BASIC TECHNIQUES
If you’re left-handed, follow these instructions and photos...
Feel free to use your own method to make a slipknot
T
he above method is just one way
you can use to make a slipknot –
there are plenty of other ways to
do it, so if you have trouble with the
method above and find that it doesn’t
work for you, don’t give up! Just find a
method that does.
Some crocheters prefer to wrap the
yarn around the index finger and then pull
a second loop of yarn through the loop on
their finger. Other crocheters prefer to lay
the yarn on a flat surface and form thelooped structure here before inserting the
hook. You can find step-by-step guides to
these techniques, and many more, on the
internet. Just type ‘crochet slipknot’ into
any search engine to find various methods
to try – you’re bound to find one that will
suit you.
However you make a slipknot, you just
need to remember that you’re making a
loop, then pulling a second loop through
the first loop, and then inserting the hook
into the second loop. If you go wrong, it’ssimple to undo the slipknot – just remove
the hook and pull on both ends of the yarn.
You’ll be left with knot-free yarn and you’ll
be free to try again.
Almost every crochet pattern starts
with a slipknot, so it’s important to
practise the technique and become
comfortable with it. In crochet, the only
time you wouldn’t need to make a slipknot
is if you’re asked to make a Magic Loop to
work in the round. We’ll have more on this
on page 62.LEFT-HAND
OTHER METHODS
1
Hold the tail end of the yarn in your right
hand and drape the yarn anticlockwise over
the top of it, to form a loop in a circle, as shown
above.2
Holding the loop between your right thumb
and your index finger, insert the crochet
hook through the centre of the loop from front
to back.3
Catch the ball end of the yarn with the hook
and pull the hook back through the centre
of the loop, bringing the yarn with it.4
Pull both yarn ends until the knot comes up
close to the hook. Then pull the ball end of
yarn only to tighten the knot.