How to Crochet an I-Cord

You may have seen I-Cords used to make straps for bags because they are durable and stretchy, but did you know you can use them for amigurumi too? This technique is useful for all sorts of projects and even though it looks a bit daunting, I promise it’s not that bad. With a little practice and some helpful tips, you’ll be making your own I-Cords in no time! So let’s dive into how to crochet an I-Cord!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase through my links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. View the full affiliate disclaimer here.

How to Crochet an I-Cord

If you’ve never tried this technique before I recommend using a thicker weight yarn like worsted or bulky and a large hook. This will help you practice the tension without grappling with tiny loops. For my sample, I used Brava from WeCrochet (affiliate link), which is a worsted or 4 weight yarn.

Making an I-Cord

1. Ch 3
2. Insert your hook into the second chain from the hook, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on the hook).
3. Insert your hook into the last chain, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on the hook).

1. Remove the last two loops from the hook, but hold them in place so they don’t unravel (1 loop on the hook).
2. Ch 1
   • Keep your tension a little looser for this stitch so that you don’t unravel the 2 loops you pulled off earlier.
3. Put the second loop back on the hook and ch 1 (2 loops on the hook).
4. Put the last loop back on the hook and ch 1 (3 loops on the hook).

Prefer to watch tutorials? Check out this quick video below!

Then you just repeat the previous 4 steps until your I-Cord is as long as you want. Some patterns will tell you to measure the finished cord while others will specify the number of rows needed. You’ll always end up with 3 loops on the hook at the end of your row.

If you need to frog your work, be careful to pull the yarn slowly and work in sets of 3 so you don’t end up halfway through a row.

There are so many different ways to use I-Cords to add texture or elements to a project. In fact, I use this technique on all the Shell Mods for Sammie the Turtle, as well as the stem on several of my free pumpkin patterns!

Summary

Have you ever made an I-Cord before? Do you like to use cord-making tools for this technique or just a simple crochet hook? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to share it with your crochet friends and Pin it for later. Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter so you never miss another new post, pattern or special event!

Have a wonderful day and happy stitching!