[Phoebe]

I am a crocheter but I used to knit also when I was 5. Needless to say it's been a long time. I bought a book to reteach myself and I'm trying to make the stocking stitch. Apparently I'm not purling right because it just looks like a plain ol' knit stich. I think what I'm doing wrong has to do with me not putting the yarn in front of the kneedles or something.

Correct me if I'm wrong...
Knitting: the kneedle in your right hand goes BEHIND the kneedle in your left hand.
Purling: the kneedle in your right hand goes in FRONT of the kneedle in your left hand.

Any guidance and knitting wisdom would be great. I want to knit some soakers!!!

Thanks,
Amy

 

[Defenestrator]

The way that I think of it is that when knitting the needle passes under the stitch from left to right and when purling you enter from the right and go to the left.

 

[oceanbaby]

You are correct about the hand placement when knitting and purling.

And remember also, when purling, that the string held by your left hand goes in front of the needle in your left hand, not behind it as in a knit stitch.

Of course, I just learned to purl last week, so I am by no means an expert! But I had my mom show me, which is so much easier than learning from a book.

 

[Phoebe]

Holy Cow!!! It's all coming back to me. Ahhh... the key is to place the kneedle from back to front!!!

Awesome!!!

Congrats on learning to purl, Oceanbaby. I read your post when I did a search on purling earlier.

Defenestrator, good description. It's hard to teach some one without pictures!

I'm off to knit!!!

Gracias ladies

 

[twouglyducks]

http://www.fiberartshop.com/knclbg.htm
Great videos if you're able to watch them.

 

[pamelamama]

http://www.stitchguide.com/stitches/knitting/index.html
nice videos here too