Slip knot

What it’s for

• Hold a rope in place for a moment while you work.
• Close a bag or a bundle you want to open with a single tug.
• Start a knitting or crochet row, or a quick adjustable loop.

Good to know

Use it only for light, short jobs. It lets go as soon as the short end is pulled.

How to tie it

1. 1Lay the rope out straight
2. 2Make a loop: bring the short end over the standing part
3. 3Fold a bight in the short end and push it under the loop
4. 4Bring the bight up through the loop
5. 5Pull the bight and the standing part to tighten
6. 6Done: a slip knot. Pull the short end to undo it

Related knots

Before you rely on it

The rope here is simulated. Real rope differs in stiffness, friction and size, so practise with real rope and check the result by hand. Do not rely on a knot learned here where a failure could hurt someone.

Written for this site and not yet checked against a published knot reference. Spot a mistake? Improve this knot on GitHub.