I-cords; How to knit and use them

An I-cord is formed by knitting a small number of knit stitches (usually 3-6) on double pointed needles without turning the work. If you can knit, you can make an I-cord. They can form a decorative tie on a knit gift bag, be used to create flowers for embellishing a sweater and much more. With the I-cord you have a "ribbon" that is stronger than a strand of yarn itself.

In the center of the picture to the left, there are 6 - 1" sections of I-cord. The tails of yarn on either end were then tied together, forming tiny loops that became the legs of a stuffed fly toy:

The underside of the knit fly

The I-cord is a method to make a cord consisting of a small circular knit tube with two double pointed needles. The following video illustrates how to knit an I-cord with four stitches.

The I-cord is a method to make a cord consisting of a small circular knit tube with two double pointed needles. The following video illustrates how to knit an I-cord with three stitches.

I-cords; love them or hate them?

Knit spools generally have 4-6 pegs and allow you to make a tight round cord. Sound familiar? That's right, this is an I-cord! As a kid I used to make "rugs" out of these long I-cord "ropes" from a spool. This is a fun item for kids, and a way to get them curious about knitting.

Now these can in some instances replace the need for double pointed knitting needles, but usually only if you are using worsted weight yarn. Knitting needles will always give you the most flexibility, but these products can create a lot of fun on their own!