Mother of Purl

when you have a large number of them. To make this task easier, I suggest placing a stitch marker every 20 stitches and using the markers to count and keep track of your cast–ons.
STEP 1:Go up the Front Door: Hold the needle with your stitches on it in your left hand, and slip the tip of the right needle through the front loop, from the bottom up, holding the yarn attached to the ball in your right hand. You’ll want to maintain a constant tension; your yarn should be firmly taut but not tight. Wrap the yarn from the ball around your right index finger, holding the yarn firmly in the palm of your hand. Your needles now form an X.
STEP 2:Around the Tree: With the right–hand needle underneath the left–hand needle, move the yarn around from behind the needle, toward the front in a counterclockwise motion through the X. Maintain a constant tension between your right hand and the strand of yarn. Bring the yarn behind the right needle, then pull it toward you between the X.
STEP 3:Down the Cellar: In a downward motion, gently pull the right–hand needle back through the loop that is still attached to your left–hand needle.
STEP 4:And off You Go: With your right–hand needle, gently pull the stitch off the left–hand needle, carefully avoiding accidentally pulling other stitches off the left–hand needle.
Congratulations! You have just knitted your first stitch.
MEGAN MULLALLY
An artist at heart, Megan would spend hours wandering the shop searching for all the right yarns—not just the right yarn, because every project of Megan’s was an intricate mix of yarns: thick and thin and all color shades. From scarves to ponchos, her pieces were unusual and beautiful.
Tension. By maintaining consistent tension in your knitting, you will create even and uniform stitches as you pass them from one needle to the other.
Purling. The purl stitch is basically the reverse of the knit stitch. Follow these easy steps to master the purl stitch.
[EDITH KNIT TIPS]
Recognizing a Knit Stitch from a Purl Stitch
Working in combination of knit one row, purl one row is referred to as stockinette. Knitting every row is called the garter stitch. Here’s an easy way to recognize your stitches. When you work in stockinette, you knit the front of your work, which will be smooth; each stitch will look like a V. This side is also referred to as the “right side.” On the reverse side, or “wrong side,” you will purl; this row will form a series of little bumps like beads or “pearls.” (The one exception is the garter stitch, which forms little bumps on both sides of the work, regardless of knitting or purling each row. This will also help you to recognize the “right” and “wrong” sides of the cast–on edge.)
STEP 1: With your yarn in front of the right–hand needle, insert the tip of the right–hand needle through the loop, from the top downward. You’ve now formed an X.
STEP 2: With your right hand, take the yarn and place it over the top of the right–hand needle in a counterclockwise motion through the X.
STEP 3: Place the right–hand needle beneath the stitch on the left–hand needle and pull the yarn through the loop.
STEP 4: Pull off the stitch. Congratulations, you’ve just purled.
I have many clients who have knitted for years and are still intimidated by the purl stitch, professing that they will learn it “next week.” It may take someone years before they finally attempt it. Purling may feel awkward, but it’s very simple. Once you learn to purl, and feel comfortable with the stitch, you will be able to develop your skills beyond that “professional beginner” giveaway: the knit stitch scarf, commonly referred to as the garter stitch.
PURLING PROBLEMS
If you find purling difficult, take comfort in the fact that many of my celebrity clients have been just as puzzled by it. One of my favorite knitters is Sofia Coppola. She came in one afternoon, and I taught her how to knit, and because she was ambitious we covered purling as well. She purchased her yarn and left. A few days later I received a frantic phone call: it was Sofia, on the beach in Jamaica—with her knitting in a tangle on her lap. She had forgotten how to purl. I talked her through the stitch on the phone, and after half an hour she hung up. She finished her scarf and it was lovely.
When you start to purl, everything feels upside down. The most important thing to remember is that you throw your yarn toward the floor rather than up and around.
Before you cast on for your first project, practice knitting and purling. The more relaxed and confident you are, the better you will knit.
Binding Off. Last, but not least, is the final essential: binding off. Binding off is the process of ending and securing your work by interlocking your stitches to prevent them from unraveling and running. It is also used to shape your work, including necks and armholes.
Before you bind off your stitches, look at the cast–on row of your knitting, which is the first bottom row, to determine the “right” and “wrong” side of your knitting.
STEP 1: As you bind off, work the first two stitches in pattern.
STEP 2: You will now have two stitches on your right–hand needle.
STEP 3: Using the tip of the left–hand needle, pass the first stitch over the second stitch, letting it drop off the right–hand needle.
STEP 4: Continue working in this fashion until you’ve completed the row.
STEP 5: When you have one final stitch remaining on your right–hand needle, cut your yarn, leaving a six–inch tail.
STEP 6: Pull the tail through the loop of the stitch to secure it.
When working in pattern, make sure to bind off in the same pattern as this will ensure continuity and elasticity in