If you’re a knitter, you’ve probably heard of the continental purl. It’s a faster and more efficient way to purl than the traditional English method, and it’s especially useful when you’re working on large projects. In this article, we’ll show you how to do the continental purl step-by-step. Once you’ve mastered this technique, you’ll be able to purl faster and more easily than ever before.
First, let’s take a look at the difference between the continental and English purl. With the continental purl, you hold the yarn in your left hand and use your left-hand needle to pass the yarn over the right-hand needle. With the English purl, you hold the yarn in your right hand and use your right-hand needle to pass the yarn under the left-hand needle. The continental purl is faster because you don’t have to switch hands to pass the yarn. It’s also more efficient because you can use your left hand to hold the yarn taut while you’re purling, which helps to prevent dropped stitches.
Now that you know the difference between the continental and English purl, let’s learn how to do the continental purl step-by-step. First, hold the needle in your left hand and the yarn in your right hand. Bring the yarn over the needle and hook it onto the needle from left to right. Then, use your left-hand needle to pass the yarn over the right-hand needle. Finally, slip the old stitch off the right-hand needle and onto the left-hand needle. You’ve now completed one continental purl stitch.
Holding the Needles
Begin by holding the needles correctly. Hold the left-hand needle like a pencil, with the point facing away from you. Place the yarn in the crook of your left arm and wrap it over your index finger, then under and over your middle finger. This is called the “continental” method of holding the yarn.
Hold the right-hand needle in your right hand, with the point facing towards you. Insert the right-hand needle into the first stitch on the left-hand needle, from back to front.
Wrapping the Yarn
Wrap the yarn around the right-hand needle in a clockwise direction, passing it from back to front. The yarn should be wrapped around the needle in the same direction as you would wrap it around a spool.
Pulling the Yarn Through
Pull the wrapped yarn through the stitch on the left-hand needle, from back to front. The newly created stitch will now be on the right-hand needle.
To summarize these steps, refer to the following table:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hold the needles and yarn correctly. |
| 2 | Insert the right-hand needle into the stitch. |
| 3 | Wrap the yarn around the right-hand needle. |
| 4 | Pull the wrapped yarn through the stitch. |
Positioning the Needles and Yarn
### Step 1: Holding the Needles
Position your left-hand needle parallel to the ground, opposite your body. The tip should be slightly angled downwards. Your right-hand needle should be held vertically, perpendicular to the left-hand needle.
### Step 2: Wrapping the Yarn
Bring the yarn over the right-hand needle, from back to front. Then, wrap it under the needle, counterclockwise, forming a loop that encircles the needle from the back.
Next, bring the yarn over the left-hand needle, from back to front. Insert the right-hand needle into the loop on the left-hand needle, from back to front. Slide the loop off the left-hand needle and onto the right-hand needle.
This creates a stitch on the right-hand needle. Repeat these steps to create additional stitches.
### Table of Needle and Yarn Positions
| Needle Position | Yarn Position |
|—|—|
| Left-hand needle held parallel to the ground | Yarn wrapped under the right-hand needle, counterclockwise |
| Right-hand needle held vertically | Yarn brought over the left-hand needle, from back to front |
Wrapping the Yarn Over the Lefthand Needle
To wrap the yarn over the needle, follow these steps:
1. Hold the needle in your left hand.
The needle should be held between your thumb and first two fingers, with the tip of the needle pointing towards you.
2. Bring the yarn over the index finger.
Use your right hand to bring the yarn over the index finger of your left hand, then down and across the palm of your hand.
3. Hook the yarn around the hook of the needle.
Use the hook of the needle to hook the yarn from the front to the back, bringing it around the shaft of the needle. Ensure that the yarn passes between the shaft and the needle tip. Twist the yarn slightly to secure it in place.
Detailed Steps for Hooking the Yarn:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| a | Position the hook of the needle under the yarn. |
| b | Push the hook through the yarn loop from front to back. |
| c | Bring the hook around the shaft of the needle, ensuring the yarn passes between the shaft and the needle tip. |
| d | Slide the hook out of the yarn loop, completing the wrap. |
| e | Hold the yarn securely between your thumb and first two fingers to prevent it from slipping off the needle. |
Once the yarn is wrapped over the needle, proceed with the purling stitch by inserting the needle into the next stitch on the right-hand needle and pulling the wrapped yarn through the loop.
The Underhand Motion
The underhand motion is a more relaxed way to purl. It is less stressful on your hands and wrists than the overhand motion, and it can be easier to learn.
To knit underhand, follow these steps:
- Hold the left needle in your left hand and the right needle in your right hand.
- Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle, from back to front.
- Wrap the yarn around the right needle in a counterclockwise direction.
- Withdraw the right needle from the stitch, bringing the yarn through the loop and onto the left needle. The new stitch will be on the left needle.
Here is a table summarizing the underhand motion:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hold the left needle in your left hand and the right needle in your right hand. |
| 2 | Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle, from back to front. |
| 3 | Wrap the yarn around the right needle in a counterclockwise direction. |
| 4 | Withdraw the right needle from the stitch, bringing the yarn through the loop and onto the left needle.
|
Drawing the Loop Through the Needle
The key to purling Continental style lies in the way you manipulate the yarn and the needle. Once you’ve positioned the yarn around the needle, as described in the previous section, you’re ready to draw the loop through.
Step 5: Hook the Yarn with the Needle Tip
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 5.1 | Using the tip of the right-hand needle, hook the yarn from behind and bring it forward. |
| 5.2 | Keep the yarn taut with your left hand while you do this. |
| 5.3 | The hooked yarn will now be positioned in front of the left-hand needle. |
| 5.4 | Ensure that the yarn is hooked around the left side of the left-hand needle. |
Step 6: Twist the Loop
Once the yarn is hooked, insert the right-hand needle into the stitch on the left-hand needle. Slide the left-hand needle forward, and at the same time, slightly twist the needle clockwise. This will wrap the yarn counterclockwise around the needle and form the purl stitch.
Step 7: Transfer the Stitch
Once the stitch is twisted, slip it off the left-hand needle onto the right-hand needle. The stitch is now complete and can be used in your knitting project.
Troubleshooting Common Mistakes
Loose Stitches
Loose stitches happen when the yarn is not held taut enough during the purling process. To correct this, make sure to keep the working yarn tight as you work the stitch, ensuring that the loops formed are secure and not too loose.
Dropped Stitches
Dropped stitches occur when the loop on the left-hand needle slips off before it can be transferred to the right-hand needle. To avoid this, make sure to hold the left-hand needle steady and ensure that the loop is securely hooked around the needle before attempting to transfer it.
Uneven Stitches
Uneven stitches result from inconsistent tension during the purling process. To achieve even stitches, focus on maintaining a consistent tension on both the working yarn and the left-hand needle. Practice regularly to develop a consistent rhythm and tension.
Puckering
Puckering occurs when the purl stitches are tighter than the knit stitches, causing the fabric to ripple or gather. To address this, ensure that the purl stitches are worked with the same amount of tension as the knit stitches. Practice to find the appropriate balance and avoid over-tightening the purl stitches.
Incorrect Direction of Stitches
Incorrect stitch direction occurs when the purl stitches are worked in the opposite direction from the knit stitches. To rectify this, check the needle orientation and ensure that the left-hand needle is held correctly, with the shaft pointing towards you and the hook facing down.
Twisted Stitches
Twisted stitches happen when the loop on the left-hand needle is inadvertently twisted before being transferred to the right-hand needle. To prevent this, make sure to insert the needle into the stitch from front to back, ensuring that the hook picks up the loop correctly.
| Troubleshooting Common Mistakes | Possible Causes | Corrective Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Loose Stitches | Insufficient tension | Hold working yarn taut and ensure secure loops |
| Dropped Stitches | Loop not securely hooked | Hold left-hand needle steady and securely hook loop around needle |
| Uneven Stitches | Inconsistent tension | Maintain consistent tension on both working yarn and left-hand needle |
| Puckering | Tighter purl stitches | Equalize tension between purl and knit stitches |
| Incorrect Direction of Stitches | Needle orientation error | Check needle orientation and hold left-hand needle correctly |
| Twisted Stitches | Loop twisted before transfer | Insert needle into stitch from front to back and hook loop correctly |
Mastering the Rhythm of Purling
Purling is a fundamental knitting technique that creates a textured and elastic fabric. Mastering its rhythm is crucial to producing consistent and beautiful results.
7. Troubleshooting Purling Rhyth
If you encounter difficulties with purling rhythm, consider the following:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Yarn tension too tight | Loosen your grip on the yarn, allowing it to flow more freely. |
| Needle angle too steep | Tilt the left-hand needle slightly back to create a wider loop. |
| Left-hand thumb not positioned correctly | Shift your thumb closer to the tip of the left-hand needle, ensuring it wraps around the yarn securely. |
| Right-hand needle not inserted smoothly | Insert the right-hand needle gently into the loop, avoiding catching or dragging the yarn. |
| Yarn caught on the left-hand needle | Release the tension on the yarn and gently slide it off the left-hand needle. |
| Skipped stitch | Go back to the missed stitch and carefully loop the yarn over the left-hand needle before proceeding. |
By addressing these potential issues, you can improve your purling technique and create a perfectly rhythmic and balanced fabric.
How to Purl Continental
Purl continental is a knitting stitch that is created by inserting the needle into the stitch from front to back, wrapping the yarn around the needle, and then pulling the new loop through the old loop. This stitch is often used to create a ribbed effect in knitting, as it creates a raised texture on the wrong side of the fabric. To purl continental, follow these steps:
- Insert the left-hand needle into the next stitch on the right-hand needle from front to back.
- Wrap the yarn around the left-hand needle from back to front.
- Pull the new loop through the old loop on the left-hand needle.
- Slip the old loop off the left-hand needle.
Practice these steps until you can purl continental smoothly and evenly. Once you have mastered this stitch, you can use it to create a variety of beautiful knitted fabrics.
People Also Ask
What is the difference between purl continental and purl English?
Purl continental is a knitting stitch that is created by inserting the needle into the stitch from front to back, while purl English is a knitting stitch that is created by inserting the needle into the stitch from back to front. This difference in needle insertion creates a slightly different look to the two stitches, with purl continental creating a more pronounced ribbed effect than purl English.
Which is easier, purl continental or purl English?
The easiest purl stitch for you will depend on your individual knitting style and preferences. Some knitters find purl continental to be easier, while others find purl English to be easier. Experiment with both stitches to see which one you prefer.
Can I use purl continental and purl English in the same project?
Yes, you can use purl continental and purl English in the same project. However, it is important to be consistent with which stitch you use for each row, as using different stitches can create an uneven look in your fabric.
