Applied I-cord

 Hello, hello.

While finishing the edges of a friend's project with an applied I-cord, I came up with a time-saving technique that helped me to track the 3 out of 4 columns to pick up along the selvage edge. 

I did not pick up the stitches around the rectangle as directed by the pattern, rather worked the I-cord directly.

To begin, using DPNs, cast on 3 stitches (I used an e-loop or thumb cast on), pick up and knit into the selvage stitch where the I-cord begins, (not at the corner!) then slide the 4 stitches to the other end of the needle.

*Knit 2, ssk, pick up a stitch, slip to the other end*

The formula for working along the selvage edge is to pick up 3 stitches along the selvage column and then skip one column. 

I spent a lot of knitting time trying to recall just where I was in that 3 step process.  

My Solution

Ready to begin, the I-cord is complete (3 stitches), skip one column stitch, 

pick up and knit the first of the next 3 column stitches. Use the left-hand needle to scoop the next 2 column stitches up; tip down in stitch #3, and tip up in stitch #2 -  

resulting in just one loop over the needle.

Then slip the loop from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle

then slip all stitches to the other end of the DPN.

At the end of the next round of I-cord, pick up and knit into the opening, 

leaving the final pick up on the left-hand needle, slip as above.

The final round of the I-cord 

Pick up the final column stitch, and begin again.