What slipping a knit stitch means and why you do it

Slipping a knit stitch means moving a loop from your left needle to your right needle without knitting into it. Instead of inserting your needle through the stitch and pulling yarn through, you straightforward pass the stitch over as-is. The stitch itself doesn't change shape — it just moves to the other needle.

You slip stitches for several practical reasons. Slipped stitches create a neater edge on your work, especially along the sides where you'll later pick up stitches or sew seams. They also help you decrease stitches in a way that leans in a particular direction, and they're essential for certain stitch patterns like ribbing edges or decorative slipped-stitch colorwork. Once you understand the motion, it becomes automatic.

Key Takeaways

  • Slipping a knit stitch means moving the loop to your right needle without working into it, keeping the stitch in the same orientation.
  • Insert your right needle through the stitch from left to right (knitwise), then slide it off the left needle without pulling yarn through.
  • Slipped stitches create a chain-like edge that looks finished and makes it easier to pick up stitches later.
  • You can slip stitches with the yarn in front or in back, depending on whether you want the yarn to show on the front of your work.

The basic motion: knitwise slip

Hold your needles in your working position — left needle in your left hand with active stitches, right needle in your right hand ready to receive them. Bring your right needle toward the left needle from left to right, the same direction you would move if you were about to knit.

Insert the tip of your right needle through the loop on the left needle, going in from the left side and coming out the right side. This is called inserting knitwise. Now slide the loop off the left needle onto the right needle. That's it — the stitch is now on your right needle, and you move to the next stitch. No yarn is pulled through, and the stitch keeps its original twist.

Slipping with yarn in back versus yarn in front

Before you slip, decide where your working yarn should sit. If your yarn is in back (away from you), the yarn doesn't show on the front of your work. If your yarn is in front (toward you), a small strand of yarn appears across the front of the slipped stitch.

For a neat edge that you'll later pick up stitches from, keep your yarn in back as you slip the first stitch of each row. This creates a chain-like edge on the side of your work. For colorwork or decorative effects, you may slip with yarn in front to create a visible horizontal line. Check your pattern instructions — they'll tell you which position to use.

Slipping purlwise: when and how

Sometimes a pattern calls for slipping a stitch purlwise instead of knitwise. This means inserting your right needle from right to left — the direction you'd move if you were about to purl — before sliding the stitch off. Purlwise slips are less common in basic knitting but appear in some stitch patterns and colorwork techniques.

The reason patterns specify knitwise or purlwise is that it affects how the stitch sits on the needle. A knitwise slip keeps the stitch in its original orientation. A purlwise slip twists the stitch slightly. Most of the time, especially when you're starting out, you'll slip knitwise unless your pattern says otherwise.

Using slipped stitches for a finished edge

One of the most common uses for slipped stitches is creating a neat selvage edge — the side edge of your knitted piece. Slip the first stitch of every row knitwise with yarn in back. Knit or purl the rest of the row as your pattern directs. On the next row, slip the first stitch again the same way.

After several rows, you'll see a chain of bumps running up the side of your work. This edge is much easier to pick up stitches from later (for a neckband, for example) because each bump represents one row, and the stitches sit neatly in a line. Without slipped stitches, the edge looks loose and uneven, and picking up stitches becomes frustrating.

Slipped stitches in decreases

Slipped stitches also appear in decrease techniques. The most common is slip, slip, knit (SSK), where you slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, then insert your left needle through both from left to right and knit them together. This creates a decrease that leans to the left, which is useful for shaping.

Another decrease is slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over (SKPO). You slip one stitch knitwise, knit the next stitch, then use your left needle to lift the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and off the needle. Both of these decreases appear in shaping instructions, especially around armholes and necklines.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most frequent mistake is inserting your needle purlwise when you meant to slip knitwise, which twists the stitch and changes how it sits. Check your needle direction before you slide the stitch off. Another common slip-up is forgetting to move your yarn to the correct position before slipping — if your pattern says yarn in back and you slip with yarn in front, you'll see an unexpected strand across your work.

Some knitters also pull the yarn too tight after slipping, which makes the next stitch hard to work and creates an uneven edge. Slip stitches should be loose and relaxed, just like any other stitch. If your edge looks bunched or puckered, loosen your tension slightly on the slipped stitches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I slip the first stitch of every row?

Not always. Slipping the first stitch is common for creating a neat edge, but some patterns tell you to knit or purl the first stitch instead. Always follow your pattern instructions. If your pattern doesn't mention it, slipping the first stitch knitwise with yarn in back is a safe default for most projects.

What's the difference between slipping knitwise and purlwise?

Knitwise means inserting your needle left to right (the knit direction), and purlwise means inserting right to left (the purl direction). Knitwise keeps the stitch in its original twist; purlwise twists it slightly. Most patterns specify which one to use because it affects how the stitch behaves in the next row.

Can I slip a stitch if I'm in the middle of a row?

Yes. Slipped stitches can appear anywhere in a row, not just at the edges. Colorwork patterns and stitch patterns often call for slipping stitches in the middle of the work. Follow your pattern to know where and how to slip.

Why does my slipped stitch edge look loose?

A loose edge usually means you're pulling the yarn too tight after slipping, or you're not slipping consistently. Keep your tension even and relaxed on slipped stitches. Also make sure you're slipping the first stitch of every row — if you skip rows, the edge will look uneven.