What’s a slipknot?
Try out this method for holding the yarn…
To start off any crochet fabric, you need a loop. A slipknot is a special kind of knot that creates a loop that you can work from. You can make a slipknot anywhere on your yarn, but it’s usually best to make it around 10cm from the end to leave a bit of a tail.
Step 1 Make a loop in the yarn approx 10cm from the yarn end. The shorter section of yarn is called the tail end, while the longer section that goes to your ball is called the working yarn. In this loop, the tail end strand of yarn needs to lie on top of the working yarn strand. Insert your hook into the loop.
Step 2 Now move the tail end of yarn upwards slightly to create two strands of yarn lying across the hook – the top strand is the tail end, the bottom strand is the working yarn. Holding onto the tail end with your left hand, hook the top strand and draw it back through the bottom strand using the hook.
Step 3 What was the top strand should now lie across the hook and what was the bottom strand should now lie behind the hook. Now you can let go of the tail end.
Step 4 Now lift up the hook, letting the two yarn strands dangle down – the short tail end should lie on the left and the working yarn end on the right.
Step 5 Holding both the tail end and working yarn, pull the hook upward to tighten the loop on the hook.
Step 6 Once the knot is tight, pull on just the tail end of the yarn to bring the loop closer to the hook. You’ve now finished your slipknot and made the first loop of yarn!
TIP If you’ve gone wrong or want to practise making your slipknot again, just remove the hook and pull on the tail end and working yarn at the same time to undo the knot.
Another way is the finger weave method. Start by making a slipknot on the hook, then hold the hook in your dominant hand (your left hand if you’re left-handed). In your other hand (your right hand if you’re left-handed), you’re going to hold the yarn. In order to control the yarn, you need to keep a consistent tension – the easiest way to do this is to weave the yarn in and out of specific fingers of your hand.
Step 1 Have your palm facing you and loop the working yarn over your little finger, so the two ends hang down and the slipknot is at the front. Then take the slipknot end under the little finger and behind your hand. Bring it to the front between your ring finger and second finger. Take it to the back between your second finger and index finger. Take it behind your index finger and loop it over the top of this finger. Your hand should look like .
Step 2 Turn your hand over – is how it will look on the other side. Step 3 Turn your hand back to where it was, with your palm facing you. Use your thumb and second finger to hold onto the tail end of yarn, ready to make your first stitches. Hold the hook in your dominant hand, at the grip. When you work the stitches, you’ll use your fingers to feed yarn into the working area – with this hold, you’ll bring the yarn up from your little finger, through your other fingers, and around your index finger towards the hook. The area of yarn between your hook and index finger is the working area – you need to make sure this section is not too short and not too long (around 2-4cm is good), but just right for you to be able to hold a consistent tension on the yarn. Try out both styles of holding the yarn and see which one feels more natural.