The term sea-change is often used to mean a metamorphosis or alteration. This project is a metamorphosis from mittens to socks, and also my first ever, successful attempt at stranded colorwork socks! :)

Top down, two short circs, US 2 for cuff and leg

Using the charts to make socks out of mostly Hazel Knits Artisan Sock Yarn and a color palette similar to the mittens.

Typically my colorwork is too tight and inflexible for socks. These may go to the other extreme, being a bit baggy, but that’s progress. REAL progress! (Actually, after trying it on, the leg fits rather well--not baggy at all.)

I find that wooden needles are better for colorwork for me. Interesting, since my normal preference is slick metal needles.

I did not like how the mitten cuff behaved as a sock cuff, so I snipped the yarn, undid the cuff and reknitted it. Still needing to knit it top down to achieve the scallops, I had to figure out a way to attach it to the existing sock leg. I ended up knitting the cuff and leg together with yellow and then on the second round using JSSBO, knit sts only. This scallop pattern makes a nice cuff; next time just continue on from this cuff for top down socks--avoid the surgery!!

Sock cuff--a variation of Feather & Fan:
Old Norwegian Cast on with gray yarn on thumb and natural yarn on index finger. Cast on 84 sts
Round 1 (natural) K (84 sts)
Round 2 (natural) P
Round 3 (natural) k2tog twice, (m1, k1) four times, ssk twice -- repeat around
Round 4 (natural) K
Round 5 (natural) P
Rounds 6-8 (yellow) as for Rounds 3-5
Rounds 9-11 (natural) as for Rounds 3-4
Rounds 12-14 (blue) as for Rounds 3-5
Round 15 (natural) K, dec 4 sts evenly around to 80 sts
Round 16 (natural) P
Rounds 17-18 (natural) K

I had wanted to use the blue for the waves on the leg and foot, but there is very little contrast between the blue and gray, so green waves will happen instead. (Other blues in my stash seemed to fight with the soft color palette I have going here.) I am going to use the blue for the heel flap and begin it after the two plain rows of gray and the first wave motif.

Eye of Partridge heel flap in blue yarn, 2.5”. Shifted to US 1 needle to turn the heel and continue on the sole, and to US 1.5 for the top part of the instep. Will shift to US 1 on instep after the gusset is complete.

The gusset is rather small, only 9 sts on each side.

Used a rounded toe, inspired by Socks for the Deputy Head Mistress. Needed to tweak the decreases a bit because I was starting with more sts.