Glossary / Purl front and back
pfbPurl front and back
The purl-side version of kfb, turning one stitch into two.
Also written: p1fb
How to work it
Purl into the next stitch but leave it on the left needle. Bring the right needle behind the work, purl into the back loop of the same stitch, then slide it off. Your count goes up by one. It is used when an increase falls on a wrong-side row, or in reverse stockinette and garter where the little bar it leaves blends into the surrounding bumps.
Common confusions
What does pfb mean?
In knitting patterns, pfb means Purl front and back. The purl-side version of kfb, turning one stitch into two.
Is pfb just kfb done on the purl side?
Yes, in effect. It produces the same two-from-one increase with the same small bar, worked with purl motions instead of knit ones. If a pattern shapes on both right-side and wrong-side rows, kfb and pfb are the matching pair.
Why is the second half so hard to reach?
Purling into a back loop means angling the needle behind fabric that is already in front of your hands. Pushing the stitch closer to the tip of the left needle and giving it a little slack makes the back loop open up enough to enter cleanly.
In other languages
| Language | Term | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| English | Purl front and back | pfb |
| Español | Tejer del revés por delante y por detrás | no standard code |
| Deutsch | Aus einer Masche zwei linke Maschen stricken | no standard code |
| Français | Maille envers devant et derrière | no standard code |
| Italiano | Rovescio davanti e dietro | no standard code |
| 日本語 | 1目に裏目を2目編み入れる増し目 | no standard code |
Related stitches
Keep your place while you work this stitch. Worsted counts your rows and rounds and remembers your spot in the pattern, for crochet and knitting.
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