Slip Stitch (Crochet): How to Do It Step by Step

Slip Stitch (Crochet) is a crochet stitch that makes almost no height; dense and firm. Makers reach for it for joining rounds, moving across stitches, surface detail, firm edges. It is rated beginner here, so it is a good stitch to learn early and practice on a small swatch before a real project.

1. Insert the hook into the indicated stitch. 2. Yarn over. 3. Pull the yarn through the stitch and through the loop on the hook in one motion. Work slowly for the first few repeats, keep your tension even, and check the result against the steps before continuing across a whole row or motif.

US patterns abbreviate slip stitch (crochet) as sl st. UK patterns write it as ss, so always check whether a pattern uses US or UK terms before you start, because the same abbreviation can mean a different stitch. Pattern keys list every abbreviation used, usually near the materials list.

The most common problems are: working too tightly so the next round is hard to work into; using slip stitch where single crochet height is needed. Most are easy to spot if you pause after a few repeats and compare your work with the steps. Good light helps a great deal, especially with dark yarn or thread.

Stitches closely related to slip stitch (crochet) include Chain, Single Crochet. Learning them together makes patterns easier to read, because many designs switch between related stitches to change texture, height or line. Each has its own step-by-step page in the stitch dictionary.