Thursday, August 1, 2013

Cords

 


Cord  n.  long, thin, flexible string or rope made from several strands of fiber




Cords are such useful things.  Without cords, how would you …tie your shoes? … Lower the blinds?  … Hang your laundry?  This month I thought we could explore cords from a knitter’s point of view.  In other words, let’s have fun with i-cords!

Knitting i-cords has to be one of the easiest things you’ll ever knit.  You only need 4 stitches and you only need to know how to do the knit stitch.  No purls, yarn overs, cables … just plain old knit stitch.  Part of my reason for featuring i-cords comes from you, the Knitting Doodle followers.  I have had a number of requests recently for projects that kids could do other than knit a scarf.  I immediately thought of i-cords. 

To make an i-cord you will need yarn and 2 double-point needles. 
For sport-weight yarn use US size 4 or 5 needles.
For worsted weight yarn use US size 6 or 7 needles.

Cast on 4 stitches. 
Row 1:  Knit.  Without turning your work, slide all 4 stitches to the right end of the needle.
Repeat row 1.
Now keep repeating Row 1 until the cord is the desired length. 

Easy!!  Kids like making i-cords because they see progress quickly, which keeps them enthusiastic about the project.

Here are some projects to make with i-cords:



Necklaces:  knit an i-cord 20-24” long. Before you sew the two ends together slip pony beads onto the i-cord and space evenly around.  (This necklace was made with Paton’s Grace – a sport-weight mercerized cotton.)

Bracelets:  knit an i-cord 6-8” long.  Sew the two ends together, then make a “bar” by wrapping yarn over the join for about 1”.  You could also add beads to a bracelet if you wanted.  (These bracelets were made with Paton’s Grace.)

Lanyards:  Knit an i-cord approximately 30-32”.  Lay both ends side by side.  Attach a lanyard clip, then wrap yarn around the cords just above the clip for about 1”.

Headbands:  knit an i-cord approximately 18-20”” long (measure on your head for exact length.)  Join ends together.  For a braided i-cord headband, knit 3 i-cords 20-22” long.  Braid the three cords, then fasten together in a circle.

Earphones:  starting at the plug end, knit the i-cord around the earphone wire by passing the yarn under the wire before starting each row.  Knit to one ear-bud, then pick up stitches and the “Y” and knit to the other ear-bud.


I-cord projects are small, quick and easy – perfect for taking along when travelling.  And it’s never too early to start on stocking stuffers for Christmas!

No comments:

Post a Comment