This week I’ve been learning new things, which I love! I found a couple of cowl patterns that I wanted to make, both of which used short rows - something I’d only heard of before. So I went off to youtube and found a video for knitting short rows (no link sorry, I’m on the wrong computer) - I don’t think there are any for knooking yet. Then I had to work out how to adapt it for knooking. I think the easiest way to do it is with two cords. On the row before the short row, you work up to where the first short row will end then pull the cord through and swap cord. Finish the row turn then work the first row, when you get to the wrap and turn (I’ve just been doing it for garter stitch which is a bit easier) pull the yarn to the front slide the next stitch to your knook, and pull the yarn to the back again, like for knitting, then slide the stitch on to the first cable. Turn and pull the yarn to the back again, making sure you don’t get tangled, it can be a little awkward. The finish the row like normal. Repeat if you have another short row, or knit across the whole row again. Short rows are great for shaping. One of the patterns I’m working on just now, has short rows forming the collar of the cowl - it looks great and makes it really nice and snug.

My next tip is for the KnitPro Interchangeable hooks I bought. I love these hooks! They’re so smooth and comfortable to use. And I also love the cables that come with them. I find it much easier to get into the stitches with the cable, and my stitches are less likely to get pulled tight like they can on a cord. I also love how easy it is to change my cable. However, I can not knit ribbing with the cables. It took me a while to work out what my problem was - my purl to knit changes were fine, but knit to purl was always loose. I think the problem was that the cable was stretching that change and not letting me get it tight enough. When I was using a cord instead, my ribbing had been fine. I wanted to keep using my knooking hook, so I sellotaped my yarn cord to the end like I did with my crochet hooks. This worked and my ribbing was looking good, but wasn’t completely successfull, because the hook tapers at the end, and every now and then, the cord would pull free of the sellotape, which was pretty annoying. Then I had a brainwave. The end of my knook had a very small screw, what if I could find something that fitted in there and could be screwed together. Lucky for me I had just the thing - I make jewellery and I had some screw fasteners for necklaces and they fit together perfectly! It’s actually better than the cable that comes with the knooks, because the loop on the back of the fastener moves independantly of the screw, so that your necklace doesn’t twist up as you’re using it. So your cord doesn’t twist as you’re using it this way. Just tie your cord securely to your fastening and you’re ready to go. It also makes it really fast and easy to swap your cord now, for short rows or working in the round. Hope that helps someone!