The Slip Knot

Everything begins with a Slip Knot, whether you knit or crochet! This tiny little step is oft overlooked and seemingly unnecessary.  There are some who merely make a loop, tie a knot somewhere near the end of it and go to it.  But this is sub-optimal, to use a term my husband loves.  It is oh-so-much-better to have a little knot that actually slides on the yarn to allow the loop to change sizes, depending on your hook or needle size.

So here’s how you make one:

1.  Place one end of the yarn looped over the long yarn attached to the ball of yarn.  Sounds convoluted, doesn’t it? But I think you can tell by the picture:)

2.  Reach your thumb and forefinger under and into this loop.

3.  Pick up the long yarn that is attached to the ball of yarn.

4.  And pull it through, holding both ends of yarn until the “knot” tightens around the yarn.

5.  Slide the loop closed by pulling whichever end seems to “give”.

6.  Place your needle or crochet hook into this loop and continue pulling until your loop is only SLIGHTLY snug around the hook/needle.  You should be able to slide the loop up and down the hook/needle. You don’t want the slip knot too tight or too loose.

Et Voilà!  You have now made a SLIP KNOT!  Bravo!

To learn how to CAST ON some stitches….click here!

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