How to Slip Stitch in Crochet (sl st)
Learn how to make a crochet slip stitch and use it for joining rounds, moving across stitches, edging, surface details, and low-profile finishing.
Follow the written lesson for each stitch. US crochet terms are used unless stated otherwise.
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.
Watch how to slip stitch in crochet
Prefer to learn by watching? Open the full lesson, then use this page for quick reference, tips, common mistakes, and FAQs.
Mini lesson sheet
Keep each complete first instruction alongside the accompanying reference illustration.
- Use this as a quick check before the full lesson.
- Keep it nearby while you practice the stitch or technique.
Finished result
Key facts
Details that prevent common beginner mistakes
What a slip stitch does
A slip stitch moves the working loop through the target stitch without adding much height. That makes it useful for joining rounds, moving yarn position, edging, and surface crochet.
How to avoid tight slip stitches
Keep the loop relaxed on the shaft of the hook instead of tightening it around the hook tip. Tight slip stitches are difficult to enter on the next pass.
Joining versus building fabric
A slip stitch can connect the last round to the first stitch without counting as an additional stitch. A worked slip-stitch row instead forms fabric; avoid overtightening it, which can make the next row difficult to enter.
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.
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
Questions about how to slip stitch in crochet
What is a crochet slip stitch used for?+
Slip stitch is commonly used to join rounds, move the working loop across stitches, create seams or edging, and finish with very little added height.
How do you make a slip stitch in crochet?+
Insert the hook into the target stitch, yarn over, then pull that yarn through the stitch and through the loop already on the hook in one motion.
Does a slip stitch count as a stitch?+
It depends on the pattern. Joining slip stitches often are not counted, so use the pattern instructions rather than assuming.
Why are my slip stitches too tight?+
Pulling the working yarn hard after every stitch makes the row difficult to enter. Keep the loop on the hook relaxed and move the hook along its shaft rather than the narrow tip.
Can I crochet a whole row in slip stitch?+
Yes. Slip-stitch fabric is dense and elastic, but it grows slowly because the stitch is very short.
Is slip stitch the same in US and UK crochet?+
Yes. Slip stitch is commonly called slip stitch and abbreviated sl st in both systems.
Use this technique in a complete crochet project.
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