identified above as the knit stitch? See those V’s/Waves/Arrowheads (or whatever works best for you as an identifying term) in between rows of 'bumps'?

Every time we use the knit stitch we end up creating a purl stitch in the back and vice versa. The two stitches are intrinsically linked, one is the by product of the other…I’m going to give you a moment to let that sink in.

Don’t believe me? Knit a few stitches and then look at what you created at the back of each stitch on the right hand needle. You will find some bumps…and that my friends is the perfect segway to discuss…

The Purl Stitch

The second and final stitch to learn as a new knitter, the purl stitch is created by first making sure the working yarn (yarn attached to the ball) is in the front, then inserting your right hand knitting needle into the stitch closest to the tip of the left hand knitting needle from the back to the front. So your right hand knitting needle is now pointed towards of your left hand. The yarn is then wrapped around the right knitting needle anti clockwise before that same needle goes back the way it came, bringing the wrapped yarn through the stitch it went into, flicking it out to the right as a new loop of yarn. As before, the stitch it initially went into is knocked off the left knitting needle.

Again, I am a much more visual learner and teacher so if you don’t know how to purl in knitting yet, I encourage you to consider my pre-recorded Lesson Two from my Beginner Knitter Course. I demonstrate the purl stitch slowly and clearly with a designated camera on my hands.

What Does the Purl Stitch Look Like?

Well, despite being spelt differently, the clue is in the name as it does look a little like a pearl. Well that’s my interpretation anyway and I will explain why I think it’s a helpful way to consider it like a pearl below. But for now, here’s a picture of Purl stitches.

Once again I encourage you to identify it in your mind with a name so you can distinguish it from the knit stitch. My knitting students have also referred to them as ‘bumps’. Either way they are definitely more textured than the knit stitch which is flatter.

The Purl Stitch Benefits: The raised texture of this stitch can be harnessed to create motifs, shapes, stripes when surrounded by the flatter knit stitch (equally they allow knitted cables to stand out). They also give scarves and sweaters that all important 'squidge' factor.

Why Do I think of Purls as Pearls?

I find this a helpful way to consider the purl stitch as it jogs the muscle memory into how to actually create it. Here’s why,

Traditionally you wear pearls on your front which helps you remember the knitting needle placement...
The Purl stitch is created with the right hand knitting needle in the front of the stitch leg facing you.
The Purl Stitch needs the yarn to come from the front of the work before wrapping around the right hand needle
Pearls are round, and the purl stitch, in comparison to the flat knit stitch is certainly pretty round.

Knit and Purl Stitch: Side by Side

Can you see the difference between them?

Here are some characteristics for each:

Knit Stitch (on the left): Flatter, smoother, shaped like a V

Purl Stitch (on the right): Raised, rounder and creates more texture

A Little Recap:

Don't mind me, just seizing the opportunity to cement your understanding that every time you use the knit stitch you will create a purl at the back and every time you purl, you will create a knit stitch at the back.

When next purling, a few stitches in, pause and look at the back of your work, you will find that you are creating a knit stitch in the back as a by-product, which means…

Knitting Boss Status Awaits

Once you have both the knit and purl stitches confidently under your knitting belt, you can use them intentionally and to your own aesthetic wishes. Place them together, mix them up, create textured motifs, knit a whole lot of different stitch patterns, it's your knitting, you decide.

For example:

Stockinette Stitch Pattern seen below and one of the most commonly seen knitted fabrics, is simply all the knit stitches on one side of the knitting, and all the purl stitches on the other.

You use the stitch for the side you are on to keep them separate. Not sure which stitch side is facing you? Then use the other side to clarify. If you see ‘bumps’ on the side facing you, you are on a purl side and need to purl every stitch on this row. If you see ‘V’s’ then it is a knit side and you need to knit each and every stitch on that row.

A Knit and Purl Summary:

The Knit Stitch is made from the knitting needle going from front to back, the yarn wraps around the right hand knitting needle from the back. This results in a smooth, flat, V shaped stitch.

The Purl Stitch is made from the knitting needle going from back to front, the yarn wraps around the right hand needle from the front. This results in a round, pearl like bump of a stitch.

A Common Knit and Purl Mistake:

When using both the knit and purl stitch in the same row, be sure to change the position of the working yarn before inserting the right hand knitting needle into a stitch on the left hand needle.

I think of the yarn as a lever and move it between the knitting needles from front to back as needed. If you don’t ensure the yarn placement is correct you will end up creating new stitches which look like holes - these are called Yarn Overs and are a legitimate way to increase your stitches, or make buttonholes, but if that is not your intention, your knitting will grow and look quite perforated!

You can spot a Yarn Over (YO) on your needle as the yarn will lay somewhat diagonally, and of course there will be a big hole directly underneath it. Need to undo some stitches to correct a Yarn Over? Check out my free step by step tutorials here

Optional Knitter’s Homework:

I hope this has sparked some clarity for you and hopefully some excitement. I would love you to look at your knitwear and start identifying the knit and purl stitches in them. You will find the cuffs and necklines of many of your knitted sweaters and cardigans are a combination of columns of knit and purl stitches, this is Rib Stitch.

You have my full permission, and encouragement, to be that friend who now inspects your loved one’s knitwear, feels it, gently pulls it taut to see how simple many knitted textiles actually are - then have a go yourself! Play and experiment, maybe you will create a new stitch pattern!