How to knit: knit & purl stitches

Woman's Weekly knitting expert Tina Egleton shows you step-by-step knitting for beginners with this how to knit and purl video.

Check out our free knitting patterns gallery, to put your skills into practice!

How to knit stitch

• Hold your needle with cast-on stitches in your left hand beginning about 8cm away from the stitches.
• Take the yarn around the little finger of your right hand, under the next two fingers and over top of your index finger.
• With the yarn at the back, insert the point of the right hand needle in front of the first stitch from left to right in left hand needle.
• With your right index finger bring the yarn under and over the top of point of the right hand needle.
• Draw a loop through the stitch then drop the original stitch off the left hand needle.
• Continue working in this way until all the stitches are on your right hand needle.

How to purl stitch

• Hold the needle with cast on stitches in your left hand beginning about 8cm away from cast on stitches.
• Take the yarn around the little finger of your right hand, under the next two fingers and over top of your index finger.
• With the yarn at the front insert the point of the right hand needle in front of the first stitch.
• With your right index finger bring the yarn over and under the top of point of the right hand needle.
• Draw a loop through the stitch then drop the original stitch off left hand needle.
• Continue working in this way until all the stitches are on right hand needle.

How to do Garter Stitch (gst)

Garter stitch is produced by knitting every stitch on every row. The same effect is achieved by purling every stitch on every row. It works with any number of stitches.

How to do Stocking Stitch (stst)

Stocking stitch is achieved by knitting one row and purling the following. The knit side is the right side. It works with any number of stitches.

Reverse Stocking Stitch (rev stst) is produced by purling one row and knitting the following row. Purling is on the right side. It works with any number of stitches.

How to do Single Rib

Single rib stitch is produced by knitting one stitch and purling one stitch alternatively along the row. On subsequent rows repeat knit the stitches that were purled and purl the stitches that were knitted on the previous row. This pattern is a repeat of two stitches.

Double Rib is produced by knitting two stitches and purling two stitches alternatively along the row. On subsequent repeats, knit the two stitches that were purled and purl the two stitches that were knitted on previous row. This pattern is a repeat of four stitches.

Moss Stitch (mst)

Moss stitch is produced by knitting one stitch and purling one stitch alternatively along one row. On subsequent repeats knit the stitches that were knitted and purl the stitches that were purled. This pattern is a repeat of two stitches.

Double Moss (dmst) is worked over four rows. The first row is worked by knitting one stitch and purling alternatively. On the second row knit the stitches that were purled and purl the stitches that were knitted on the first row. The third row is worked by purling one stitch and knitting one stitch alternatively. On the fourth row purl the stitches that were knitted and knit the stitches that were purled on 3rd row. This pattern is a repeat of 2 stitches.