To test my theory that knit i-cord has the most options by varying yarn weight and needle size, I knit worsted weight cotton with size two needles, which are much smaller than recommended for the yarn.

As expected the cord comes out more dense and sturdy than cord knit with bigger needles. I only managed to make 10 inches of cord in 30 minutes. It has 20% stretch, which is 5% less than the i-cord knitted with size 8 needles. I’m a little disappointed that the difference in stretch isn’t more different.

Hm. Yes, I can vary stitch density by changing needle size, but I think I would choose another method if I needed a dense cord with less stretch.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. Never forget.

I-cord is traditionally knit with knitting needles. It is possible to make an i-cord of many different gauges and densities depending on the yarn weight and needle size, which makes this method of i-cord making the most versatile. I started with cotton worsted weight yarn and one size 8 circular needle (two double pointed needles work as well).

There is a little gap that happens at the back of the knitting where the yarn is brought back to the front, but this disappears when the cord is stretched and worked and the loops settle in. Somehow, near the end of the cord I added a stitch to have five instead of four. Hm.

In 30 minutes I made 18” of cord, which has a little more body than the crocheted and dolly knit versions. It has 25% stretch (18” stretched to 22.5”).

I think I will experiment with yarn weight to needle size variations of i-cord. I actually prefer my cordage to not have much stretch. Experiments will continue.