How to Knit icord

I-cord is one of those little knitting techniques that can completely transform your projects. Whether you're looking for a polished edge or a sturdy drawstring, i-cord is an essential skill to have in your knitting toolkit. In this post, I'll walk you through what i-cord is and how to knit it. Plus, I’ve included video tutorials to help you learn step by step!

Legend has it that I-cord is short for "idiot cord" because it's so simple to make that anyone could do it. It was popularized by Elizabeth Zimmermann and is created using two double-pointed needles, a circular needle or even straight needles.

Icord is essentially a small tube of knitting worked in tight circles over just a few stitches and creates the perfect cord or string for bags, sweaters and even bound off edges.

How to Knit I-Cord

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

  1. Cast on 3-5 stitches (depending on how thick you want your i-cord to be) using double-pointed needles or a circular needle.

  2. Knit all stitches.

  3. Instead of turning your work, slide the stitches back to the right-hand side of the needle.

  4. Bring the working yarn around the back of the work and knit the stitches again.

  5. Repeat this process until your i-cord is as long as you need.

For a more detailed demonstration, check out my video tutorial

Seamlessly Joining I-Cord Ends

If you’re using i-cord for a loop or an edging, you might want to join the ends seamlessly. Here’s how:

  • Use the Kitchener stitch to graft live stitches together for a truly invisible join.

  • If you’ve already bound off one end, try using a duplicate stitch to mimic the i-cord structure.

  • For a quick and easy method, you can sew the ends together neatly with a tapestry needle.

I cover all these methods in my tutorial video below:

Using I-Cord to Bind Off Your Knitting

An i-cord bind-off is one of the best ways to give your project a smooth, non-stretch edge. It creates a rounded finish that looks amazing on cuffs, bags and even blankets.

Here’s a quick overview of how to do an i-cord bind-off:

  1. Cast on 3 new stitches at the beginning of your bind-off row.

  2. Knit 2 stitches, then knit the next two stitches together through the back loop.

  3. Slide the stitches back to the left-hand needle and repeat until all stitches are bound off.

  4. Seam or weave in the end of the i-cord for a neat finish.

Want to see it in action? Watch my tutorial:

 
Pale blue sweater draped over a chair. It shows the cuff of a sweater which has been bound off using icrod

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