A slip knot is the loop you tie on your needle to start any knitting project
A slip knot is the first loop that goes on your needle. It holds your yarn in place and gives you an anchor point to cast on from. You tie it with the yarn itself, tighten it around the needle, and then build your cast-on stitches from there. The whole process takes about 30 seconds once you know the motion.
The slip knot is not counted as one of your cast-on stitches — it is the foundation that lets you create them. Every knitting project, whether you are making a scarf, a sweater, or a dishcloth, starts with this same knot.
Key Takeaways
- A slip knot is made by looping your yarn twice and pulling the working yarn through the loops to create a tightened knot on your needle.
- The slip knot should be snug enough to stay on the needle but loose enough that you can still move it and adjust tension as you cast on.
- You make the slip knot before you cast on stitches, not after — it is the starting point, not part of the stitch count.
- If your slip knot is too tight, your first row of stitches will be hard to work into and may look uneven.
Step-by-step: tying a slip knot
Start with your yarn in your hand. Leave a tail about 6 inches long — this is the end that came from the ball or skein. Hold the working yarn (the long end) in your other hand.
Make a loop by crossing the working yarn over the tail. The working yarn should form a circle, with the tail running underneath. Now make a second loop by bringing the working yarn around again, so you have two overlapping circles of yarn.
Reach through the top loop and pull the working yarn through it. You will now have one loop on top and the working yarn pulled through. Slide this loop onto your needle. Pull the tail gently to tighten the knot around the needle shaft — it should be snug but not strangling the needle.
Check your tension: you should be able to slide the loop slightly along the needle, but it should not spin freely. If it is too tight, loosen it by pulling the working yarn gently. If it is too loose, tighten it by pulling the tail.
Common mistakes that make the slip knot harder to work with
The most common error is tying the knot too tight. When the loop grips the needle too hard, your first cast-on stitches become difficult to work into, and they often end up uneven or twisted. You will feel resistance as you try to insert your needle through them.
Another mistake is making the tail too short. If you cut the tail to just an inch or two, you will not have enough yarn to hold while you tighten the knot, and it becomes harder to control the tension. A 6-inch tail gives you something to grip without wasting yarn.
Some people also tie the knot in the wrong direction — they loop the yarn so the tail ends up on top instead of underneath. This does not break anything, but it can make the next steps feel awkward. The tail should run underneath the working yarn as you form the loops.
How to adjust your slip knot if it is not right
If your slip knot is already on the needle and you realize it is too tight, do not pull it off and start over. Instead, gently pull the working yarn (the long end) to loosen the knot slightly. You can also hold the needle still and wiggle the loop back and forth to ease the tension.
If the knot is too loose and slides around on the needle, pull the tail to tighten it. Do this before you cast on — once you have stitches on the needle, adjusting the slip knot becomes harder because the stitches get in the way.
If the knot is genuinely wrong — twisted or tied backwards — it is faster to slip it off the needle, pull the yarn to undo it, and tie a new one. This takes about 15 seconds and saves you frustration later.
Where the slip knot sits as you cast on
Once your slip knot is on the needle, it stays there while you create your cast-on stitches. Depending on which cast-on method you use (long-tail, cable, or another), you will be making new loops and placing them on the needle next to the slip knot.
The slip knot does not move or get worked into — it straightforward holds the yarn in place. When you finish casting on and are ready to knit your first row, the slip knot will be the last stitch on your needle, and you will work into it like any other stitch.
Some knitters prefer to slip the slip knot off the needle after casting on is complete, then put it back on at the end of the cast-on row. This is optional and does not change the outcome — it is just a habit some people develop.
Why tension matters for the rest of your project
The tension of your slip knot affects how your first row looks. If the knot is too tight, the stitches around it will be pulled and uneven. If it is too loose, those stitches may be sloppy or fall off the needle.
Getting the slip knot tension right is one of the easiest ways to make your cast-on edge look neat and even. It takes practice to find the sweet spot, but after a few projects, you will develop a feel for it without thinking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I count the slip knot as one of my cast-on stitches?
No. The slip knot is the foundation that holds your yarn on the needle. Your cast-on stitches are the loops you create after the slip knot is in place. If a pattern says to cast on 20 stitches, you tie the slip knot first, then create 20 new stitches next to it.
What if I tie the slip knot and then realize I do not like how it looks?
Undo it and tie a new one. Pull the working yarn to loosen the knot, slide it off the needle, and pull the yarn to unravel it completely. Then tie a fresh slip knot. This takes less than a minute and is much easier than trying to fix it once you have cast on stitches.
Can I use a slip knot with any cast-on method?
Yes. Every cast-on method — long-tail, cable, provisional, or any other — starts with a slip knot on the needle. The cast-on method changes how you create the stitches after the slip knot, but the slip knot itself is always the same.
Should the slip knot be on the needle or in my hand while I cast on?
The slip knot stays on the needle the entire time you cast on. It does not move. You hold the needle with the slip knot in one hand and use your other hand to create the new stitches next to it.
What if my slip knot keeps sliding off the needle?
The knot is too loose. Pull the tail to tighten it around the needle. You want the loop to grip the needle firmly enough that it will not slip, but not so tight that you cannot move it slightly by hand. If tightening the tail does not help, undo it and tie a new knot with better tension.