I-Cord Vs

#1

ok, I’m working on a felted bag and the pattern (I know, trust the pattern) cals for a strap that it made of 5 stitches Stockinette. It also has a draw string that it apparently just a row cast-on and then immediately cast-off. So, I am wondering why this approach instead of I-cord. Which would YOU do: stick with the pattern as written or change to i-cord? and why??

#2

I suppose it would depend for me. I like I-cords cause they’re strong

HOWEVER! in years past when I didn’t know wth an i-cord was and how to make it I braided three strings together and I know that it works REALLY well because I made an idiot cord for my kid and other kids that way with mittens and it worked fantastically.

I say…be creative or you can stick with the pattern. Do whichever suits you :smiley:

#3

From your description the strap sounds like it is flat and I would most likely knit it flat. The drawstring - knit it as an I cord and see how it looks. You can always do something different if you don’t like the look of the I cord.

#4

U can also knit a figure 8 I chord
CO 9
K5 bring yarn forward and slip remaining 4 stitches as if to purl
[B]turn[/B] and repeat (Yes for this i-chord u do turn)

this makes a flat but very strong strap

#5

I vote for something stronger then casat on 5 and knit for x rows. I-cord, or that figure 8 i-cord. Or maybe 3 i-cords braided.

For the drawstring - maybe a 3 stitch i-cord, or maybe a crocheted chain.

#6

I rarely end up making a pattern exactly as written, and I’ve made several felted bags that used I-cord for both the drawstring that doubles as a strap, so I would make the I-cord strap. Mine were 5 and 8 stitch I-cord and they are very strong (and thick). I’m doing the felted French Market Bag right now and plan on following the knitted strap as written, although I’m changing a few other aspects.

#7

How long is the strap? Doesn’t i-cord stretch?

#8

I-cord isn’t going to stretch nearly as much as 5-6 stitch wide knit for xx inches will. I guess either one, once felted, isn’t going to stretch anyway.

#9

My I-cord for the felted bags was also felted, so, no, it doesn’t stretch. I wouldn’t use unfelted I-cord for a handle.

#10

I think I’d probably stay with a flat strap, but I would actually either double knit it (so it is two layers) or make a 10 stitch tube, flattened.

#11

I have to plug a twisted cord. Easy, strong, looks nice, doesn’t stretch after felting.

#12

Yahoo! Great ideas … thanks all. Now I just have to figure out which one of them to try. I sorta like the figure 8 i-chord (but you turn it?) and the double-knit strap. I have plenty of yarn … whichever, it will be an adventure. oh, to answer Gamerchik’s question, the strap is 60 inches. I’m thinking I-chord for the drawstring for sure because casting on 94 stitches and binding off just sounds too boring, but I realized that length versus width felts at different rates, so maybe I’m not up for THAT part of the adventure.

Again, thanks for the input.

Katie

#13

This is the link to my blog, where I’ve described several purse or computer bag straps I’ve made this year,

straps

I even crocheted 3 single crochet strands and macrame’ them into one cord, I believe it is the first strap on the left in the picture.

I have several items that have i-cords, and if you really stretch them while wet when you felt them, they become very strong and don’t tend to stretch.

#14

They talk about straps here: http://knittinghelp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86698&highlight=straps&page=2