crochet 101 :: slip stitch

Crochet 101 is a series of crochet tutorials where I will teach you how to complete the basic stitches needed to crochet.

Hi :) 

Welcome back to another Crochet 101!

We now know how to:

•Make a slip knot
and
• Chain stitch.

Let's move on to lesson 3:

The slip stitch is a very versatile stitch. It can be used for joining one crocheted element to another (granny squares for a blanket or joining rounds for a hat), or it can be used for decorative stitching known as 'surface crochet'. 

Hopefully we can cover these things at another time.

Let's get started!

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You will need:

*Yarn

*Hook

In this post, I show you where to look for what type of hook you will need for your yarn.


Normally, you would only be doing a slip stitch to join the end of a chain to make a circle for maybe a hat, or use it to join squares together to make a blanket. I think the best practice for this stitch would be rows, or you can just make a long chain to practice. 
For this tutorial, we will be practicing this stitch in rows. 

Step 1:

Make your slip knot.

Step 2:

Make your staring chain.

For the slip stitch, you will need to chain the number of stitches needed for your pattern (for this practice, we will make 10 stitches) plus 1 chain for turning at the end of the row (to continue on to the next row). 

This extra chain is called a turning chain. 

A turning chain is one or more chain stitches that you make before you have turned your crocheted work so that you can begin your next row. The purpose of a turning chain is to bring your yarn to the height necessary to work the first stitch of your next row or round. The number of chain stitches you make in the turning chain depends on what the next stitch in the row is because some stitches are taller than others. 

The above picture shows 10 chains plus 1 extra for turning. The second chain from the hook (shown in the picture above with the white number 2 and circled with the purple circle) is where our first stitch is going to be placed.

Step 3:

Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook.

Step 4:

Yarn over.

Step 5:

 Pull the yarn through the loop. Try to keep your work a little loose, otherwise it will be very difficult to complete the next row of slip stitches.

 You should now have 2 loops on your hook.

Step 6:

 Continue to pull the yarn through the second loop.

 You have completed 1 slip stitch.

Again...

 Move over to the next chain (working towards the left).

 Insert your hook through the chain stitch.

 Yarn over.

 Bring the yarn through the loop.

 2 loops on your hook now.

 Continue to bring the yarn through the last loop on your hook.

 You have now made 2 slip stitches.

1 more time...

 Move over to the next chain stitch.

 Insert your hook.

 Yarn over.

 Pull yarn through the stitch.

 2 loops on your hook.

 Continue to pull the yarn through the last loop on the hook.

 You have just completed your 3rd slip stitch.

Repeat steps 3-6 until you get to the end of your row.

This is what it should look like at the end of your first row of slip stitches. (Keep count! There should be 10 of them)

Below is a video I made to show these steps in action. I have slowed the video down so that every step is seen. I have also added music to the video because I filmed this video with my phone and I have no idea how to mute the background while recording. Feel free to mute if piano is not your thing lol

Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by for today's lesson :) Tomorrow we will learn how to continue on from our first row of slip stitches, to our second row of slip stitches.

Practice, practice, practice!!!!