Cast on stitches onto a knitting needle
Hold the needle with stitches in your left hand and an empty needle in your right hand
Insert the right needle into the front of the first stitch from left to right for a knit stitch
Wrap the yarn around the right needle
Pull the new loop through the stitch
Slip the old stitch off the left needle
Repeat for each stitch across the row
Bring the yarn to the front of the work for a purl stitch
Insert the right needle into the front of the first stitch from right to left for a purl stitch
Wrap the yarn around the right needle from front to back
Pull the new loop through the stitch
Slip the old stitch off the left needle
Repeat for each stitch across the row
Alternate knit and purl stitches to create different patterns
Practice until the motions feel smooth