Mystery of the PK solved

I've played around with the Portuguese Knitting of the video and this is what I've learned....

In the video she is working a knit stitch. The yarn is in the back (although this is deceiving at first because the angle the working yarn has because it is around her neck.) She then inserts the needle/hook left to right, into the front loop, but then brings the needle to the front again (basically she is twisting the stitch she is going to work). Her thumb flicks the yarn counterclockwise around the tip. She snags that wrap with the hook pulling it through, and off the needle/hook......It really is NOT as "fiddly" as it looks and I was able to get a decent rhythm after the first few stitches. I think using a hook helps a bit, but it isn't necessary. In fact I found that a needle with a good point works better for me than the hooks. Especially if you are a tight knitter, getting the hook into the stitch in the first step could be problematic considering the bluntness of a hooks. And then of course we get into the whole Bates vs Boye hooks but I don't want to go there. LOL

In the picture below, the first two ridges of garter stitch were done my "normal" way, I thought a base to work off of and some comparison would be a good idea. As depicted in the photo, there was no difference in gauge nor the look of the stitches when I change the method. Let me tell ya though, working with hooks instead of needles was kinda strange...make sure the hook holding the stitches has the head facing away from you or your asking for frustration.



Next I messed around with how she prob'ly works purl stitches. It's just a guess, I can't find a video showing that.
I'm a switch-hitting knitter. In other words, sometimes I swoop, pluck, dig, snag, drag, throw, and sometimes I do any combination of them all.......NOW I have the "thumb-flick"! I really like purling in the manner I'm guessing she uses. I find it just as easy as the combined purl, but without the dreaded twist resulting!! WOO HOO

Purling "her way": With yarn in front insert needle right to left in the front loop. Thumb flick the yarn counterclockwise around the tip just like before, and pull it through. The thumb-flick makes the counterclockwise wrap so much easier that I'm not even attempted to do the Combined/Continental snag/drag that results in a twist. Plus this is sooooo much easier than the Norwegian purl!!

So wonderful to have "new" method in my arsenal!!! Of course the ease also lies in the working yarn being looped around your neck . Please don't wrap it around your neck thinking you need to tension it that way, we don't want any casualties!! :-P