For beginners, the good news is that almost all knitting is made from two stitches. They are the two sides of the same stitch.
Knit stitch
- With the yarn at the back, put the right needle into the front of the first stitch.
- Wrap the yarn around the right needle.
- Pull the new loop through and slide the old stitch off.
Purl stitch
- With the yarn at the front, put the right needle into the stitch from right to left.
- Wrap the yarn around the needle.
- Pull the loop through to the back and slide the old stitch off.
Tip
A knit stitch looks like a V. A purl stitch looks like a small bump.
Common mistakes
A new loop between stitches usually means the yarn crossed the needle. Keep yarn at the back for knit and at the front for purl.
What to try next
Practise on a knitted scarf.