Ktbl: knit through the back loop (twisted knit)

Ktbl means knit through the back loop. You knit into the back of the stitch instead of the front, which twists the stitch at the base. A twisted stitch is tighter and stands out more than a normal knit stitch. It is used in twisted rib and in patterns with raised lines of stitches.

How to work ktbl

1. Keep the yarn at the back, as for a normal knit stitch.

2. Insert the right needle into the back of the stitch on the left needle, from right to left.

3. Wrap the yarn as for a normal knit stitch.

4. Pull the new loop through and let the old stitch slide off the left needle.

You see the twist one row down, not on the needle. The two legs of the stitch cross each other and look like an X instead of a V.

When to use it

Patterns use ktbl for twisted rib, for raised lines of stitches and to close the hole under a yarn over. Twisted stitches are tighter, so they change your gauge if you work many of them.

Why your stitches get twisted by accident

If your knitting is tight and the stitches look like an X, you are probably twisting them without meaning to. There are two common causes:

• You wrap the yarn the wrong way. The stitch then sits backwards on the needle and twists when you knit it on the next row. In Continental knitting this often happens on purl stitches, when the yarn goes under the needle instead of over it.

• You knit into the wrong leg. For example, you knit into the back loop out of habit, or you knit a backwards stitch the normal way after picking up a dropped stitch.

How to check: look at the stitch on the left needle. The leg closest to the needle tip should sit in front of the needle. If it sits behind, the stitch is backwards. Knit it through the back loop and it will not be twisted.