I-cord is a wonderful way to make cords to embellish your knitting and to make an actual cord that can be used as a tie, such as around a collar or neck or face area of a hooded garment. It's so easy to make that the "i" in i-cord stands for "idiot". Sorry. Don't mean to offend! You can also "apply" i-cord, as in the Entrelac Hat and Entrelac Felted Bag pattern. Full instructions are included, but I shall go into more detail here.
What is tricky is that it takes many words to describe a very simple process.
You will need 2 double pointed needles and yarn.
I-cord works best as a cord when you use between 3 and 5 stitches. The SECRET is to never, ever turn your work around. This won't make sense until you actually do it.
This tutorial will work a 3-stitch i-cord
CO 3 stitches.
K3, slide these stitches that you now have on the right hand needle to the right end of that needle, without turning your work around. Take this needle in your left hand.
Repeat the above instruction. Remember, do not turn your work - the yarn will come from the left-most stitch and you'll be knitting into the right-most stitch to begin the next row. Quite simple! But not intuitive, so you may need a few starts and re-starts. Once you have a few rounds under your belt, so to speak, you can tug on the bottom of the knitting which will accentuate the tube you're forming. Voila! A cord!
Still under construction here, but I will be adding photos as I can which should make this and other techniques to come a cake-walk!
Entrelac
I am so happy to have discovered my friend, KnittyOtter's most amazing tutorial on entrelac. She has nailed it and has gotten praise from many online knitters who stumble upon it, plus the knitters on Ravelry. She's most generously given me permission to incorporate this tutorial in my lesson plans for entrelac with my promise to give her due credit.
Take my class, or go visit the tutorial and teach yourself at http://knittyotter.typepad.com/otterknits/2007/03/entrelac_scarf_.html
