Fig. 258. Purling (P)
To purl ([Figure 258]). The work is held in the left hand. The worsted is brought in front of the work. The right-hand needle is inserted through the stitch from right to left in front of the left needle. Pass the point of the right needle over the worsted and draw the loop through. Slip off the stitch on the left needle as in knitting. Repeat in this manner until all the stitches are transferred.
Sometimes it is necessary to get rid of some of the stitches. In that case the needle is slipped through two stitches instead of one and the new stitch formed in the usual way. There are two abbreviations for purling two together. They are p. 2 tog. or p-n. The latter means purl narrow.
When knitting, two stitches can also be taken together. The abbreviation for this is n. K. 3 tog. means knit three stitches (sts) together as one stitch.
To slip-stitch means to take a stitch from the left-hand to the right-hand needle without knitting it, and its abbreviation is sl.
To bind or cast off means to slip the stitches from the needle so that you have a chain edge. Slip the first stitch and knit the second. You now have two loops on the right-hand needle. * Put the point of the left needle (from left to right) through the first stitch on the other needle. Hold the worsted tight. Slip the right-hand needle through the loop formed as described above and then slip the loop from the left needle. There is only one loop on the right-hand needle. Knit the next stitch and repeat from *.
Casting off must be done loosely or the work will have a puckered appearance.
