How to Knit Applied I-Cord: The Trim That Makes Handknits Look Finished

Applied I-cord is a rounded knitted edging worked directly onto a project. It gives handknits a clean finish, helps tame curling stockinette edges, and can add a contrasting outline. Here’s how it works, where to use it, and how to keep the trim flat around side edges and corners.

Over the past few weeks, we've worked our way through the projects in this year's Winter Express Holiday Movie Box, one skill at a time. We started with bouclé and the First Class Beanie. Then we tackled stranded colorwork with the Train Tracks Cowl. Today we're finishing with my favorite kind of technique: the kind that makes people pick up your knitting and say, “wait, you made this?”

What is applied I-cord?

Plain I-cord is a small knitted tube used for straps, ties, and drawstrings. Applied I-cord, sometimes called Attached I-cord, is worked onto the edge of your knitting as you go. The result is a smooth, rounded trim, like piping on a pillow or a frame around a painting.

Here's why I love it:

• It covers up an edge that came out a bit wobbly.
• It helps keep stockinette edges from curling.
• It adds a little weight and structure, so hems hang nicely.
• It gives you a place to add a pop of color.
• It makes a good handknit look like a finished handknit.

How does applied I-cord work?

You cast on a few stitches, work them repeatedly, and join the cord to the project's edge as you go. Instead of turning the work, slide the stitches back to the other end of the needle to start the next row. A three-stitch cord is a good place to start.

Always follow your pattern's written instructions for the joining stitch, since designers use different methods.

Tips for neat applied I-cord edging

Use needles that let you slide the stitches

Two double-pointed needles are all you need. A short circular works too. The important thing is being able to slide the stitches back to the other end instead of turning the work.

Snug up the first stitch

After each slide, pull the first stitch snug. This helps close the tube and prevents a ladder along the back of the cord.

Choose a cord width that suits your project

Three stitches make a neat cord in most yarns. Four make a chunkier trim for a blanket or cardigan front. If the cord looks flat rather than round, try fewer stitches.

Adjust the join spacing along side edges

Along a cast-on or bound-off edge, joining at each stitch is a useful starting point. Along a side edge, joining at every row may make the trim too long and cause ruffling. Try skipping roughly every third or fourth edge row as a starting point, then check your own gauge.

Work a couple of inches and lay the piece flat. If the trim ripples, space the joins farther apart. If it pulls in or puckers, join more often. Your gauge gets the final vote.

Try a smaller needle if the cord looks loose

A slightly smaller needle can give you a firmer, rounder cord. If yours looks sloppy, try changing needle size before reworking the whole edge.

Give corners extra room

At a corner, work one or two rows of I-cord without joining to the edge. That extra length helps the trim turn smoothly instead of pulling the corner into a point.

Practice on a swatch

Try the motion on a scrap before adding it to a finished project. Once your hands have it, applied I-cord can become wonderfully rhythmic, the best kind of knitting to do in front of a movie.

How to choose an I-cord color

This is where a project stops being a pattern and starts being yours.

Pull a color from the project. If your piece uses more than one color, repeating one in the trim ties everything together.

When in doubt, go darker. A darker edging reads like an outline and can make the knitting inside it look crisper.

Decide how bold you want it. High contrast makes the edge a design feature. A tonal shade looks quietly elegant and lets the knitting be the star.

Do the squint test. Hold your candidates against the actual edge. Squint, or take a photo and view it in black and white. If the trim disappears, the colors are close in value; if it stands out and you love it, you've found your color.

Applied I-cord troubleshooting

Why does the edge ruffle? Along a side edge, you may be joining too often. Space the joins farther apart and lay the work flat to check.

Why does the edge pucker? You may be joining too infrequently, or your tension may be too tight. Join more often and ease up on the yarn.

Why is there a ladder behind the cord? Snug up the first stitch each time you slide the stitches back.

Why does the cord look flat? Try fewer stitches or a smaller needle.

Why is the corner pointy? Work an extra unjoined row or two at the corner.