How to Make a Slip Knot and Crochet a Chain

How Tos

Jan 20

Written By Avery

In this post I want to show you an essential (and easy) skill that is needed in the crochet world - the slip knot!

Almost all crochet projects follow a pattern that goes in rows, a circle/rounds (sometimes rectangles), or from corner to corner. It is important to know the techniques needed to start each of these ‘shapes’ so that you are ready to tackle any project.

The Slip Knot

Crochet hook with slip stitch doing a yarn over.

The slip knot is a common way to get the yarn you are using onto your hook and it allows you to make a chain that you can use as the beginning of a project when working in rows.

How to

Just take your yarn by the free end that you want to use, and wrap it around your extended finger on the opposite hand twice.

Right hand placing yarn on left index finger.

Then, lift the ‘back’ loop of yarn over the ‘front’ loop, keeping it on your finger. Repeat this one more time, BUT on the second one you will let the new ‘back’ loop fall off of your finger.

Pulling a loop of yarn over another to create a slip knot.

When you lift your finger to create some tension, you will have made a slip knot!

A finger rising to tighten a slip knot created around it.

Next - insert your hook without twisting the loop you’ve created. Hold the working yarn and pull tight enough to bring the knot up to your crochet hook.

A slip knot being tightened on a crochet hook.

The Chain

Now you are ready to start a making crochet chain!

The chain in crochet is an essential skill needed not only to start many crochet projects, but also to add certain textures and stitches throughout a crochet patterns.

To make a chain from your starting point (Magic Loop 2.0 or a classic Slip Knot) simply yarn over and pull through the loop on your hook.

Crochet hook pulling loop through slip knot on crochet hook.

This will give you for first (1) chain.

Continue to yarn over and pull through your working loop until you have enough chains according to the pattern you are following!

I hope this post was able to help you with anything you needed to know in making a slip knot or a chain in crochet so that you are ready to tackle all your future projects!