A slip knot is the loop you place on your needle to start any knitting project
A slip knot is a loop that holds your yarn in place on your needle before you cast on. It is not a cast-on stitch itself — it is the anchor that lets you create cast-on stitches. Every knitting project begins with a slip knot on your needle, followed by your chosen cast-on method.
The slip knot takes about 10 seconds to tie once you understand the motion. The loop must be loose enough to slide along your needle but tight enough not to fall off. You will tie it with the yarn still attached to the ball or skein, so you have plenty of working yarn to cast on with.
Key Takeaways
- A slip knot is a temporary loop that sits on your needle before you cast on, not a finished stitch.
- You tie it with the working yarn (the yarn still attached to the ball), leaving a short tail of 4 to 6 inches.
- The loop should be snug enough to stay on the needle but loose enough to slide when you tighten it later.
- Once your cast-on stitches are complete, you tighten the slip knot and it becomes your first real stitch.
The three-step method to tie a slip knot
Start with the working yarn (the end attached to your ball) in your right hand and the tail in your left. Make a loop by crossing the working yarn over the tail, forming a circle. The working yarn should pass over the top of the tail, and the loop should sit in the palm of your left hand.
Pull the working yarn through the loop from underneath. Insert your right index finger and thumb into the loop from below, grab the working yarn, and draw it back through. You now have two loops: the original loop and a new one you just pulled through.
Place the new loop on your needle and pull both the tail and the working yarn to tighten it. The loop should grip the needle without cutting off your circulation or sliding freely. If it is too tight, loosen it slightly by pulling the tail. If it slides, tighten it by pulling the working yarn.
Common mistakes that make the slip knot slip off
The most frequent error is making the loop too loose. If your slip knot falls off the needle when you pick it up or begin casting on, the loop was not tight enough. Tighten it by pulling the working yarn (not the tail) until the loop grips the needle firmly.
Another mistake is tying the knot in the wrong direction. If you cross the tail over the working yarn instead of the working yarn over the tail, you create a knot that tightens in the opposite direction. When you pull the working yarn to tighten, the loop actually loosens. Check which yarn you are pulling — it should always be the working yarn that tightens the loop.
Some knitters also make the loop too small. If the loop barely fits over your needle, you cannot cast on stitches. The loop should be large enough that you can fit your needle through it with room to spare, then tighten it once your cast-on stitches are in place.
How to position your hands for a clean tie
Hold the tail in your left hand between your thumb and index finger, pinching it lightly. Let the tail hang down about 4 to 6 inches — this is enough length to hold without being unwieldy. Keep the working yarn in your right hand, with the ball or skein resting on your lap or table.
When you cross the working yarn over the tail to form the first loop, keep both hands still. The motion comes from your right hand drawing the working yarn through the loop, not from moving your left hand. This steadiness prevents the loop from twisting or tangling.
Once the loop is on your needle, anchor the needle between your left index and middle fingers. Use your right hand to pull the working yarn and your left hand to pull the tail, tightening evenly. Do not pull one much harder than the other, or the loop will sit off-center on the needle.
What happens after you tie the slip knot
Once the slip knot is find on your needle, you begin your cast-on method. The most common methods are the long-tail cast-on, the cable cast-on, and the thumb cast-on. Each method creates new loops on the needle next to the slip knot. The slip knot remains loose during casting on — you do not tighten it fully until all your cast-on stitches are complete.
After you finish casting on, you tighten the slip knot by pulling the tail. This transforms it from an anchor into your first actual stitch. From that point forward, the slip knot is treated like any other stitch on your needle and is part of your knitting.
Why the slip knot matters for even tension
A properly tied slip knot affects how evenly your first row of stitches sits on the needle. If the slip knot is too tight, your first cast-on stitches will be cramped and hard to work into. If it is too loose, your first row will have uneven tension because the anchor point is unstable.
The slip knot also determines how easily you can adjust your tension as you cast on. If you tie it correctly, you can loosen or tighten it slightly by pulling the tail or working yarn without untying and starting over. This flexibility is useful when you realize partway through casting on that your tension is off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I tie the slip knot on the needle or do I tie it first?
You can do either. Many knitters tie the slip knot in their hand first, then slide it onto the needle. Others place the needle through the loop as they tie it. Both methods work — choose whichever feels more natural to you. The result is the same as long as the loop is on the needle and snug.
What if I pull the wrong yarn and the slip knot tightens the wrong way?
Untie it and start over. It takes 10 seconds to tie a new one, and it is faster than trying to fix a backwards knot. Pull the tail to loosen the loop, slide it off the needle, and tie a fresh slip knot. Make sure you are pulling the working yarn (the one attached to the ball) to tighten, not the tail.
Does the slip knot count as one of my cast-on stitches?
No. The slip knot is the anchor, and your cast-on stitches are created next to it. Once you finish casting on and tighten the slip knot, it becomes your first stitch. If you cast on 20 stitches, you will have 21 loops on your needle: the slip knot plus 20 cast-on stitches.
How tight should the slip knot be on the needle?
Tight enough that it does not slide when you move the needle, but loose enough that you can still rotate the needle without resistance. A good test is to hold the needle horizontally and gently shake it — the loop should not move. Then try to slide the loop along the needle with your finger — it should move with moderate pressure, not freely.