2 min. read -

How to make a slipknot

Hands holding a green slipknot on a blue crochet hook, with the Cookie Box logo and How to Make a Slipknot title on pink.
by Mary Sorocheva owner
5 min.

One little loop. A lovely place to start.

A slipknot is an adjustable loop that holds your yarn on your crochet hook. Let’s make one together, slowly.

A green slipknot resting on the metal part of a crochet hook.
Your goal: one loop on your hook, with a small knot below it.

Dreaming of making a little plushie like Cookie Box’s Mr. Ribbit? This is one of the small skills you can learn along the way. Follow your plushie’s pattern when you start: some patterns begin with a slipknot and chains, while others begin with a magic ring.

First, meet your yarn

You need your yarn and crochet hook. Unwind a little yarn so it can move freely.

  • Tail: the short, cut end of the yarn.
  • Working yarn: the long strand that leads back to the ball.

Leave enough tail to hold comfortably. If your pattern gives a tail length, use that length.

Watch it with us

Choose the hand you use to hold your hook. Pause and replay whenever you like.

Right-handed video Left-handed video

The photos below come from our right-handed lesson.

Make your slipknot, step by step

1 Cross the yarn into a loop

Curve your yarn into a loop. Bring the working yarn across the front of the tail. Pinch the crossing so the loop keeps its shape.

The working yarn crosses in front of the short tail to form a loop.
Look here: two strands cross at the top of the loop.

2 Put the working yarn behind

Keep holding the crossing. Bring a section of the working yarn behind the loop. You should see that strand through the middle.

Working yarn runs behind the open loop; the source video highlights the loop and strand.
Look here: the strand in the middle is the working yarn.

3 Pull a fold through

Reach through the loop and pinch the working yarn. Pull a small folded section through. Keep hold of this new loop while you gently pull the two strands below it to close the old loop into a knot.

Pull a fold through—not the whole end of the yarn.

A folded section of working yarn is pulled through the original loop.
Look here: the new loop stays open as the old loop closes.

4 Slide the loop onto your hook

Put your hook through the new loop. Hold the knot and gently pull the working yarn to make the loop smaller. Let it sit on the smooth metal part of the hook, above the handle.

Stop when the loop rests around the hook and can still slide. You do not need to squeeze it tight.

If something feels tricky

The loop is too tight

Ease the loop open with your fingers. If it is stuck, take the hook out and try again with a bigger loop. A gentle pull is enough.

The loop is huge or falls off

Hold the knot and pull the working yarn a little at a time. Stop as soon as the loop fits around the hook.

I made a knot with no loop

You may have pulled a yarn end all the way through. Undo it and return to step 3. This time, bring through a folded section and keep that new loop open.

You’re ready for the next small step

Try making the slipknot again. It is fine if your hands need a few goes to remember the movement.

Next, learn how to hold your yarn so it feeds smoothly as you crochet: watch our right-handed lesson or left-handed lesson.

Cookie Box Mr. Ribbit green crochet frog plushie.

A LITTLE FRIEND TO WORK TOWARD

Meet Mr. Ribbit

When you feel ready for a project, take a look at Cookie Box’s frog crochet kit. Keep its own pattern beside you as you learn each step.

See Mr. Ribbit on Amazon US
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