How to do the Purl stitch

The purl stitch is the second stitch to learn.  It is usually abbreviated to a “P” in knitting patterns.  Most of the patterns in knitting can be performed using knit and purl stitches in different patterns

1.

Start by holding the knitting needles in both hands.  With the needle holding the stitches in your left hand and the wool in your right hand.  As the stitches are knitted they are transferred from the needle in the left hand onto the one in your right hand.

2.

Place the tip of the needle in your right hand through the BACK of the stitch, taking care to keep hold of the left hand needle.

3.

Wrap the wool around the right hand needle in a counter clockwise direction and pull the free end of the wool back towards yourself so it sits in the cross made by the two needles.

4.

Keeping the wool securely around the tip of the right needles, pull the wool loop through the stitch on the left hand needle towards the BACK of the work.

5.  

Push the right hand needle further through the stitch to secure the stitch onto the needle and then use this needle to remove the stitch from the left hand needle.

Repeat steps 2 – 5 on the remaining stitches.