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Slipping a stitch is exactly what it sounds like – you simply slip a stitch from one needle to the other without doing anything else. So you are not creating a new stitch, rather the old stitch becomes the new stitch, stretching over two rows. This gives a pretty effect that can be incorporated into stitch patterns, but you can also use it to create neat and even edges on your knitting. Slipped stitches are also an essential part of several knitting decreases (e.g. ssk & psso) which is when you on purpose decrease your number of stitches by one or more stitches to shape your knitted fabric. Finally, slipped stitches are the magic ingredient in the color-work technique mosaic knitting.
Slipping knitwise and purlwise
Similar to when you knit and purl you can insert your right-hand needle into the stitch on the left-hand needle either from right to left or from left to right before slipping it. Conveniently, it’s called slipping knitwise and purlwise.
| knitwise | as if to knit | left to right |
| purlwise | as if to purl | right to left |
The more natural way to slip a stitch is purlwise, from right to left, because it preserves the orientation of the stitch. You are moving the stitch to the other needle without changing anything else about it. If you slip the stitch knitwise, you twist the stitch so that it will be mounted with the left leg in front of the needle, rather than the right leg. Slipping purlwise is more common, in fact, if a knitting pattern says to slip a stitch without specifying which way, you should slip the stitch purlwise.
The position of the working yarn
It also matters where you are holding the working yarn while you are slipping the stitch. Generally, you should hold it the same way you do when you knit or purl. So, to slip a stitch purlwise, move the yarn to the front and insert the right-hand needle as if to purl, then slip. To slip a stitch knitwise, move the yarn to the back and insert the needle as if to knit.
| knitwise | working yarn in the back |
| purlwise | working yarn in the front |
Note that it doesn’t matter if you hold the yarn in your left or your right hand. That’s a matter of knitting style: English knitters hold the working yarn in the right hand, and continental knitters like me hold it in the left hand. It makes no difference. All you have to pay attention to is where the yarn is relative to the needles – in front of or behind.
Abbreviations
| sl | slip |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| slp | slip 1 purlwise |
| sl1p | slip 1 purlwise |
| slk | slip 1 knitwise |
| sl1k | slip 1 knitwise |
| wyif | with yarn in front |
| wyib | with yarn in back |
| slk wyif | slip 1 knitwise with yarn in front |
| slp wyib | slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back |
Unless clearly stated otherwise in the pattern, a slip stitch is slipped purlwise, and the working yarn is held in the front (or in the back if it’s an slk). Occasionally you may come across instructions to hold the yarn oppositely to what you would expect, using the wyib or wyif abbreviations. Always check the notes at the beginning of the pattern.
sl – means slip 1 stitch purlwise with the yarn held in the front (unless it specifically says something different)
The four variations of the slip stitch
Video showing how to slip knitwise and purlwise
I’ve made a little video so you can see slipped stitches in action. I demonstrate both how to slip knitwise and purlwise, and also how to unknit the slipped stitches, in case you make a mistake. Undoing stitches one at a time is called tinking. It’s always good to know how to tink a new stitch type – let’s be honest, it’s only a matter of time before you make your first slp that was supposed to be an slk – happens to all of us. Well, now you’ll know how to fix that! Take a look:
Slipping edge stitches
The two edges on a flat knitted piece that are not the cast-on or bind-off edges are called selvedges, and a typical use for slipped stitches is to create beautiful selvedges. The exact look of the selvedges will depend on what you do with both the first and the last stitch of every row, on both sides of the fabric. Depending on exactly how you combine the different types of slipped stitches with either a knit stitch or a purl on the other side of the fabric, you will achieve a different result. I have knitted a lot of little swatches with all the different possibilities, and I present them in this article about selvedges.
If you are experiencing general trouble with uneven edges and the last stitch of every row ends up as an annoying giant loop, then slipping edge stitches will help you create neater and more even edges. Take a look at my Knitting SOS article about uneven edges.
The slip stitch rib pattern
There are countless ways to incorporate slipped stitches into a pattern, but let me just give you one example here. The slip stitch rib pattern! It’s an elegant version of the rib stitch, and it’s brilliant for things like scarves, cowls, bags, and blankets. It’s not reversible in the sense that it doesn’t look the same on both sides, but it’s pretty on both sides of the fabric. I like to combine the slip stitch rib with the chain selvedge I showed you above.
Instructions for the slip stitch rib with a chain selvedge
Cast on a multiple of 3 + 4 stitches (i.e. 3 x 4 + 4 = 12 + 4 = 16, or 3 x 5 + 4 = 15 + 4 = 19, etc. )
Row 1 (RS): slp, * p2, slp wyib ; rep. from * to last 3 sts, p2, k1
Row 2: slp, k2, * p1, k2 ; rep. from * to last st, k1
Repeat these 2 rows
To obtain a stretchy bind-off edge, bind off in pattern on the right side of the work with the slipped stitches replaced by knit stitches: k1, p1, bind off one (i.e. pass the first stitch over the second stitch and off the needle), p1, bind off one, k1, bind off one, p1, bind off one, p1, bind off one, and so forth.
Abbreviations
- k – knit
- p – purl
- rep. – repeat
- RS – right side
- slp – slip purlwise with yarn in front
- slp wyib – slip purlwise with yarn in back
- st, sts – stitch, stitches
What’s your favorite use of the slip stitch?
There are countless ways to use slipped stitches in knitting. What’s your favorite stitch pattern or technique that incorporates a slipped stitch? Leave us a comment and join the discussion. And if you are new to slipped stitches – Amazing! you are the reason I wrote this article. Let me know how it goes, trying out your new skill. And please don’t hesitate to ask questions if anything is unclear. That’s what I’m here for. You can comment and ask questions below or on the Knit with Henni Facebook page.
This post is SO helpful and I can’t wait to try the slipper edge! Thank you so much!
I’m so happy you like it! Thanks for letting me know, and don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions
I had no idea that the default slip is purlwise! Thanks for this – I love how detailed and informative your posts are.
Thank you! I try to always bring a little extra information to the table so that even intermediate knitters might learn something new
Greetings from Canada. Love your tutorials.
Hello Canada 🇨🇦. Thank you for taking the time to let me know you enjoy the tutorials. It means more than you know!
How do you slip stitch 3 in the middle of the row
I hope I am understanding your question correctly. If you have a pattern where you need to slip the third stitch, then there will be instructions before that for the stitches that come first. So, you either knit or purl the first two stitches according to the instructions, and then when you reach the stitch that you are supposed to slip, you simply slip it :-). Was that what you were asking? I might need to see the instructions you are struggling with to better understand what is causing you troubles.
Hi Henni!
So glad I stumbled onto your blog. The pattern here was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!! So excited to start it. I do have a newbie question though: wouldn’t “Row 1 (RS): slp, * p2, slp wyib ; rep. from * to last 3 sts, p2, k1,” come _after_ the cast on, making it Row 2? I’m just confused how it wouldn’t be… what am I missing?
Thanks so much!!!
Glad I could help. It’s up to the pattern designer how they count their rows, but most patterns call the first row after cast on, row 1. That’s why, when you count rows, you don’t count the cast-on row, but you do count the stitches on the needles. You can learn about counting rows here: https://knitwithhenni.com/row-counting/
Hi there ! I have a question 🙂 I’m knitting suspenders for a baby overall – those are knitted in rib 1×1 with odd number of stitches (9) starting with a purl and finishing with a purl stich – how should I slip the 1st Stich/ and Knit the last stich to have a nice edge on both side of the suspender? Thanks in advance !