Knit the Knits and Purl the Purls

Shandeh · 10-06-2009, 05:18 AM

When I was a new knitter, I would get SO CONFUSED when a knitting pattern said to "Knit the knits and Purl the purls". It just didn't make sense to me. I thought that they meant that I should knit the stitches that I had knit on the row before, and purl the stitches I had purled on the row before. So, my knitting never came out right.

But, with experience, I learned what they really meant. You should knit the stitches that LOOK like they were just knit. And you should purl the stitches that LOOK like they were just purled.

In this photo, I knit a little sample that has 3 knits, then 3 purls on the right end. You would knit the first 3 stitches, then purl the next 3 stitches, then continue knitting the knits and purling the purls.

I also made a little video. Hopefully, it will help someone.
Good luck with your knitting!

YouTube Video

etoilechaude · 10-06-2009, 05:24 AM

It seems like it should be so easy to see without a video, but that was GREAT!!!!!!!! Honestly I just started to recognize my stitches, so this is wonderful help!

pinksugar · 10-06-2009, 08:35 AM

lol, I'm confusing myself here!

so what you're saying is, if it's flat, and you're doing a purl row, then all the 'knits' from the right (knit) side of the knitting will look like purls, and should be purled, and all the purls will look like knits, and should be knitted.

Right...?

suzeeq · 10-06-2009, 09:29 AM

Yes, the back of a knit st is a purl, the back of a purl is a knit. But when you get to the next row, forget what you did to them on the previous row, and just work the sts however they appear on the row you're doing now.

pinksugar · 10-06-2009, 09:54 AM

I learnt without any terminology whatsoever, so chances are, I know what this is but didn't know the technical term.

I'll have to brush up on my knowledge! thanks for posting the little video too, and I love the sample colour!

Jan in CA · 10-06-2009, 10:48 AM

I always share this sample so knitters can learn what the stitches look like.

tasneem · 11-29-2012, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by pinksugar

lol, I'm confusing myself here!

so what you're saying is, if it's flat, and you're doing a purl row, then all the 'knits' from the right (knit) side of the knitting will look like purls, and should be purled, and all the purls will look like knits, and should be knitted.

Right...?

i dont get it!

MerigoldinWA · 11-29-2012, 04:52 PM

Tasneem, if your pattern tells you to knit the knits and purl the purls it means: As the work faces you as you are preparing to begin the next row, as the stitches appear on the left hand needle is the way you want to work them. If the stitch looks like a knit, knit it. If it looks like a purl, purl it. Don't worry about any other row and opposites or any confusing thing, just knit the ones that look like knits and purl the ones that look like purls. Go back to post #6 in this long thread to see a good picture showing what a knit looks like and a purl.

If you are working Stockinette St back and forth so that it is worked flat, you knit a row and purl a row. You do this same thing when you do this stitch. As a side is facing you to begin a row if the knits face you you knit them, if the purls face you you purl them. This continues to put all the smooth knits on one side and all the purl bumps (as I call them) on one side.

When you are working more complex stitches you often have a mixture of knits and purls on the same row. Often, but not always, on the public side of the fabric they tell you a certain set up of stitches and on the return row (non-public side) they tell you to knit the knits and purl the purls, or to work the stitches as they appear (both mean the same thing).

When you are working most kinds of ribbing once you have the pattern of knits and purls set up you always knit the knits and purl the purls no matter which side you are working on.

suzeeq · 11-29-2012, 05:00 PM

The back of a knit stitch looks like a purl, the back of a purl looks like a knit. So when you go to work a row, forget what you did to the stitch on the other side, and just knit what look like the knits now on this row, and purl the sts that look like purls.

MerigoldinWA · 10-07-2009, 02:17 PM

It's nice to have this as a sticky because it comes up all the time and is so important for new knitters to learn as quickly as they can. Thanks!