Five Stitches Crochet

You have now arrived at the last of the basic stitches in this tutorial series: the slip stitch (abbreviated as sl st in U.S. patterns).

The slip stitch is an underrated, but incredibly useful stitch. It is underrated because it doesn’t build height, so if you are making a blanket, for example, a row of slip stitches will get you nowhere really fast. But it is a very practical stitch that allows you to:

• Create a cleaner, stiffer border
• Sew two pieces together or join squares without needing a needle
• Move along a row without creating height for shaping or effect
• Add embellishments or line design to your work
• Join, when working in the round

Although it bears its own name, the slip stitch is essentially a chain stitch, worked through existing stitches. So if you have learned to chain, you can learn to slip stitch!

To slip stitch:

1. Chain one to allow your hook movement.
2. Place your hook through the next stitch.
3. Yarn over.
4. Pull the yarn through the stitch.
5. DO NOT YARN OVER, and continue to pull the yarn through the first loop.

Steps four and five can be joined into one continuous movement, in which case, it would look like this:

1. Chain one to allow your hook movement.
2. Place your hook through the next stitch.
3. Yarn over.
4. Pull the yarn through the stitch and the first loop.

You have completed a slip stitch!

The next videos will show you how to finish off and weave in ends.

So far, what you have learned will show up in a pattern: chain (ch), yarn over (yo), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc), triple crochet (tr), slip stitch (sl st), and turn.

Please let me know what you think of these tutorials, if the videos are helpful, and any questions you have!