How to Make a Crochet Slip Knot the Easy Way, 3 Quick Methods

Updated: 10 November 2026 by Sylwia (MyCrochetory)

A crochet slip knot is the tiny loop that holds your yarn on the hook before the very first chain. It doesn’t count as a stitch, and it slides tighter or looser around the hook whenever you need it to.

Blankets, hats, shawls, dishcloths, they all start right here. So it’s worth having one slip knot your fingers can make on autopilot, and I’ll show you three, starting with the one I use myself.

New to crochet? My Free Crochet Tutorials for Beginners guide has 20+ step by step tutorials in one place.

Crochet slip knot, 3 ways at a glance

• Finger and hook method is the one I use myself. The yarn goes over two fingers, the hook pulls the loop through, and the slip knot lands right where you need it.
• Two-wrap finger method happens on your index finger, so you only need the hook at the very end.
• Loop and pull-through method is the classic one your grandma might have shown you, made in your hands and then slipped onto the hook.

What is a crochet slip knot?

Think of the crochet slip knot as the anchor for your foundation chain, or for any first row or round that starts with chains. Your hook goes through it, and the very first chain gets pulled through it.

Patterns throw around two names for the ends of your yarn, so let’s sort them out now. The tail is the short, loose end, and the working yarn is the one still attached to the ball, the one you’ll actually crochet with.

How to make a slip knot, video tutorial

Some things are just easier to copy than to read. In the video I make all three slip knots slowly and close up, so pause after each step and do exactly what my hands do.

If you use an ad blocker, turn it off for this page, or the video may not load.

How to make a crochet slip knot, step by step

Method 1, finger and hook (my favorite)

Step 1. Leave a tail of about 4 inches. Let the working yarn drape over your left hand, away from you.

Step 2. Bring the working yarn toward you, wrap it around your middle and index fingers and then over the tail, so the strands form an X. The strand on top is the top yarn.

Step 3. Hold the top yarn in place with your ring finger or pinky.

Step 4. Insert your hook under the tail and over the top yarn, right at the crossing point.

Step 5. Catch the top yarn with the hook and pull it under the tail.

Step 6. The loop on your hook is your slip knot. Pull the tail and the working yarn to snug it around the hook.

Method 2, two wraps around your finger

Step 1. Hold the yarn with your left hand and wrap it around your right index finger two times.

Step 2. Pull the first wrap over the second one, keeping both on your finger.

Step 3. Slide the loop off your finger and pull both ends to make a snug slip knot, then put it on your hook.

Method 3, loop and pull through

Step 1. Make a loop so the tail crosses in front of the working yarn.

Step 2. Hold the crossing point with your left hand. With your right hand, bring the tail behind the loop.

Step 3. Reach through the loop, grab the tail and pull it through.

Step 4. Pull the working yarn to tighten the knot, then slide the slip knot onto the hook.

Different starts, same finish. You end up with a snug loop on your hook and the working yarn ready for your first chain, so pinch the base of the knot between your thumb and middle finger and start chaining.

Want this tutorial for later? Save this pin to your crochet board.

Slip knot mistakes and how to fix them

The slip knot falls off the hook

Classic. The loop is too loose, so pull the working yarn a little until it sits snug around the hook but can still slide along it.

The slip knot is too tight to move

Happens to everyone who pulls with enthusiasm. Hold the knot, gently pull the loop bigger with your fingers and put it back on the hook.

What to learn after the crochet slip knot

Slip knot sorted? Here’s where to go next, in roughly the order most people learn these stitches.

• How to Crochet a Chain is the very next step after the slip knot.
• How to Slip Stitch covers the flat stitch for joining rounds.
• Single Crochet Stitch is the first stitch that turns a chain into fabric.
• How to Half Double Crochet is one yarn over taller.
• How to Double Crochet walks you through the classic tall stitch.
• How to Treble Crochet is the tallest of the basic stitches.
• Magic Ring starts work in the round without a slip knot.
• Foundation Single Crochet makes the chain and the first row in one go.

Crochet slip knot FAQ

Is a slip knot a stitch?

No. The slip knot isn’t counted in your stitch count, so start counting from the first chain you make through it.

Is the slip knot the same in crochet and knitting?

Yes. Knitters use the same slip knot as the first stitch on the needle, and crocheters put it on the hook.

Do I always need a slip knot to start crocheting?

No. For work in the round you can start with a magic ring instead, and standing stitches let you join new yarn without one.

How long should the yarn tail be?

About 4 inches is enough. That gives you yarn to weave in later, without a long end getting in the way.

Got stuck? Ask in my Facebook Group or Official Ravelry Group, or email me at mycrochetory@gmail.com.

You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.