Mini Life Belt

This is a little accessory to a project I am currently working on (watch this space).  But I thought it would be worth sharing as a 'project' in its own right as could be used in many more ways than originally intended.  Maybe to embellish a water scene jumper, decorate a card for someone achieving the RLSS Lifesaving Award, or adorn a beach themed bathroom. (it looks large but is only 1.5 inches, you could adapt smaller by using 3 or 4 rather than 5 stitches and smaller needles and thinner wool but due to i-cord technique is unlikely to be able to successfully adapt it as bigger).

Using two double pointed needles (DPN) as small as you can manage (2.25ish mm) and DK wool...

In red cast on 5*

Knit 4 rows in red using i-cord technique (instead of turning row, slide to end of needle and pull yarn tight to close gap)...

Change to white and knit 5 rows, being careful when changing rows to pull white yarn behind and under the red tail keeping spare yarn held inside the cord...

Change to red (knotting the yarn in the centre of the i-cord to the white yarn at the end of stitch 5 to ensure it pulls across) and knit 5 rows as above...

Keep alternating until 4 blocks of red and 4 blocks of white have been completed.  As it is a wide i-cord you may need to massage the cord and give it a vertical tug to make sure the wide joining is not noticeable.

* if you are confident with kitchener stitch then join the two ends together, having done a provisional cast on.

Otherwise; thread the remaining white yarn through the 5 stitches from right to left keeping loose for the moment.  Stitch together white and red ends into a circle by catching a red cast on loop and sewing to a white ladder between the stitches you have just sewn (hence keeping it loose to let you see these bits of thread to pick up).  Pull tight to close.

Weave in any ends left over by threading down the centre of the i-cord.

Now, using brownish yarn (to represent the rope) and a tapestry needle thread up inside of cord for half the circle (to secure it within the project rather than knotting), coming out halfway through a red section.  Take around edge of circle to the next red section placing thumb as a spacer to ensure yarn is loose, and stitch through the outside middle red ladder, tying a two little knots.  Take around edge of circle, repeating above, three times.  Tie the next knot to the starting yarn and thread back down into cord, weaving the ends in.