Ktbl?

#1

I am a self taught novice knitter. I am unable to discern the ktbl stitch from the way I normally knit, according to the videos. Can anyone explain this stitch to me? TIA!

Bambi

#2

A stitch has two `legs’ or loops, one on the front and slightly ahead of the other one in back. Normally you go through the front leg to knit, so for ktbl, you’d knit through the back leg. If you’re wrapping your purl stitches differently, the leading leg would actually be in the back and you may be already knitting through the back loop in order not to twist the knit stitch.

#3

Thanks, Sue. I just realized that I have been doing a ktbl stitch for a normal knit stitch. Does it make a huge difference in the way the fabric looks?

Bambi

#4

The purpose of knit through the back loop is to make a twisted stitch and is done for pattern design. Now if you always ktbl for all your knit stitches, and the stitch is not twisted, then you’re wrapping the purl st the opposite direction. Take a look at stockinette stitch under basic stitch patterns http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips

#5

Thanks again. I guess that’s the problem with being self taught. Too bad I didn’t find this site prior to completing several larger projects! So hard to un-learn and re-learn…

Bambi

#6

It’s not that hard to retrain yourself. You’ll get it. I did a yarn over for years and years a non-standard way. When I discovered it I decided to switch to standard and now I have no trouble at all, and sometimes I do it my old way just because I want to. :slight_smile:

Your previous projects are still fine, you just did them a little differerently. I think some people knit that way all their lives and it is not the end of the world. You can even keep doing it that way if you want. But it you want to knit the standard way you can switch in a short time with a little determination.