7 Ways To Use Crochet Slip Stitch To Improve Your Projects

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Crochet slip stitch is one of the easiest crochet stitches that is underrated. Find out how you can use this simple crochet stitch to elevate your crochet projects.

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Crochet slip stitch is a super easy stitch to make which is very often underrated.

Often it is not regarded as a “proper” stitch and is not included in stitch counts.

However, this stitch has lots more uses and plays a crucial role in many design techniques in crochet.

How do you make a slip stitch?

Although it is a super easy stitch that even a beginner can make, let’s recap quickly and remind ourselves how to crochet slip stitch.

1. insert hook into the next stitch or space
2. yarn over
3. pull the loop through and continue pulling through the existing loop on the hook

And that is it! It really is that easy to crochet a slip stitch.

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What is a slip stitch used for in crochet?

There are many uses for crochet slip stitch in various projects and design techniques.

Slip stitch if often not counted as a full stitch. This is mainly because it does not add any height to your project.

The standard abbreviations for crochet slip stitch are sl st or ss.

Here I have compiled 7 ways to use crochet slip stitch.

1. Move yarn across without adding height

As I mentioned above, the crochet slip stitch does not add any height to the row. This is especially handy when you need to move your working stitches across the row without adding any height.

I have demonstrated it on a single crochet row. I worked the middle 4 sts as a slip stitch. As you can see, the middle dips down a little.

You can also use a slip stitch in the corner to corner decrease technique. This is where you slip stitch across the last 3 dc sts of the last block to get to the next block stitch. (This will probably make more sense if you have worked c2c before).

However, the main point I am making here, is that you can use a slip stitch to move the working loop of the stitch to a different position without adding any height.

2. Surface slip stitch to create writing or pictures

This is a really fun technique you can use to create various designs.

You can simply slip stitch through the fabric to create writing, simple motifs, and pictures.

This technique works the best if the fabric you are working the surface slip stitch onto has regular texture.

The best stitch for the fabric would be a single crochet stitch. This stitch creates even little squares you can use to position your surface slip stitches into.

That ensures neat-looking writing or pictures you are creating.

3. Slip stitch ribbing for hats and mittens

The humble crochet slip stitch can indeed be used as a ribbing. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried this technique.

You simply work slip stitch through the back loop only in rows and this is what you get!

The ribbing is super stretchy. The other great thing is that it springs back immediately to its original form.

I would recommend using this type of ribbing for smaller items like hats and mittens. You can see a great example IN THIS PATTERN.

However, I find it a little too “tight” as a standard bottom hem for garments.

Although, if that was the design element, like emphasizing the waist, this ribbing would be my very first choice.

It can be a little tricky to work this ribbing at the beginning. I must say, I had tried it a few times before I got used to it.

The trouble is that you are essentially working into slip stitch. And as we know it, the standard slip stitch can get a little tight. Almost too tight to place your hook back through the loop.

With this in mind, one piece of advice I will give you is to keep your stitches loose. If you crochet tightly like me, you really have to keep this in mind and relax your tension.

4. Slip stitch panels together on clothing

I personally love using the crochet slip stitch to join panels together.

I feel like this technique produces much neater results than sewing panels together. Of course, this is if the tops of the stitches line up nicely.

This technique also produces a much more secure join than standard sewing with a needle.

To create a crochet slip stitch join that sits flat, I do not crochet through both loops of the stitches.

Hold the two panels together with the stitches lined up neatly. Insert your hook through the back loop only of the panel close to you and the front loop only of the panel away from you.

So you are inserting your hook through the stitch loops that are enclosed in the middle.

This way when you turn the join over, the slip stitches will sit in the ridge created by these loops. This will allow the join to sit flat against the surface.

5. Strengthen edges of projects

This is such a crucial role a crochet slip stitch plays in achieving neat results with your projects.

I especially love using this technique in my garment designs.

Sometimes you have to work with ends of rows or partly finished rows to shape a garment.

However, these can sometimes stretch out of shape and create not such a neat result.

This is where crochet slip stitch comes in handy. By slip stitching across you can tidy up the edge and more importantly strengthen the edge of the project.

This technique is very important in garment making to strengthen necklines. Imagine wearing your sweater so often, that the neckline stretches over time and makes it look worn out.

You can easily fix this by working a round of crochet slip stitches to tidy up the edge and give it extra strength. This way your handmade jumper will look as good as new!

6. Finish off Tunisian crochet project

Crochet slip stitch is very often used to finish off the last row of Tunisian crochet projects. This stitch fills in the gaps and holes that are created after working the last row.

This is the easiest way to finish off a project, however, there are many alternatives on how to cast off a Tunisian crochet project neatly.

If you use Tunisian crochet for a garment project, the slip stitch cast off often creates an edge of the fabric that is not very stretchy.

That is why I have played around with this technique and come up with an alternative cast off.

7. Slip stitch to join when working in rounds

Last but not least is the classic slip stitch into the first stitch to join your work into a round.

This is used in projects that are worked in rounds. Some of these projects include amigurumi, hats, cowls, and sweaters worked in the round.

If you enjoyed reading about the crochet slip stitch, you might also like Half Double Slip Stitch – Free Video Tutorial. It is a variation on the classic slip stitch which produces an interesting crochet fabric.

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Final thoughts…

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