Before & After Socks by Marceline Smith

Before & After Socks

Knitting
August 2020
Sport (12 wpi) ?
8 stitches and 11 rows = 1 inch
in stockinette stitch with larger needles
US 0 - 2.0 mm
US 1 - 2.25 mm
300 - 375 yards (274 - 343 m)
1 (2, 3) with 7 (8, 9) in 18 (20, 23) cm foot circumference
This pattern is available for $6.00 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website

Same, different, rough, smooth
Your lens on life and mine are not the same. We may be living the same circumstances but experience them very differently. Things can also look quite different during a period of challenge. What was once smooth and predictable can become rough, disorganized. These two states of being, even and uneven, often occur right alongside each other, touching different parts of us at any given time. A smooth path for some can create a rough road for others. Repetitive knit patterns on a textured sock help me bring reflections like this into view. In stockinette, the colors in a yarn behave one way; add a few purl stitches and those same colors look completely different! Before and after; tame and textured; now and next. Both are valuable; both worth our energy and attention.

Sock Construction: Toe-up, rounded toe, basic gusset heel, left and right specific patterned instep, ribbed cuff
(Prefer knitting cuff down? Try out my Now & Next pattern!)

Sample Yarn (pictured): Garnbutikken Fortunas Hoylandsull heavy fingering weight, sturdy, plump, nonsuperwash 100% Peruvian Highland wool in “Circus in Corymon” (Sirlius pa Kolmoen); 1 skein has 330 yards in 100g, 60g used for the sample

Gauge: 32 sts and 44 rounds in 4 in (10 cm) of stockinette stitch, unblocked; sample was knit with a heavier weight yarn at a denser gauge; choose a needle that gives you a firm but flexible fabric, and adjust size as needed

Sizes: 1 (2, 3) with 7 (8, 9) in 18 (20, 23) cm foot circumference

Sample shown is size 3 for a US Women’s Shoe Size 10.5 with 10.25 in (26 cm) foot length, 2.5 in (6 cm) cuff. Foot, leg and cuff can be knit to fit; adding length will increase the yardage needed.

Needles & Notions: US 1/2.25mm (main sock body) and US 0/2.0mm (cuff) double pointed needles, tapestry needle, scissors, removable stitch marker (optional)

This pattern’s instructions are written for (5) Double Pointed Needles – N1, N2, N3, N4, and the Working Needle. Each needle is described in the order in which the stitches are worked from them with the Working DPN. Adjust the instructions to your preferred knitting method (Magic Loop, 2 circulars, two at a time, etc.).

My sincerest gratitude to:
Jessica Schwab jujyfruit - Tech Editor
Garnbutikken Fortuna - yarn support

Thank you for supporting the work of #BIPOC designers