Twisted Cord

I need a lot of twisted floss cord for the project I'm working on and would
love to know if anyone has any hints for making it.

I really don't want to spend the money to buy a cord maker as I don't
often use it.

Lucille

Lucille wrote:

I need a lot of twisted floss cord for the project I'm working on and would
love to know if anyone has any hints for making it.

I really don't want to spend the money to buy a cord maker as I don't
often use it.

Lucille



If you're making something long enough to go around a pillow, anchor one
end on a doorknob or chair leg, and use something similar at the other
end to measure out the cord (Mom and I were using the distance from one
bedroom doorknob to the other for our project).

If you're making something long enough to go around an ornament, use a
yardstick or the end of your dining room table to wrap the cord around.

Step two, insert a pencil or knitting needle in one end of your bundle.
Leave the other end anchored on the chair leg or drawer pull or
whatever. (Personally, I hook it around my big toe for ornament sizes.)
Use the pencil to twist.

When it's twisted about as tightly as you're going to get, grab the
pencil end with one hand, remove the pencil with the other hand, put the
pencil at roughly the halfway point of the coil. (Obviously, if you've
got it stretched across the room, Lucille, you're going to need your
neighbor to help with this step.) Now bring the two ends together,
adjusting the position of the pencil as you do, to keep the bundle taut.

Once you have the ends together, which means the bend around the pencil
is in the exact center, let loose of the bend so it starts to twist on
its own.

Knot the two ends together. Massage the twists to even out the cording.

Voila.



--
Karen C - California
Editor/Proofreader www.IntlProofingConsortium.com

OCTOBER IS DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH

Finished 10/7/08 - Sun Fun (Dimensions)

WIP: Nativity from "Countdown to Christmas" book, Oriental Kimono
(Janlynn),
MLI The Teacher (gift to the library), Bethany Angel (Marbek)
Retrieved from UFO pile: Marbek's Snow Angel, MLI Farmers Market

CFSfacts -- where we give you the facts and dispel the myths
Myths, with research cites: http://www.aacfs.org/images/pdfs/myths.pdf
Newest research blog: http://cfs-facts.blogspot.com/

"Karen C in California" wrote in message
...
Lucille wrote:

I need a lot of twisted floss cord for the project I'm working on and
would love to know if anyone has any hints for making it.

I really don't want to spend the money to buy a cord maker as I don't
often use it.

Lucille

If you're making something long enough to go around a pillow, anchor one
end on a doorknob or chair leg, and use something similar at the other end
to measure out the cord (Mom and I were using the distance from one
bedroom doorknob to the other for our project).

If you're making something long enough to go around an ornament, use a
yardstick or the end of your dining room table to wrap the cord around.

Step two, insert a pencil or knitting needle in one end of your bundle.
Leave the other end anchored on the chair leg or drawer pull or whatever.
(Personally, I hook it around my big toe for ornament sizes.) Use the
pencil to twist.

When it's twisted about as tightly as you're going to get, grab the pencil
end with one hand, remove the pencil with the other hand, put the pencil
at roughly the halfway point of the coil. (Obviously, if you've got it
stretched across the room, Lucille, you're going to need your neighbor to
help with this step.) Now bring the two ends together, adjusting the
position of the pencil as you do, to keep the bundle taut.

Once you have the ends together, which means the bend around the pencil is
in the exact center, let loose of the bend so it starts to twist on its
own.

Knot the two ends together. Massage the twists to even out the cording.

Voila.



--
Karen C - California


That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

Lucille

lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord, especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme, the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.

--
another anne, add ingers to reply

"anne" wrote in message
g...
lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord,
especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme,
the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.

--
another anne, add ingers to reply


I thought of that but it's part of the design and will be used for couching
all over the place. It has to match the floss already used in the piece or
it will look weird.

I thought about perle cotton but the colors I have in my stash are off and
I'm not even sure the floss is DMC.

Oh Well! I guess it's twisting it by hand for me.

L

On 10/25/08 7:54 AM, in article
, "anne"
wrote:

lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord, especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme, the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.


Actually, that was my suggestion. And don't forget to check the standard
wrapping supplies for useful stuff.

I'd add check your local fabric store for more options.

Cheryl

On 10/25/08 8:11 AM, in article ,
"Lucille" lzoltynospam@now at comcast..net wrote:


"anne" wrote in message
g...
lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord,
especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme,
the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.

--
another anne, add ingers to reply


I thought of that but it's part of the design and will be used for couching
all over the place. It has to match the floss already used in the piece or
it will look weird.

I thought about perle cotton but the colors I have in my stash are off and
I'm not even sure the floss is DMC.

Oh Well! I guess it's twisting it by hand for me.

L


Now I'm really curious - how about a link?

C

"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
On 10/25/08 8:11 AM, in article ,
"Lucille" lzoltynospam@now at comcast..net wrote:


"anne" wrote in message
g...
lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord,
especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme,
the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.

--
another anne, add ingers to reply


I thought of that but it's part of the design and will be used for
couching
all over the place. It has to match the floss already used in the piece
or
it will look weird.

I thought about perle cotton but the colors I have in my stash are off
and
I'm not even sure the floss is DMC.

Oh Well! I guess it's twisting it by hand for me.

L


Now I'm really curious - how about a link?

C


Here it is.

http://www.dimensions-crafts.com/pro...&IDCategory=11

It's coming out nice, but for some reason or other I'm finding it a bore
and can't wait to finish it even though there's a lot going on. There's a
slew of half cross done with 1 strand in the shadow fans and 5 strands
around the gray edge, back stitch with color and a single strand of flimsy
gold that was enclosed with the kit and which I may change to something
easier to work with, and the red lines all around the edges are couched.
I've finished all the shadow fans and now just have to finish the bottom
part of the gray edge and then I'll ltackle all the straight stitch leaves
and the gold.

My friend better love it. lol

Lucille

On 10/25/08 10:52 AM, in article ,
"Lucille" lzoltynospam@now at comcast..net wrote:


"Cheryl Isaak" wrote in message
...
On 10/25/08 8:11 AM, in article ,
"Lucille" lzoltynospam@now at comcast..net wrote:


"anne" wrote in message
g...
lzoltynospam@now says...

That basically describes how I make it now. I was hoping someone had a
magic method that doesn't cost a lot.

It might be just as easy and cost effective to buy premade cord,
especially if
you have a coupon. If your piece can use a holiday themed color scheme,
the
shelves of the craft stores here are clogged with Halloween stuff at
ridiculously low prices or Christmas things.

--
another anne, add ingers to reply


I thought of that but it's part of the design and will be used for
couching
all over the place. It has to match the floss already used in the piece
or
it will look weird.

I thought about perle cotton but the colors I have in my stash are off
and
I'm not even sure the floss is DMC.

Oh Well! I guess it's twisting it by hand for me.

L


Now I'm really curious - how about a link?

C


Here it is.

http://www.dimensions-crafts.com/pro...oduct=2653&IDC
ategory=11

It's coming out nice, but for some reason or other I'm finding it a bore
and can't wait to finish it even though there's a lot going on. There's a
slew of half cross done with 1 strand in the shadow fans and 5 strands
around the gray edge, back stitch with color and a single strand of flimsy
gold that was enclosed with the kit and which I may change to something
easier to work with, and the red lines all around the edges are couched.
I've finished all the shadow fans and now just have to finish the bottom
part of the gray edge and then I'll ltackle all the straight stitch leaves
and the gold.

My friend better love it. lol

Lucille





I'll say! With metallics, what comes with kits can really be terrible and
I've just gotten use to changing it out....

Cheryl

"Lucille" wrote ...
snipperty
Here it is.

http://www.dimensions-crafts.com/pro...&IDCategory=11

It's coming out nice, but for some reason or other I'm finding it a bore
and can't wait to finish it even though there's a lot going on. There's a
slew of half cross done with 1 strand in the shadow fans and 5 strands
around the gray edge, back stitch with color and a single strand of flimsy
gold that was enclosed with the kit and which I may change to something
easier to work with, and the red lines all around the edges are couched.
I've finished all the shadow fans and now just have to finish the bottom
part of the gray edge and then I'll ltackle all the straight stitch leaves
and the gold.

My friend better love it. lol

That's beautiful!
I'm feeling anxious now about a Dimensions kit that I've promised to do for
my BIL. It's 'The Mighty Samurai', and also features hand made cord. If you
find an idiot proof way of doing it, I'll be grateful. I've also got the
metallic thread...
it *is* very flimsy (
--
Regards..............P-f