Learn How to Knit I-Cords
Want to learn how to knit one of the quickest and most useful things you'll ever see? Check out the I-cord!
If you've ever heard of an I-cord, you may have wanted to learn how to knit one -- or you may have wondered why anyone would ever bother. And if you haven't, you're probably wondering what the big deal is. It took me years of knitting before anyone told me about this simple and incredibly versatile knitting technique!
The Basics
An I-cord is basically a rounded knitted string (or cord), and it's very simple to make. All you need to learn how to knit an I-cord is a set of double pointed knitting needles of any size and a ball of yarn of any type, material, or color.
Ready? Cast on three measly stitches. Here's the tricky part: do not turn your work. Slide those three stitches to the other end of the double pointed needle. Your yarn is now at the wrong end of your work -- in other words, in order to knit the next stitch you'll have to pull the yarn from the third stitch all the way back across the work. That's okay: it's what you want to do. That's why an I-cord is round.
Knit another row, and then slide the stitches to the other end of the needle, again without turning your work. Continue this way, knitting with the yarn always on the wrong side of your work, until the I-cord reaches the desired length and cast off.
Incidentally, you can still learn how to knit an I-cord if you don't have double pointed needles of the right size, it's just a bit more time consuming. If you're using regular single pointed needles, you'll have to slip the three stitches back onto the needle you just knit them off every time you finish a row -- that's how you'll get the yarn to the "wrong" side.
The Applications
There are many reasons to learn how to knit I-cords. Most commonly, they're used ties on hooded sweaters or hats, but I've also used I-cords to make:
-- handles for a purse
-- tank top straps
-- a belt for a teenage daughter
-- a fan pull
-- a headband
-- in place of elastic in a hem
I-cords are simple to knit, but they literally have dozens of uses. So if you haven't tried them yet, learn how to knit your first I-cord today and start looking for ways to use it.