Help with smocking knots

I‘m currently learning smocking the honeycomb pattern and would like to improve on my knots. As you can see, they‘re very visible because the strands peak out after I cut them.

I stitch three times, then I go underneath the stitch doing a knot on top, then I go through the stitch once and cut the thread (hope you can follow).

Should I try and cut the thread more closely to the knot? Or is there another knotting techhnique that you recommend? :)

Thank you for your help!