Free knitting lessons 3

Are you ready for knitting lesson 3 -

If you've completed lessons 1 and 2 you now have a row of smooth stitches shaped like small "V"s on the needle (when you hold it in your right hand). In almost all knitting patterns, after you've knitted your first row of stitches this "smooth" side is called the right side (RS).

Next step : swap your needle full of stitches from your right hand to your left hand.

Now what do you see ? A row of "bumps" these bumps are the back of your smooth knit stitches. This is called the wrong side of your work (WS).

So what we've learnt is the right side (RS) of a knit stitch is smooth and the wrong side (WS) is bumpy.

The 2 most used and popular stitches patterns in knitting are garter stitch and stocking stitch (stockinget stitch)

Garter stitch pattern is made when all rows are knitted stitches only (this forms alternatiing ridges and troughs on both sides of your work)

Stocking stitch pattern is made when you knit one row, and purl the next row. This means one side (RS) of your work is smooth and the other side (WS) is bumpy.

Now we already know knit stitches form bumps on the wrong side of our work. We are now going to purposely make those bumps....this is called a "purl stitch" or purling.

Let's begin.... Place the needle containing your stitches in your left hand and follow the steps below:-

Place the point of the empty right hand needle into the first loop – as shown in the photograph. Your needle should come from back to front when you are purling.

Wrap yarn over and around the right hand needle

Holding the yarn firmly, twist your right hand needle under and out - as shown in the photograph

Now pull the purled stitch off the left hand needle onto the right hand needle (remember to keep tension on your yarn so your stitch doesn't fall off the needle).

You've completed 1 purl stitch (p1).

Repeat the above steps until you reach the end of your row.

What now? If you're knitting stocking stitch you simply swap your needle containing the stitches into your left hand and alternate 1 row of knit stitches and 1 row of purl stitches over and over until you reach the required length - then go to lesson 4 to learn how to cast off (this finishing off technique is called "bind off" in the USA and some other countries).

Once you've completed lesson 3 - move on to lesson 4 How to cast off - (bind off) stitches

Further free knitting lessons -

knit purl rib stitch

fix ribbing mistakes

how to pick up stitches in garter stitch for purse and bag bases

how to kitchener stitch for an invisible seam.

Go to our main HoughtonAvenue yarn crafts home page

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