Purl isn't .... um.... purling

[Darcy]

Hello Everyone,

I took 2 1 hour knitting classes at Michael's just over a year ago.
I have NOT been practicing ever since. I bought 2 'learn to knit' kits
because I wanted the pattern in them. Frankly my knitting looks sloppy
but that is not what is bothering me at the moment.

I am reading Knitting for Dummies. In the Amazon.com review area
for this book this web site is mentioned and I'm so glad that person
did. I love this site and the videos.

I swear, per my first knitting class, the video here and the book I am
doing it right however if you look at the piece (I may take a pix if my
description isn't good enough for you to figure out what I am doing wrong)
it is obvious that it isn't purl. It looks like one row, here and there, is purl
and the rest are knit. The back side looks all knit.

I know it should look like V's (or like chain link to me).

I am holding the fabric in the LH and the fabric is pointing in, to my right.
This is always true for all basic knitting, I know.
The working yarn is IN FRONT of the fabric. I insert the RH needle in
the stitch from top to bottom in front of the LH needle. I then wrap the
yarn from top to bottom, or down, around the RH needle.
I then move the RH needle, while holding the newly wrapped yarn,
behind the LH needle and lift to remove the stitch on the LH needle.

I did well (per the instructor) in class a year ago, understood the
instructions and the video's here can't be beat. I swear I am doing it
right but obviously even going over it and over it in my mind and with
the needles, I'm missing something.

IF you can follow my above description, is there anything you can see
that I am forgetting?

Thanks for your time.
Did I mention I love this site?
Darcy

[Julie]

Are you purling every row??

In order for one side to be all Vs, you need to alternate -- knit one row, purl one row, etc. If you purl every row, it will look just like garter stitch (knit every row).

Pardon me if you already knew that but I had to ask! :D

[Ingrid]

(I may take a pix if my
description isn't good enough for you to figure out what I am doing wrong)
it is obvious that it isn't purl. It looks like one row, here and there, is purl
and the rest are knit. The back side looks all knit.

I think a picture would help immensely. If your front is all knit, as you say, then the back automatically should be purl, since the back of a knit is a purl.

[Darcy]

Are you purling every row??

In order for one side to be all Vs, you need to alternate -- knit one row, purl one row, etc. If you purl every row, it will look just like garter stitch (knit every row).

Oops

Is there a reason to purl every row ever then?

Thanks, I feel so relieved now!
Darcy

[Ingrid]

You can purl every row if you want garter but don't feel like knitting every row.