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Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique

Learn how to make a crochet slip stitch and when to use it for joining rounds, moving across stitches, edging, and surface details.

By CrochetIndex EditorialUpdated 2026-09-17
Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique
LevelBeginner
TypeTutorial
Learn in10–15 minutes
Updated2026-09-17
Quick answer

Insert the hook into the target stitch, yarn over, then pull the yarn through the stitch and the loop already on the hook in one motion.

Quick reference

Mini lesson sheet

Keep the short row instructions on one side and the visual target on the other.

Row 1
the hook into the specified stitch, space, or chain.
Row 2
over with the working yarn.
Row 3
the yarn through the target and immediately through the loop already on the hook.
Row 4
the completed slip stitch relaxed so the next stitch or round is not constricted.
Abbreviations
Abbreviation: sl st
Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique practice sheet preview
Finished view
See the key steps and the finished look together.
Use this section as a fast visual check before you work through the full steps.
  • Use this as a quick check before the full lesson.
  • Keep it nearby while you practice the stitch or technique.
What you should see

Finished result

Final outcome
Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique finished result

Key facts

Abbreviation: sl st
Adds almost no height
Commonly used to join rounds and move yarn without building a full stitch
Step by step

How to do it

  1. Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique step 1
    01
    Step 1

    Insert the hook into the specified stitch, space, or chain.

  2. Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique step 2
    02
    Step 2

    Yarn over with the working yarn.

  3. Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique step 3
    03
    Step 3

    Pull the yarn through the target and immediately through the loop already on the hook.

  4. Crochet Slip Stitch (sl st): Uses and Technique step 4
    04
    Step 4

    Keep the completed slip stitch relaxed so the next stitch or round is not constricted.

Watch it in action

Video walkthrough from Crochet Guru

Use this as a second explanation after the written steps. Pause, replay, and compare the motion with the close-up images above.

Crochet Slip Stitch | Beginner Tutorial | Crochet Stitch Library
Video by Crochet Guru · YouTube
Watch on YouTube
Useful tips

Make it easier

  • Use the hook shaft, not the hook tip, to size the loop.
  • For decorative slip-stitch fabric, consciously loosen tension because the stitch is easy to tighten.
Common mistakes

What usually goes wrong

  • Pulling the stitch so tight the next round is hard to enter
  • Mistaking a slip stitch for a single crochet and adding height
Continue this topic
Stitch LibraryEdges & Joins
Practice this skill

Use this technique in a complete crochet project.

Related learning

Build the next connected skill.