How to Crochet a Rope

I’m still chugging away at the ballet wrap sweater in double crochet. I’ve now finished one more sleeve. I keep getting distracted by embroidery and paper-bead aspirations, new recipes, and the first video game to which I have ever been addicted (I blame the boyfriend). I always return to the crochet eventually. This wrap sweater closes with a tie or rope cord, or you can use a pretty ribbon in a color matching the yarn. Learning how to crochet a rope or cord in crochet is pretty useful though for a variety of projects. You can use it as a stem for a crochet flower or shamrock, for upcoming St. Patrick’s Day.

Here are two different methods that I have learned to crochet a cord or rope:

Method 1: Once you get the hang of it, this method is easier, because you don’t have to crochet around.

1. Take a long length of yarn or string and double it over. Do the same with another length of yarn.
2. Tie each doubled-over length of yarn to the crochet hook with a slipknot.
3. To make the first stitch of your cord, pull the first loop through the second.
4. Alternating yarn, continue to pull the opposite yarn through the loop on the hook.
5. As you go, it will start to resemble a cord.
6. To finish, pull one all the way through the opposite loop. Pull tight and secure the yarn with two knots for each pair of strings.

Method 2: This method teaches you how to front post single crochet, which also comes in handy in many projects.

1. Take your crochet hook and yarn and tie a slipknot as normal.
2. Chain 4.
3. Do 3 single crochet (sc) in first chain.
4. Front post single crochet (fpsc) around chain 3, turning clockwise.
5. Then fpsc around first sc, then second sc and on. Continue to fpsc.

This will create a kind of square cord.
To Front Post Single Crochet, yarn over (YO) and insert hook back to front between next two stitches then back again between stitch being worked and the stitch after it on the previous row, yo and sc.