Purl Through the Back Loop (P1 tbl)

Once you’ve mastered the purl stitch, you’re ready to learn how to purl through the back loop. In this video, Jen Lucas demonstrates how to purl a stitch through the back loop.

Jen begins by showing a swatch of twisted ribbing. This ribbing is created by knitting 1 stitch through the back loop and purling 1 stitch through the back loop. She notes that working stitches through their back loops is useful not only for stitch patterns, but several decreases also are worked by knitting through the back loop.

P1tbl = purl 1 stitch through the back loop

To purl a stitch through the back loop, Jen has the yarn in front, ready to purl. She brings the right needle around to the back and inserts it through the back leg (or loop) of the stitch to purl the stitch. This twists the stitch and creates the p1tbl. She works several more stitches this way, then shows the work from the Right Side to see that the purl through the back loop stitches have been twisted.