How to Make a Slip Knot (Your First Step in Crochet)

By Nicki Byrnes

April 15, 2026

If you’re just getting started with crochet, this is where it all begins.

Before the stitches, before the patterns, before anything else—you need to know how to make a slip knot. It’s the tiny loop that goes on your hook, and from there, everything builds.

This is step one and it takes about three minutes to learn.

Start Here: Watch the Video

Take a few minutes to watch this first and then come back and try it yourself.

This is the method I teach my students because it’s simple, repeatable, and tends to “click” quickly, especially if you’re brand new.

What Is a Slip Knot?

A slip knot creates the adjustable loop that sits on your crochet hook.

It’s:

• The foundation for starting almost every crochet project
• The first hands-on step in learning to crochet
• The base that leads directly into your first chain stitches

Think of it as your starting line.

Why This Method?

There are a lot of ways to make a slip knot.

Some people twist the yarn into a pretzel shape and pull an end through. I hold mine in one hand like we held those string loops in elementary school to make cat’s cradle, Eiffel Tower, witch’s broom – remember those??

But this method has proven to be the best for students to pick up and for me to teach. It’s easy to learn, easy to remember, and easy to repeat.

Step-by-Step: Making a Slip Knot

Let’s break it down into simple, easy-to-follow steps:

• Start with your yarn tail (the loose end, not attached to the skein)
• Hold your yarn in your non-dominant hand
  • Point your pointer finger to the side (to the right if you’re right-handed)
• With your dominant hand, wrap the yarn tail around your finger:
  • Go up, over, and down (away from you)
  • Pause
  • Repeat one more time (two wraps total)
  • Keep it relaxed—not too tight, not too loose
  • Let the tail hang
• Use your thumb and middle finger to pinch the hanging tail in place
• Look at the two loops on your finger:
  • Pull the back loop forward so it becomes the front loop
  • Then take the new back loop and lift it up and over your finger
• Slide the loop off your finger
• Insert your crochet hook into the loop
• Gently pull the yarn to tighten
• Adjust the loop on your hook so it feels just right:
  • Snug, but able to slide easily
  • Think: like a scarf—secure enough to keep you warm, but not choking the hook

How to Practice (Without Overthinking It)

Here’s the best way to actually get it:

• Watch the video
• Try it
• Watch it again
• Try it again

Then do it five more times.

Not perfectly. Just consistently.

Muscle memory matters more than perfection here.

What’s Next?

Once you can make a slip knot without thinking too hard about it, you’re ready to move on.

The next step is learning how to hold your yarn, because how you hold it affects your tension, comfort, and everything that comes after.

👉 Watch the next video here:

Final Thought

This step might feel small, but it’s the beginning of everything.

Get comfortable here, give yourself a few minutes to practice, and you’ll be surprised how quickly it starts to feel natural.

And once it does—you’re officially crocheting. 🧶