Cat Bordhi - How to tighten up your purl stitches

If you purl more loosely than you knit (most knitters do), this causes problems when you work the heel of a sock. Learn a way of purling which guarantees nice snug purl stitches - also idea for ribbing and for defining the background for cables.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Cat
• Bordhi
• loose
• purls
• NEW
• PATHWAYS
• knit
• sock
• heel
• even
• tension

[j8nnyl]

Thanks for sharing the video! i will try this, i already know the technique as eastern purl (the way i learned) but i have since switched to western knitting, and since purling is SLOW, i do the norwegian purl instead - LOVE it. but, those are LOOSE! so i will give this a try - i believe it is basically combination knitting, right? eastern purl and then knitting TBL - to prevent twists, right? When i get around to sock knitting again, i will try it !! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[catbordhi]

@j8nnyl This is not combination knitting or eastern purl. It is similar to Norwegian purl but different. It does result in the new sts being mounted with the leading leg in back, which is an advantage of you will be purling in the round. If not, you must treat that mount properly when you come to it again.

[EmeraldQueen206]

I have a hard time purling the way you are showing on the video. I knit english style. Is there a way I can do this without getting frustrated?

[catbordhi]

This works only for Continental knitters - those who tension the yarn in their left hands. I do not know a method for those who tension the yarn in their right hands. Sorry!

[jessicahasit]

I really like this method, I'm just having an hard time with the twisted knit stitch. However, if you look at Norwegian Purl by Hsailormoon, you'll see the difference that bonobobabe mentions. This will not twist the knit stitch.

Thanks again for all the great tips!!

[catbordhi]

My method is similar to the Norwegian Purl but not the same, and my method really tightens up the purl sts - which is the whole point. Purling or knitting them later through the back leg (the one behind the needle) should be no problem at all. I don't know if the "real" Norwegian Purl tightens up purl sts or not.

[jessicahasit]

that's a video Norwegian Purl by Hsailormoon on youtube....just wanted to be clear...

[yolo22]

"knitter's shame" LOL. oh i know that feeling well!

[MsKathy07]

I've tried the Norwegian Purl and found that it didn't give me a tighter purl stitch, this looks very similar. I couldn't figure out from the comments, is it correct, that you must knit through the back loop when you use the knit stitch for the next row?

[mersylla]

So basically with this technique you need to knit the stitches by inserting the needle in the back of the loop instead of the front ?

[patricia67252]

How do I tighten up stitches when I hold the yarn in my right hand?

[j8nnyl]

@LaurieKeren (continued reply) I have not yet figured out what you mean , without knitting in front of me, but i can say this -

combo knitting is bascially :

Knit: eastern mount, western wrap

Purl: Western mount, eastern wrap

In other words. you knit TBL wrap counter clockwise, Purl TFL, wrap clockwise.

DId that make sense?? Have you been combo knitting long? i find i do eastern, western, or combo depending on the project. SO it is an ongoing learning process.

[j8nnyl]

@LaurieKeren I have learned over the past several months, this:

combination knitting is where you knit through the back leg of the stitch, wrapping counter clockwise, just as a western knitter would "Knit TBL".

THen You purl through the front leg of the stitch, but wrap it clockwise (this is the opposite wrap a western knitter would use. It IS the wrap an eastern knitter would use, but an eastern knitter would purl through the back of the stitch)

[LaurieKeren]

I've been doing some reading, and combination knitting is basically when your knit stitch is continental, and purl in a way that results in an uncrossed mount (Eastern uncrossed?).  So, eventually it becomes second nature to always knit in such a way that corrects the mount, by knitting or purling into the front leg or back leg.

If you purl this way all the time (resulting in an uncrossed mount), wouldn't that be the same as combination knitting?

[LaurieKeren]

I'm relatively new to knitting, and so I'm still developing my style. I hold my yarn and needles similar to you, and I suffered from loose purls. My ribbing was ugly and my cables looked bad, lol.

After watching this video, I began purling this way. At this point, I purl this way exclusively, except when I need to purl into the back leg, due to the stitch being mounted backwards (which happens when I purled in the stitch on the previous row, or when I'm making a rib stitch in the round).

[pheonixphire]

i will have to practice this stitch. my purl stitches are SIGNIFICANTLY looser then my knit stitch which leaves my projects a lil wonky..it works in my lace patterns though oddly enough.