Crochet two-color i-cord

Here's a nifty technique I just saw for crocheting a two-color i-cord. It's super fast and easy and looks really cool, too. 

@theknottyboss Two color i-cord - hook by @lovestitchesall #crochetersoftiktok #crochettiktok #crochetstitch #crochethack #crochettutorial #yarntok #yarnlovers #crocheting #crochethook #handmade #amigurumi #crochetdesigner🧶 #hooking #crochetaddiction #crochettip ♬ Stefania (Kalush Orchestra) - KALUSH

Lanyard and Pouch for Glucose Monitor free pattern

This is a simple crocheted pouch in a size intended to fit the Freestyle Libre glucose monitor or other devices of comparable size (about 4 inches tall by 2.25 inches wide by 0.5 inches deep). The pouch has a button closure at the top to keep your monitor secure. Having the pouch attached to a lanyard makes it possible to wear your monitor at all times (I mostly wear mine this way while I’m sleeping) and have it within easy reach when you need it. Download the free PDF from Ravelry here.

Pouch is worked in crochet; lanyard i-cord is knitted. You can opt to work the i-cord in crochet, if you prefer, or use some other method to make the lanyard. You may also make the lanyard longer or shorter, depending on what’s most comfortable to you. I like a 32-inch-long lanyard because it’s long enough that I can scan my sensor during the night without having to take off the lanyard or remove my monitor from the pouch. During the overnight hours I usually don’t need to see the monitor’s readout; I just press the monitor’s button through the pouch, scan, and go back to sleep. So here’s a common-sense note: You will have to remove your monitor from the pouch if you need to see the readout after scanning.

I also find that the i-cord stretches out after wearing this for about a week, but popping the pouch into the washer and dryer along with a load of laundry tightens the stitches right back up.

This pouch-on-a-lanyard can also be a fun item for children (only ones who are old enough to safely wear a lanyard around their neck!!) to gather small treasures during nature hikes or shells and stones while walking on the beach, etc. -- just make the lanyard a shorter length to fit your child.

Lanyards for festival season

Break out the handmade lanyards — it's festival time again. 

Knitting a long 3-stitch i-cord is a fast and easy way to make lanyards that are soft and comfortable to wear. These won't cut into your skin or feel scratchy like standard ribbon lanyards or lanyards with breakaway clasps. You can customize your lanyard by using any colors you desire and even add beads or other findings for a truly unique piece that suits you.

I used worsted weight yarn and size 6 DPNs to make the lanyards in the photo, but they can be made with any yarn weight and needles that give you a nice, snug gauge on the i-cord. Leave a 6-inch tail at each end of your work so you have plenty of length to secure the hardware and fasten with knots before weaving in the ends.

I'm thinking a nice fingering weight yarn on size 1 needles with lots of sparkly seed beads would make a lovely one. I'm going to have to try that next.

These work up quickly. I made the worsted weight ones approximately 36-38 inches long, and they each took just about an hour to knit. (Adding beads would, of course, make the knitting time significantly longer.) At this gauge my lanyards each used about 12.5 yards of yarn. After fastening off and securing the hardware with a few knots and weaving in the ends, I'd estimate each lanyard takes about 90 minutes to complete. And you could easily sell these for about $10 each, depending on your audience, so ... not a bad ROI.

Before tying the ends together add a small keychain split ring or a large jump ring and a spring-close clip or lobster clasp. Tie the ends together over the split ring/jump ring and weave the ends back through the i-cord. Simple, easy finish.

My blankie

♫ It's my blankie so I'll lounge if I want to, lounge if I want to ... ♫ You would lounge, too, if you had a blankie, too! 😁

This shot captures ALL the colors corner to corner.