Glossary / Purl

Purl

The reverse of the knit stitch, a small bump on the front.

How to work it

With yarn in front, insert the right needle back to front through the first stitch. Wrap the yarn, pull the loop through to the back, and slip the old stitch off. A purl is simply a knit stitch worked from the other side. Knits and purls together build ribbing, seed stitch, and stockinette.

Related stitches

• Knit (k) - The fundamental knitting stitch, the smooth V on the front.