Twisted stitches explained: knit through the back loop & twisted purl

19/10/2025

Have you ever noticed that suddenly one stitch in your project looks different from the others? It leans, twists, or just seems "wrong". Don't worry – it's not a mistake! It all has to do with stitch orientation. Today, we'll explore why stitches can sit differently on the needle, what it means to knit through the back loop or twist a purl, and how this affects your knitting.

🔍 Understanding Stitch Orientation

Each stitch has a little loop that sits on your needle. This loop can face two ways:

👉 If the front leg of the loop sits in front of the needle, it's the "regular" orientation.
👉 If the back leg of the loop sits in front, the stitch is twisted.

The way the stitch sits determines how you knit or purl it – and how your fabric will look.

➡️ Knit through the back loop (ktbl)

When you insert your needle into the back leg of the stitch and knit it, you get a twisted knit stitch.

✨ It looks tighter, more compact, with a subtle diagonal effect.
✨ Common in ribbing and cables, where twisted stitches emphasise structure.

↩️ Twisted purl stitch

The same happens with purl stitches: if you purl into the other leg of the stitch, the loop twists.

🔹 Result: a tighter, sometimes less even look.
🔹 Benefit: can firm up fabric or prevent unwanted holes in lace.

🧶 How stitch orientation affects your fabric

Stocking stitch (stockinette in US) ➝ twisted stitches can make whole rows lean.
Lace patterns ➝ twisted stitches block the openness of eyelets.
Ribbing ➝ twisted stitches make the ribs stand out more strongly.

🛠️ Practical tips

✅ Check your cast-on: make sure all stitches sit in the same direction.
✅ Accidentally twisted a stitch? Don't panic – decide if you like the effect or if you want to correct it.
✅ Use twisted stitches deliberately for more stability or decorative details.

🧩 Mini practice swatch

Cast on 20 stitches:

Row 1: knit 10 stitches normally, knit 10 stitches through the back loop (ktbl).
Row 2: purl all stitches.

After a few rows, you'll clearly see the difference!

💌 My Takeaway

Whether you knit through the back loop or twist your purls – stitch orientation isn't a mistake, it's a design tool. Understanding it helps you control your fabric and bring out your patterns with clarity.

📣 Try it out on a small swatch and share your results with fellow knitters – you'll be surprised at the difference!

#strickenimtrend #maschenmitliebe #knittingtips #twistedstitches #knittingtechnique

Stitch by stitch, you'll gain confidence – and your projects will show exactly the look you intended.

Lots of love.
Yours, Kathrin

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