The Slip Stitch

Slipping a stitch is the act of moving a stitch from one needle to the other without working it. A slipped stitch can be part of another technique or help to make designs in patterns. It can also be used in shaping a project.

How to do the Slip Stitch

Slip Stitch Purlwise

1. Insert your needle into your next stitch as if you are going to do a purl stitch
                                        
2. Slip that stitch off your left needle onto the right without working it
                                      
3. Work the next stitch as the pattern requires

Slip Stitch Knitwise

1. Insert your needle into your next stitch as if you are going to do a knit stitch

2. Slip that stitch off your left needle onto the right without working it

3. Work the next stitch as the pattern requires

Reading the stitch in a Project

The best way to read the slip stitch in a project is to look for a yarn that crosses an unworked stitch.
                                    

The image above is a pattern where every other stitch is a slip stitch.

Reading the stitch in a pattern

The slip stitch in a pattern is abbreviated to ‘sl’
In most patterns you should be doing the slip stitch purlwise unless otherwise stated.
If the way the pattern wants you to slip the stitch is mentioned knitwise could be abbreviated to ‘Kwise’ and purlwise is ‘Pwise’.

Stitch Combinations

These stitches can be found in the Stitch Library.

Linen Stitch
Texture Stitch
Loop Pattern
Vertical bar lines
Woven horizontal herringbone
Woven Stitch 1
Double Woven Stitch
Woven Rib
Garter slip stitch
Basket Rib
Slipped Rib
Moss Slip Stitch
Biba Trellis
Tweed Stitch
Garter and Slip Stitch
Slip Stitch Rib