how to knit i-cord

Learn the quick and easy way to knit i-cord of any size, from any yarn and with any number of stitches.

There's a good chance you learnt i-cord making as a child and called it french knitting or spool knitting.

Depending on your age and/or location you may have used a wooden cotton reel ( with 4 nails in one end) or a store bought wooden knitting dolly or knitting nancy.

french knitting The modern versions - shown here are wonderful little gadgets, inexpensive and easy to carry - but they do have some limitations....

Limitations :

4 stitches
unable to cope with thick yarns

But providing you want to knit a cord using only 4 stitches and use yarns 10-12ply or less - knitting nancys are a fun and easy solution -

however .....

if you want to knit thicker yarns and use more stitches you can't go past the double pointed needle (dpn) method.

Many of our exclusive HoughtonAvenue.com designed patterns use knitted i-cords to make attractive bag and purse handles and straps. Attached i-cords are also useful to neaten the edges of purse flaps.

If you learn to knit a basic i-cord first, making an attached or applied i-cord will be a breeze.

how to knit i-cord

Using 2 only double pointed needles - not circular needles - cast on desired number of stitches in the normal manner.

make i-cord Knit the first row. Your stitches are now all on the right hand needle, change this needle to your left hand - but don't turn it around.

NOTE : when making this i-cord the right - smooth - side of the knitting will always be facing you.

Push your stitches to the right hand end of the needle ( the yarn tail will still be on the left hand end).

Next : Firmly pull the wool as shown in the below picture and knit all the stitches.

This will feel a little awkward at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it.

knitting icord Keep repeating this process to knit the i-cord until it reaches the required length. Cast off (US=bind off) in your usual manner.

You now have the know-how to make an i-cord of any thickness, with any number of stitches, using any type of yarn you desire. You also have the basics to making a more sophisticated - applied or attached i-cord.

Return to our HoughtonAvenue yarn crafts home page or our french knitting section

or

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