In this section you will be able to practise purl stitch and create some simple knitted fabrics and stitch patterns using this basic stitch. Purl stitch is always used in combinaton with knit stitch so you need to master knit stitch before moving on to purl stitch. Make your practise swatch as described below to practise the purl stitch before moving on to a project.

 

Buy Knit Knack Knitting Tutorial on CD ROM for just £11.99 to learn how to knit and video demonstration of this technique.

 

Stocking Stitch

This is the most widely used of all the stitch patterns. It is made up of alternating rows of knit and purl stitches.

Cast on 20 stitches

The sequence is:

Row 1: knit (all the stitches in this row)
Row 2: purl
Start from Row 1 and repeat the sequence 10 times

(20 rows in total) i.e. knit a row, purl row, to practise.
Cast Off.

Cut yarn and pass through the remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.

Tidy up loose ends. Make a label.

Reverse Stocking Stitch

This is just the reverse side of stocking stitch.  It is called the reverse side rather than the wrong side because it is also a stitch pattern in its own right.

Cast on 20 stitches

The sequence is:

Row 1:   purl (all the stitches in this row)
Row 2:   knit
Start from Row 1 and repeat the sequence 10 times
(20 rows in total) i.e. purl a row, knit a row, to practise.
Cast Off.

Cut yarn and pass through the remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.

Tidy up loose ends. Make a label.

 

note: If this is to be used as the right side of your project, begin with a purl row.

 

Garter Ridge Stitch

 

A simple but effective pattern using knit and purl.  The ridge is a garter stitch row in a stocking stitch background.

Cast on 20 stitches

The sequence is:

Row 1: knit (all the stitches in this row)
Row 2: purl

Row 3: knit
Row 4: knit
Start from Row 1 and repeat the sequence 5 times

(20 rows in total) to practise
Cast Off.

Cut yarn and pass through the remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.

Tidy up loose ends. Make a label.

 

Reverse Stocking Stitch Ridge

 

Alternating stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch creates this banded pattern.

 

Cast on 20 stitches

The sequence is:

Row 1:   knit all the stitches in this row
Row 2:   purl
Row 3:   knit
Row 4:   knit
Row 5:   purl
Row 6:   knit
Start from Row 1 and repeat the sequence 4 times (24 rows in total) to practise.
Cast Off.

Cut yarn and pass through the remaining stitch and draw tight to secure.

Tidy up loose ends. Make a label.