Crochet Slip Stitch Tutorial

Two hands holding an ecru crochet swatch and a wooden crochet hook. One crochet slip stitch is circled and text on the image and an arrow point to the circle to label it a slip stitch. Additional text on the image reads: Crochet slip stitch tutorial. Banana Moon Studio.

A crochet slip stitch tutorial

Crochet beginners, this crochet slip stitch tutorial is going to teach you an important and useful stitch. The slip stitch is the smallest of all crochet stitches, and is most often used to join one section of stitching to another. But it can be used alone as a complete stitch pattern as well.

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What are crochet slip stitches used for?

Most often you will see crochet slip stitches used as way to join other crochet stitches together. They are often used when crochet granny squares or round projects like hats or mittens. Often, after working a round of stitches, the last stitch is joined to the first one with a slip stitch.

Sometimes you might have a flat crochet piece made in sections of different colors or textures and those sections might be joined together with slip stitches as you work each row.

Occasionally I have seen designers use slip stitches as a stand alone stitch pattern. The swatch below shows an example of what crochet slip stitch can look like when it is worked on its own. It looks a little bit like the wrong side of a knitting project.

A small white crochet swatch made in crochet slip stitches on a burlap cloth with a matching ball of yarn and a wooden crochet hook. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

How to do a slip stitch step by step

In this part of this crochet slip stitch tutorial I’ll go through each step and explain in words and show you a picture of that step.

The swatch will have a different look to it depending on whether you work under the front loop, the back loop, or both each time you make a stitch. In the photos here I’m working just under the front loops of each stitch. You can use whichever loop(s) you want, just be consistent. If you are following a pattern, make your stitches as they suggest so that your project will look like the example. If the pattern doesn’t specify which loops to use, work under both, as that’s the standard.

If you are using the slip stitch to join at the ends of rounds or to join sections together as you go, work under both loops as this will be more secure and sturdy.

First, you will insert your hook into the next chain or stitch.

A small white slip stitch crochet swatch and a wooden crochet hook on a burlap cloth. The crochet hook is inserted through a slip stitch and has one additional loop of yarn on it. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

Next you’ll yarnover just by laying the yarn across the front of your hook and catching it under the hook.

Then you’ll pull that yarnover through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.

A small white slip stitch crochet swatch and a wooden crochet hook on a burlap cloth. The crochet hook has one loop of yarn on it and there is a partially complete row of slip stitches along the top edge. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

And that finishes your slip stitch.

In written patterns, slip stitch is abbreviated “sl st.” If you aren’t familiar with the crochet abbreviations used in written patterns, get my free, printable crochet abbreviations list here.

What is the difference between single crochet and slip stitch?

I’ve seen this question asked, so I’ll address it here. As explained above, when you make a slip stitch you pull that first yarnover through both the stitch and the additional loop on your hook. When you work a single crochet you will pull that first yarnover through just the stitch, then yarnover again and pull that through the two loops on your hook.

Of course, the difference in their processes means that they also look different. See this post for help with the single crochet stitch.

Crochet slip stitch tutorial video

Let’s look at the crochet slip stitch in action so you can see all those steps put together. The swatch in this photo is mostly made of double crochet stitches, but there is a partial row of slip stitches along the top edge of it.

Two hands holding an ecru crochet swatch and a wooden crochet hook. One crochet slip stitch is circled and an arrow points to the circle. A white banner with text reads: Crochet slip stitch tutorial. Banana Moon Studio. A red and white play button is centered on the image. — Click to watch it on YouTube

What can I make using crochet slip stitches?

Well, you can make a lot of things that use crochet slip stitches. A lot of granny squares, motifs, and wearable items like sweaters, socks, hats, and mittens use slip stitches. One option is my Peacock Feather Blanket Square. This crochet pattern is free here on m site.

A peacock feather crochet blanket square in purple, blue, green, and white on a white background with purple flowers at one corner. Text on the image reads: Banana Moon Studio.

Looking for other beginner crochet tutorials?

If you are looking for other beginning crochet tutorials, check out my Learn to Crochet page. I have a lot of tutorials and beginner-friendly crochet projects and resources listed in order there.

I’d love to see what you’re making! Please share your projects on Instagram and tag me, or join my Facebook group and share it there.

Happy stitching!