Knit and Purl Stitches

Here's how to make the basic knit stitch, which gives the needle art its name. When knitting, always work the stitches from the left needle onto the right needle.

(A) Hold the needle that has the cast-on stitches on it in your left hand. Hold the other needle in your right hand. Insert the right-hand needle (RHN) from front to back into the first stitch on the left-hand needle (LHN). Notice that the RHN is behind the LHN.

(B) Form a loop by wrapping the yarn under and around the RHN.

(C) With the RHN, carefully pull the loop through the stitch on the LHN so the loop is in front of the work. You have just made a new knit stitch, which is on the RHN.

(D) With the new stitch securely on the RHN, slip the first or "old" knit stitch over and off the tip of the LHN. The knit stitch is complete. Notice that the stitch is smooth on the front and has a V shape.

Seasoned knitters sometimes say that the purl stitch is just like knitting, only backward. That's not far off; the purl stitch is just the reverse of the knit stitch.

(A) Hold the needle that has the cast-on stitches on it in your left hand. Hold the other needle in your right hand. With your yarn in front of the work, put the RHN from back to front into the first stitch on the LHN. Notice that the RHN is in front of the LHN.

(B) Form a loop by wrapping the yarn on top of and around the RHN.

(C) Bring the RHN under the LHN and carefully pull the loop through the stitch with the RHN onto the LHN to make a new purl stitch. Notice that the RHN will slip behind the LHN as shown.

(D) With the new stitch securely on the RHN, slip the first or "old" purl stitch over and off the tip of the LHN. The purl stitch is complete. Notice that, unlike the smooth knit stitch, the purl stitch has a bump or ridge at its base.