Purl Stitch (English)
1. As with the knit stitch, hold the working needle in your right hand and the needle with the stitches in your left. The yarn is held and manipulated with your right hand and is kept to the front of the work.
2. Insert the right needle from back to front into the first stitch on the left needle. The right needle is now in front of the left needle and the yarn is at the front of the work.
3. With your right index finger, wrap the yarn counterclockwise around the right needle.
4. Draw the right needle and the yarn backward through the stitch on the left needle, forming a loop on the right needle.
5. Slip the stitch off the left needle. You have made one purl stitch. Repeat these steps in each subsequent stitch until all stitches have been worked from the left needle. You have made one row of purl stitches.
Purl Stitch (Continental)
1. As with the knit stitch, hold the working needle in your right hand and the needle with the stitches in your left. The yarn is held and manipulated with your left hand and is kept to the front of the work.
2. Insert the right needle from back to front into the first stitch on the left needle, keeping the yarn in front of the work.
3. Lay the yarn over the right needle as shown. Pull down on the yarn with your left index finger to keep the yarn taut.
4. Bring the right needle and the yarn backward through the stitch on the left needle, forming a loop on the right needle.
5. Slide the stitch off the left needle. Use your left index finger to tighten the new purl stitch on the right needle. Continue to repeat these steps until you have worked all of the stitches from the left needle to the right needle. You have made one row of purl stitches.