Knitting Some More: We Purl

Last night, the daughters and I had our second knitting lesson.  In lesson one, we learned to cast on, and to knit.  In lesson two, we learned to purl and to bind off.  I can only best attempt to describe a purl as a backward knit stitch.  Any more attempt at a detailed explanation would only be more confusing.

After we'd practiced purling for a few rows, the instructor told us she wanted us to try knitting and purling in the same row.  The room got silent, and all needles stopped!!  Then she explained it wasn't impossible, we should just pick a number --preferably the number 2 or the number 3--then knit that many stitches followed by the same number of purl stitches and just alternate until we got to the end of the row.

So we did.  I found it wasn't impossible, but it did require rather a lot of concentration. I even got so brave as the try to do an opposite pattern (purl, purl, knit, knit) after several rows.  When I got to the end of my yarn, I bound off.

This is what I ended up with:

Next week we tackle an actual project!