Alternative to I-Cord Knitting - Slip Knot Ties

Do you hate knitting the dreaded I-cord in knitting? I know I do. Recently, I went looking for an alternative to I-cord knitting, because, sometimes, making an I-cord feels too burdensome, or simply too thick for what I have in mind. If you’re in the same boat, have I got a great I-cord option for you!

I call these ties Slip Knot Ties, as the base process to the tie is simply a chain of tightened slip knots. These are not a one sided finger-crochet version (a crochet chain made with your fingers). Instead, this method includes folding the yarn in half and using both ends of the yarn to create a rounded cord by doing slip knots from both sides. Use these ties for all sorts of drawstring or tie options, including necklace cord, draw string bags, to keep pairs of mittens hooked together, to secure to the corners of a bonnet, or to tie the top collars of an open sweater. You’ll find lots and lots of uses. Here’s how to make them.

Slip Knot Tie DIY – a Great Alternative to I-cord

Materials: Flax & Twine DK Weight Daytime Linen

1: Measure 4.75 yards of yarn and fold the piece of yarn in half. This amount will yield about 22" of cord. This process does suck up a fair bit of yarn, so plan ahead. I’ve found that I need about 7.75 inches of yarn/cord/twine for every inch of drawstring.

2: Make a slip knot in the middle. Put the slip knot on your right index finger, holding the string that does not slip in your left hand and the string that does slip in your right hand.

3: With your right index finger and thumb, reach through and grab the end that your left hand is holding. The pull-thru yarn should remain in your right hand for this step. Pull the yarn in your right finger and thumb through to make a loop.

4: Put the new loop you just made on to your left index finger. (the photos jump a few chains forward here but the process is the same every time).

5: Holding the string of slip knots between your middle finger and thumb, pull the end that is in your right hand and close the slip knot.

6: Now, reach through the loop that’s on your left index finger, grab the yarn.

7: Pull/push a loop through, and place that new loop on your right index finger.

8: Hold the string of slip knots between your middle finger and thumb on your right hand. Next, tighten the old loop closed by pulling the end in your left hand.

Repeat steps 3 through 8 until you run out of yarn.

Finally, you have a magical tie made in this beautiful linen or whatever you chose, and a great alternative to I-cord that is much thinner than an I-cord for the given yarn thickness. Use it in whatever way you desire!