A little more
present.
One stitch
at a time.

1. Begin with your working yarn in front of the needles.
2. Put the right needle through the front of the next loop, entering from right to left.
3. Wrap the working yarn counterclockwise around the right needle. Draw that new loop back through the old one, then slide the old loop off the left needle.
4. Try a short row. Turn and purl the next row to begin a garter-stitch practice swatch.

Texture note: Purling every row makes garter-stitch ridges, illustrated here. A purl is also the reverse face of a knit stitch. Alternating knit rows and purl rows creates stockinette instead.

1. Cast on an even number, such as 12 stitches.
2. Knit one stitch, then purl one stitch. Repeat that pair to the end of the row.
3. Turn the work. Again knit one, purl one across the row.
4. Repeat. As you face the work, knit the stitches that look like a V and purl the ones with a bump.

Keep the count: Move the yarn between the needle tips when switching: back for knit, front for purl. Taking it over a needle can add an unwanted loop.

1. Cast on an odd number, such as 13 stitches.
2. Knit one, purl one, and repeat across the row, ending with knit one.
3. Turn. Repeat that same row: start and finish with a knit stitch.
4. The odd stitch count offsets the pattern. As you face the next row, knit the bumps and purl the V-shaped stitches.

If columns appear: Check your stitch count. This version needs an odd number; repeating knit-one/purl-one over an even number produces ribbing.