Knooking hook developments

I had a go at making another hook out of the second piece of twig, but that turned out to have a soft centre, and when I cut the hook it just broke, so that wasn't terribly successful.

Unsuccessful hook-making with twig from unidentified shrub

Returning to the holly wood hook, I continued my search for the ideal cord to go with it. I has some heavy duty linen thread in the sewing drawer, and I took a length of this and twisted it into four-ply cord. I'd never tried this before, but seen my mum do it many years ago. It involves tying the thread to a door handle and standing the other side of the room holding the other end. It probably goes more smoothly if the cat doesn't notice what's going on. After a couple of attempts I got a cord I was quite pleased with and threaded it through the eye of the hook.

I knitted a square of ribbing with the latest incarnation of the knooking hook and cord. With the exception of a couple of minor catastrophes it went very well. I pulled the cord too far and dropped half a row of stitches at one point, then had to use a knitting needle to pick them all up again and actually knit the second half of that row. I also managed to break the eye, but this was my own stupid fault for stretching the fabric against the hook. Having retrieved the craft knife, I trimmed the broken end and cut a new eye, then continued with a slightly shorter hook. I'd better not do this too often or I'll have nothing left!

Knooked ribbing

I'm happy with this combination of hook and cord. Until I break the hook again, this is what I'll use. As for knooking vs. knitting, knooking is so much easier for ribbing. Moving the yarn from front to back of the work is just a matter of a slight movement of the left index finger, as there's no second needle to go round. I finished this piece much more quickly than the knit one.

I'll stop talking about knooking for a while now. I like it, I have a hook and cord I'm happy with, and I'll be sticking with basic stitches until I finish the baby blanket. Maybe I'll try something more interesting after that, or maybe not. It will probably depend on how busy I am in the garden/how much it's raining.