In this tutorial I will show you how to knit a purl stitch and a knit stitch. This type of knitting is also called stocking.

Purl is the second stitch in knitting. The first, as you remember, is the front loop.

Knowing how to knit knit and purl stitches, you can knit a great variety of patterns and products that use a combination of only these loops.

The purl loop, like the front loop, can be knitted in the classic and “granny” way.

Just like in the front classic loop, in the classic purl loop the right wall of the loop is located in front.

For me personally, knitting a purl stitch using the “grandmother’s” method is somewhat easier than the classic way. In general, the purl loop requires somewhat more strength and patience to master than the front loop. But I am sure that you have enough desire to achieve the desired result, which means everything will definitely work out!

Purl loops in the classic way

Schematic knitting of a classic purl loop

Purl stitches in the "grandmother's" way

We make a cast-on row and knit the first (front) row with facial loops, as we did in MK about facial loops. We are turning the work around. Remove the first loop without knitting.

Schematic knitting of a purl loop "grandmother's way"

If you understand how knit and purl stitches are knitted, then you can knit the fabric using stockinette stitch or as it is called stockinette knitting.

Facial surface

To do this, you need to make a cast-on row, knit the first row (front side) with knit stitches, and the second row (wrong side) with purl loops.

So, continuing to alternate the front and back rows, you need to knit as many as you need.

To get an even braid along the edge, when knitting each row, you need to remove the first loop (edge) without knitting, and always knit the last loop (it is also called an edge loop).

Let me tell you right away that some people do things differently. For example, the last stitch is always purled, the first stitch is always knitted. But that doesn't matter in this case.

Our task is to get a pigtail along the edge and we got it. Look here.

And here is the result of my MK

Front side

The wrong side of the stockinette stitch with a pigtail along the edge again

In today's lesson we will learn how to knit knit stitches in the classic way, decorate the side edge of a knitted fabric and perform the simplest knitting - garter stitch.

After you have cast on the initial row of stitches on two knitting needles, pull out one knitting needle. We remove the first (edge) loop from the left knitting needle to the right one without knitting.

Now let's start knitting the front loop.

Facial classic loops

Knit stitches can be knitted in different ways. The classic method is the most common. It allows you to get a classic loop, which the walls are parallel, and the right wall of the loop comes to the fore. If you knit with classic stitches, you can be sure that your patterns will turn out beautiful, and your knitting will not warp. After all, diagrams and descriptions in magazines and books are designed specifically for classical loops. If the loop needs to be knitted in a different way, this will be discussed separately. Well, let's get started.

We insert the right knitting needle into the loop behind the front wall, from left to right. The working thread remains behind the work.

Grab the working thread from the index finger top down and pull it through the loop. Drop the stitch of the previous row from the left needle.

We continue knitting until the end of the row.

Knitting a classic knit stitch in the diagram:

Design of the side edge (edge)

There are several ways to design the side edge; they differ in appearance and technique. We will analyze the method that you will need most often - design of the side edge in the form of a pigtail. In this case, the edge turns out to be neat and it is convenient to sew the parts together in the future.

After you have knitted the first row of stitches, turn the work over. As we already said in the second lesson, if you knitted a knit stitch, then on the reverse side it will be a purl stitch. So, in front of you on the knitting needle is the first loop of the row - purl. We do not knit the first (edge) loop of the row: we remove it by inserting the right knitting needle behind the back wall of the loop, from right to left. In this case, the working thread is located on the left.

Then we continue to knit the facial loops as usual. At the beginning of the next row, remove the edge loop again without knitting. Repeating row after row we get garter stitch. The fabric knitted with this pattern is elastic and holds its shape well. It looks the same on both the front and back sides. Due to these properties, it has traditionally been used for knitting scarves.

Rule: To form an edge in the form of a pigtail, remove the first loop of the row, if it is a purl stitch, by the back wall of the loop without knitting.

Pigtail side edge

That's all for today. Continue knitting the garter stitch pattern until you feel confident and the fabric comes out nice and smooth. Also try knitting samples with knitting needles of different numbers and choose the most suitable one for yourself: the one that will give the most even and beautiful fabric, not too loose and not too dense. In the next lesson we will learn how to bind off the last row of loops using the basic method.

Important! The main problem for beginner knitters is that they knit too tightly. Relax your arms and shoulder girdle. Take your time. Knit the samples until the loops slide off the knitting needles easily and the knitted fabric is smooth, soft and elastic. The loop should wrap around the knitting needle, but at the same time, move along the knitting needle easily, without effort.

A huge number of knitted patterns are created using a very limited number of types of loops and yarn overs.

There are different types of knitting stitches:

Anatomy of the loop

The loop consists of a front wall, located in front of the knitting needle, and a back wall, located behind the knitting needle.

Edge loops

The first and last loops in the row are called edge stitches. They are never taken into account when knitting a pattern, as they are hidden in the seam of the product.

Face loops

There are 2 ways to knit knit stitches.

Classic way- the front loop is knitted behind the front wall. When knitting knit stitches, the working thread should be behind the work (i.e., behind the knitting needles).

1. Slip the first edge stitch onto the right needle. Insert the right needle into the loop from left to right, pull its upper part.

2. Grab the working yarn from your index finger with the tip of your needle and pull it through the loop. Then slip a stitch off the left needle. The new loop will be on the right needle.

Crossed knit stitch- the front loop is knitted behind the back wall.

When knitting with knit stitches, make sure that all the loops are the same size and tension, otherwise the knitted fabric will turn out sloppy.

1. Slip the edge stitch onto the right needle. Insert the end of the right needle into the middle of the next stitch and pull up the back wall of the loop.

2. Grab the working thread and pull it through the loop. The new stitch should remain on the right needle.

Purl loops

When knitting purl loops, the working thread should be in front of the work. Purl loops, like knit stitches, are knitted in two ways - behind the front and back walls of the loop.

Purl loop behind the front wall

1. Remove the edge loop. Insert the right needle into the next stitch from right to left, grab the working yarn and pull it through the loop. The working thread wraps around the tip of the right knitting needle from bottom to top.

2. Leave the new loop on the right needle, and discard the already knitted loop on the left.

Purl loop behind the back wall

1. Remove the edge loop. Insert the right needle into the next loop behind the back wall from right to left, grab the working thread from top to bottom and pull it through the loop.

2. Leave the resulting loop on the right knitting needle, and drop the knitted loop from the left knitting needle.

Capes

To knit openwork patterns and form new loops in the middle of the fabric, use a yarn over. There are 2 ways to perform a yarn over.

First method (straight yarn over)

1. Using the right knitting needle, pick up the working thread from the bottom up from you and continue knitting. In the next row, knit the yarn over like a regular loop.

2. A hole is created in the knitted fabric.

Second method (reverse yarn over)

This type of yarn over is used very rarely and is performed on oneself.

1. With the right knitting needle, pick up the working thread from the bottom up towards you and continue knitting.

2. In the next row, knit the yarn over like a regular loop.

Crossed loop

Crossed loop- This is a loop whose walls are arranged crosswise. These loops are made from knit and purl stitches.

1. Knit a row of purl stitches behind the front wall. Turn the product over and knit a row of knit stitches, inserting the knitting needle behind the back wall.

2. The loops of the previous row are crossed.

When knitting with stockinette stitch, the bottom edge of the product is always curled, so when curled edges are needed, several knit rows are specially knitted at the bottom. If you want the edge knitted with stockinette stitch to not curl, then you need to start knitting with a 1 x 1 elastic band. If the edge still curls, after finishing the work, carefully steam it through gauze.

Removed loop

Removed loop- this is a loop that is removed onto a working knitting needle without knitting. If the loops are pulled to a height of 1 - 2 rows, these are short removed loops. If the loops are pulled to a height of 4-6 rows, these are long loops. The loops are removed from both the front side and the back side.

Short slipped loop

Insert the knitting needle into the loop from right to left from the front side and remove it from the left knitting needle to the right without knitting. The working thread can be left behind or in front of the knitting needle, depending on the pattern.

Long removed loop

1. Insert the right needle into the stitch on the left needle. Using the working thread, circle the end of the right knitting needle several times clockwise.

2. Gently pull the right needle through the loop on the left needle and remove the knitted loop from the left needle.

3. In the next row, do not knit the removed loop, but discard all the turns from the knitting needle. This way you will get a long loop.

How to knit loops with knitting needles

Do-it-yourself knitting differs from crocheting in that, firstly, there are other loops, and secondly, there are also different stitches, and the basis of knitting is two basic types of loops that have a different design, and are built on this design different loops and patterns. Therefore, some craftswomen prefer this type of knitting. Knitting with your own hands is not such a difficult job, the main thing is to have a lot of patience and learn the basic techniques and their derivatives.

Types of loops

The main or basic types of loops in hand knitting yourself are considered loops, which are called purl and knit. The purl loops are the wrong side of the product, and the front loops are its face. In addition to the main loops, there are also others:

• Edge. They can only be knitted in circular knitting, but if you are making a rectangular fabric, then you cannot do without them.
• Crossed. Since ancient times, such loops have been very popular. After all, the fabric that is knitted with such loops is very dense, retains its appearance for a long time and is difficult to deform.
• Decrease loop or decrease loop. This loop is needed to reduce loops in a row.
• Yarn over. Usually used for other openwork products.
• Extended loops can give knitting a more delicate look. Such loops are considered a type of slipped loops.
• Air loops are used to increase the length of the product by adding new loops; also thanks to them, you can make buttonholes.
• English. These loops are knit stitches, which are knitted in a different way - in English.
• Additional and double loops done when you need to increase the number of loops on the product.

How to knit a knit stitch with knitting needles

Knitting stitches

There are two ways to knit knit stitches with your own hands - behind the front and back wall.

1 way will show you how else you can make an English loop with knitting needles. For this method you need to do the following:

• lower the working thread down the product and wrap it around the index finger of your left hand.
• pick up the loop with the right needle. In the direction from left to right.
• Next, grab the working thread on the left side in the same way, while holding the back wall of the loop, then pull the loop through it, which is located on the left knitting needle.

2 way . Some people call this method continental, but it needs to be done like this:

• Throw the working thread over the index finger of your left hand, and thus leave it behind the canvas.
• Grab the loop on the left needle from the right side by the back wall and pull the working thread through it.

How to knit purl stitches with knitting needles

Purl loops

You need to make purl loops yourself in this way:

• Throw a thread onto the left needle.
• on the right side, the right needle must be threaded under the front wall of the loop.
• Adjust the working thread with your thumb so that it is in front of the loop.
• Use your right knitting needle to lift the loop up a little, at the same time you need to grab the working thread clockwise and drag it through the wall of the loop.

How to knit edge stitches with knitting needles

To ensure that the edges of the fabric are neat and even, edge loops are used for this. These loops with your own hands can be divided into the first edge loop, with which you start the row, and the second loop, which ends the row.

There are many different ways to knit edge loops, because it all depends on what kind of product you are knitting, because it can be made, for example, either convex in the form of a column of knots, or even in the form of a braid.

How to knit elongated loops with knitting needles

Elongated loops are knitted very simply, and they can be of different lengths, depending on what pattern you are making:

• if you want to make a short loop, the length of which is one or two rows, then you need to remove the loop on the right needle untethered from the right needle, and then pull it up a little.
• In this principle, you will see how to make longer loops: put the knitting needle behind the wall of the loop in the direction from left to right, then throw the working thread several times on the edge of the knitting needle, forming turns in it. Next, pull the future elongated loop through the loop of the previous row. Depending on how tall you need the elongated thread in the future, the number of turns will depend. The loop turns out higher when the number of turns increases.

Elongated loops with knitting needles

How to make a yarn over and chain stitch

Making a yarn over is very simple. While knitting, place the working thread on the right knitting needle in front of the knitted loop. In order to make a hole using a yarn over, in the next row, you need to knit it behind the back wall; if you want a closed yarn over, then knit it behind the front wall.

In order to knit air loops with your own hands, you need to throw the working thread over your finger so that it is shaped like a loop, then you need to transfer the thread to the right knitting needle and pull it up very carefully.

How to knit crossed stitches with knitting needles

These loops can be made not only using purl stitches, but also knit stitches. When you make purl crossed stitches, you must adhere to the following steps:

1. Throw the working thread over the top of the product onto the index finger of your left hand, so that the thread is above the desired loop.
2. in the direction from right to left, use the right knitting needle from below to pry the back wall of the purl loop.
3. Next, grab the working thread from right to left and pull out the crossed loop.

It is necessary to take into account which wall of the loop is closest to the edge, and after that choose the method of knitting the front crossed loops:

• if the front loop faces the front wall, then you need to insert the knitting needle in front of the back wall, and then pull out the loop
• if the back wall of the loop is closer to the edge, then the knitting needle is inserted in front of the front wall, and then the working thread is pulled out.

How to knit an additional and double loop with knitting needles

The double and additional loops may have similar functions, but despite this they look and perform completely differently.

In order to make an additional loop, you need to pull the thread from the gap that is located between the knitted and not yet knitted loops.

The following steps must be done in order to make a double loop with knitting needles:

• make a purl or knit loop behind the front wall, depending on the pattern.
• Then you don’t need to throw off the knitted loop from the left knitting needle, you need to knit it again, only this time behind the back wall.
• when you have done everything, you have a double loop that is knitted from one.

Making decreasing loops

In any place where a row is knitted, you can make decreasing loops; this can be done both on the wrong side and on the front side. In order to make decreasing or decreasing stitches, you need to knit 2 stitches that are on the left needle together as one purl or knit stitch, it all depends on the pattern.

If you want to conquer and master this type of needlework, then first you need to be able to make loops with knitting needles.

Knit stitches can be knitted in two ways:

Classic front loop - behind the front wall.

Grandmother's front loop - behind the back wall.

Purl loops are also divided into classic and granny stitches.

I’ll say right away that I used to knit using my grandmother’s method and switched to the classic method quite recently. For a long time, even when I came across articles on this topic, I was sure that I was knitting with classic stitches (because how can I, a young girl, knit using my grandmother’s method? J), and I didn’t even look at the detailed descriptions. When I finally found out, I was very surprised! So today I will show you how to knit and purl stitches the granny way. And I showed how to knit loops in the classic way in master classes - and. Let's get started!

Face loop

We will need loops, cast on or in any other way.

Remove the first loop.

Now ATTENTION! We insert the knitting needle into the loop so that the working knitting needle is behind the left knitting needle, in the direction from right to left.

Ready! We tie all the loops to the end of the row in this way. This is how it should turn out! If you compare it with a knit stitch in the classic way, you will see that the difference is minimal, but it is still there. Let's continue! Now -

Purl loop

We move the working thread so that it is in front of the left knitting needle. Insert the needle into the next stitch as usual.

And now ATTENTION! Using a knitting needle, we draw the working thread from top to bottom.

We put the thread into the loop and bring it out on the other side. We take out the left knitting needle. Ready! We also knit to the end of the row.

As you all already know, there are no comrades according to taste J For me, my grandmother’s method always seemed much more convenient. And my first lessons were connected exactly like this.

Well, I have already been knitting the last lessons in the classical way, since it is the correct one, and sometimes (not always) knitting in my grandmother’s way can lead to a mistake - skewing the circular fabric, incorrectly knitting some patterns, and so on. Therefore, I advise all needlewomen, especially beginners, to relearn (in fact, it is not so difficult), this way you will avoid all, even minor, unpleasant nuances that may appear.

Thank you for your attention, if something is unclear, if you have any comments, write comments! I also want to say that very soon there will be a big experiment on the site comparing different knitting techniques, and how they behave when knitting different patterns, in a circular pattern or in straight or reverse rows.

Watch my MK video on granny and classic loops: