When I first started knitting, I learned about twisted stitches entirely by accident. Because I had learned to purl from a video online, I didn’t realize I was wrapping my yarn the wrong direction and therefore twisting my stitch. Once I noticed, I figured out an easy solution: knitting through the back loop on the next row.
It turns out this is a common knitting technique used by many knitters. In today’s blog post, we’ll be exploring stitches worked through the back loop, learning more why we might be interested in doing so, and demonstrating how to work the most popular stitches through the back loop.
What does “tbl” mean in knitting?
A common instruction is “k tbl” or “ktbl.” In this case, “tbl” means “through the back loop.” This refers to a way to knit or purl a stitch that changes how it sits on the needles and therefore changes the appearance of the stitch. Working a stitch through the back loop means that, instead of working in the leg that is the front of the loop, you’ll work in the back of the stitch. This creates a twisted stitch (or, sometimes, prevents one—more on that in a moment).
Sometimes you need to do it as part of an intentional knitting technique. In combination-style knitting, which combines Eastern and Western style knitting, you wrap your yarn in a different direction when purling compared to purling in a Western style. If you’re knitting stockinette stitch flat, though, this can result in twisted stitches. That means you need to make adjustments on your knit row, and knit through the back loop on the right side of the work after a row of purl stitches
Sometimes, when you have to drop down to fix a mistake or need to frog your work and put it back on your needles, the stitches can end up in a non-standard orientation. The left leg might be the front leg or the stitch could be twisted completely around. When that happens, working a stitch through the back loop is a quick and easy fix. Instead of having to take the stitch off the needle and reposition it, you can just change how you insert your working needle tip and adjust accordingly.
Decorative Elements
When you knit or purl a stitch through the back of a stitch, it twists the stitch and makes it stand out from surrounding stitches. This can be especially dramatic in tiny cables or when offset by purl stitches on either side. It’s also a popular design element for lace knitting stitch patterns. The end result is a stitch pattern with intensified texture and visual crispness.
To knit through the back loop of your stitch, insert the tip of your working needle through the left leg of the stitch you wish to knit. Then, wrap your yarn as you would for an ordinary knit stitch, use your needle tip to draw it through, and slide the old stitch off the needles.
A regular purl stitch requires you to insert your working needle tip from back to front through the right leg of the stitch. To purl a stitch through the back loop, you insert your needle tip from front to back (left to right) through the back leg of the stitch. Then you’ll proceed to purl as if it were a regular purl stitch.