how to knit your own cord necklace tutorial

There are a number of ways to make your own cord necklace. There is the ever popular kumihimo as well as other forms of braiding cord. You can also use leather to make Viking knit cords (see links below). But there is another really easy way - knitting I-cords!  The I-cord method is used by knitters using yarn but it can be used for jewelry making.

You do not have to be an expert at knitting either. You just need to know how to cast on and do the basic knit stitch. Use your cord necklace to hang your favorite pendants!

There are some advantages to knitted I-cords.  You do not need any specialized tools - just basic knitting needles. The resulting cords are also a lot thinner unlike kumihimo or Viking Knit. That is because you are working only with one cord and just 3 stitches.

I have tried out crochet cotton, leather, rat tail, cotton cords and the kind of cords used in macrame and Chinese knotting. They all work but some better than others. I typically prefer the 1 to 1.5 mm cords for daintier looking cords.  Crochet cotton No. 3 or 5 will also work.

It is essential to use double pointed knitting needles as you will see from the video below.  I mostly used 1 mm (US 000-00) needles such as these which have to be stainless steel to be strong enough.  I have also used 2 and 2. 25 mm needles made from plastic or wood. You will need to experiment with needle sizes if you are going to use thicker cords like 2 mm rat tail.





First, cast on 3 stitches.  But before transferring the right needle to the left hand so the working cord is on the right for the second knit row, you first slip the work up the right needle, then transfer to your left hand. Pick up the working cord which is now on the left as shown below and knit the second row. Continue knitting every row the same way.


Don't get it?  Watch my short video below. As the working cord is always on the left, the work pulls itself into a cord!



The cords which work the best are slippery and flexible ones!  1 mm Chinese knotting cord made from nylon resulted in the tightest and neatest cords. Rat tail works too.  1 mm smooth leather was not as neat because it is not as flexible.



1 mm cotton which has not been waxed is okay too as is the crochet cotton.


It helps to stretch finished cords before you add the end caps etc especially for synthetics.  This not only evens out the work somewhat but also finalizes the length. Synthetic materials can stretch with use - they do not have the elasticity of natural materials - so the pre-stretching helps.


But what about crochet I-cords, you say?  Yes, you can but it is more awkward than knitting them. You actually have to slip off two stitches and hold on to them during the process.  This makes losing them easier especially when you want to work with thin cords and not yarn.

 Watch this tutorial by Bella Coco and you can see what I mean.



Update : Reader, Sneaky Burrito, mentioned in the comments that she usually uses spool knitters for I-cords.  I actually have a number of them as you can see from this review post.  While you can certainly make the cords using them, they will not be as thin as with 1 mm knitting needles.


Before You Go:

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