Slip Stitch (sl st)
slip stitch is called the same thing in US and UK patterns, and hikinuki-ami in Japanese ones. Written as sl st in patterns.
The flattest stitch there is. Insert the hook, yarn over, pull straight through both the stitch and the loop on the hook.
The Japanese name 引き抜き編み (hikinuki-ami) literally means "pull-through knitting".
At a glance
| How many times you wrap the yarn first | none — go straight in |
|---|---|
| How tall it is | about the height of 0 chains |
| Turning chain at the start of a row | not usually needed |
| How it looks on a Japanese chart | filled dot |
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Stitch family | foundation |
What it is used for
- · Joining rounds
- · Moving across stitches without adding height
- · Surface decoration
Watch out for
UK patterns abbreviate this as 'ss', which readers coming from US patterns often misread as 'sc'. They are opposite ends of the height range.
A smooth aluminium or ergonomic hook in the size your pattern calls for.
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Related stitches
Full US to UK conversion table · Full US to Japanese table
Last updated 2026-08-30.