How To Crochet A Slip Knot

The slip knot is the start of virtually every crochet project there is. Here's how you can learn to master it.

How To Crochet A Slip Knot

What you need



The slip knot is a simple knot that -slips-; the loop easily enlarged or made smaller by pulling either the loop to enlarge the loop, or one of the yarn tails to make the loop smaller.

Start by holding the yarn between two fingers, with a moderate amount of tension, not tight, but not so loose that you lose your grip. With the fingers of your other hand make a loop of yarn with a single twist.

How to Slip Knot - Make a loop

Now pull one side of the yarn through the loop you just created making a second loop.

How to slip knot - step 2

Take hold of that second loop and hold it while holding the tension of the yarn somewhat firm.

How to slip knot - Step 3

If you can pull the loop and make it bigger, then pull one of the yarn tails and make it smaller you have a slip knot.

(Note: only one yarn tail will make the loop smaller, the other one is stationary).


  1. excellent web page! Found it while browsing for sock monkey

  2. I have tried to figure this out so many times and have been making loop knots for the last 100 projects which is inconvenient. I never know whether to count it as a first chain or not. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t depending on how tight it is. Thanks so much for this tutorial. Now I am off to practice!…

  3. addiefleur says:

    I have found that in the many years that I have been teaching knitting (longer than I have been alive almost) I find the hardest thing is to teach a slip knot. I can teach the most knitting person to drop down and make a repair in the middle of a complicated cable pattern and then pick up again, but there is something about a slip knot, especially if the student needs the directions put in to words.

    I have learned to have another student explain the slip knot to a new person and pretend it is to help the first student remember all of the steps to starting a knitting project?

    I am showing these pictures and description to people when they need to learn to slip knot, giving them a crochet hook and then leaving them alone for a minute, when I come back, we will say, “thank you Kelly Parkson,” then they will ready to learn casting on! lol

    Thank you so much!

  4. your directions are the bomb totally helped me big time!!!

  5. i lerned to make a slip knot and now making a lap blanket

  6. I have two books on how to crochet and was still confused on their directions for a slip knot. I figured it out w/ your instructions first try! Thanks!!

  7. Artslover17 says:

    thanks now i no how to make one

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