Thinking of I-cord as a type of circular knitting on 2 needles

Although Little Beaded Pumpkin begins at the stem by knitting on just 2 needles, this project is technically knitted entirely in the round.

That is because I-cord (first named by the renowned Elizabeth Zimmerman as Idiot Cord because of its simplicity) creates a seamless tube of knitting. You can think of I-cord as a type of circular knitting on 2 needles.

The Simplicity of Working Rows to Make Rounds

The trick that makes I-cord a circular technique is that the rows of stitches are always worked in the same direction. The working yarn straddles the distance between the last stitch of completed row and the first stitch of the next row. Thus the yarn is actually completing a circle, and what results are rounds of knitting!

A vital key to success is that the number of stitches is relatively small (usually 3 to 4) so that the distance the working yarn spans between the last stitch of a row and the first stitch of the next row does not become too great.

Tip: This distance can be made  somewhat less by giving a little tug on the yarn as you begin wrapping the yarn around the needle to make the first stitch of the row.

Pushing the Limits of I-cord

We made I-cord for the stem of last fall’s Bits of Lace Oak Leaf. That I-cord stem was done on just 3 stitches; a typical number of stitches for I-cord.

Bits of Lace Oak Leaf with I-cord stem

Pushing the limits of I-cord, I chose a 5-stitch I-cord stem so that it would neatly increase up to the 10 section repeat of this month’s little pumpkin project. Those 5 stitches are more than the typical number of most I-cords. But it works because we are using finer thread and smaller needles than usual.

I-cord center start

Using I-cord as a Center-out Circular Start

Earlier this year for the Pinwheel Flower project, we learned about an easy “cheating” center start.

This month’s little pumpkin project gives me a chance to let you see how I-cord can also be used to assist in making an easy center start for the remainder of this circular project.

In the case of the pumpkin, the I-cord piece is permanently part of the project. However, you can also use this idea for other center-out circular projects by working a small piece of I-cord in a waste thread that is later carefully removed after you’ve got the project underway in the real project yarn/thread. (Of course, before removing, secure the stitch loops of the project yarn/thread.)