Knitting Directions: How to Yarn Over Between a Purl & a Knit

Alternate between kniting and purling in a row.

Learning to knit can seem complicated and confusing, but with practice, the basic knitting stitches will become second nature. The two most common knitting stitches are knitting and purling. To purl, you reverse the knit stitch, meaning that knitting and purling are opposite to each other. Sometimes a pattern will require changing between knitting and purling or purling and knitting. As you do this, make sure you yarn over between a purl and a knit to prevent extra stitches from forming in your knitting.

Things You'll Need

• Knitting needles
• Worsted weight yarn

Instructions

1. Complete a purl stitch and the yarn will be at the front of the needle. To purl, hold the yarn in front, insert the right knitting needle through the loop on the left knitting needle (working from the right side to the left side) and wrap the yarn around the right knitting needle from the front. Pull a yarn loop through the first loop (two loops on the right needle now) and remove the stitch from the left needle.

2. Move the yarn back by moving it between the two knitting needle tips.

3. Complete a knit stitch and the yarn will be behind the knitting needle. To knit, hold the yarn behind, insert the right needle through the loop on the left knitting needle (behind the left needle), wrap the yarn around the right knitting needle from the back, pull a yarn loop through the first loop (two loops on the right needle now) and remove the stitch from the left needle.

4. Switch to a purl stitch by moving the yarn to the front between the knitting needles. Purl the stitch as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Alternating between the knitting and purling stitch along a row is the stockinette stitch.

References

• Knitting on the Net: Learn to Knit
• Maggie's Rags: Knitting and Purling in the Same Row