How to make star in reverse stockinette

aargh! i’ve been trying to make a star in reverse stockinette for days and i can’t figure it out. the pattern calls for five rows of purl in the round. i’m doing it on straight needles, so i’ve switched to purl, knit, purl, knit - when i try to make a star on the purl side, it shows up on the right side of the stockinette. when i try to make a star on the knit side, it still shows up on the right side of the stockinette. i’d give my first born and a heaping mound of chocolate to anyone who can advise me how to go about getting these darned stars to show up on the wrong side of my stockinette. anyone? (p.s. the way i’m making the star is purl - or knit, as the attempt may go - through three stitches, don’t transfer to right needle, wrap, purl into same three stitches and transfer. is this right?)

Have you tried knitting three together through the back loops? I don’t know if this would work, but it might be worth a try.