Green Is The Hope. Photo © Stephanie van der Linden
Green Is The Hope, originally titled Grün ist die Hoffnung, is a free lace sock knitting pattern by Stephanie van der Linden with a wonderfully unusual construction.
Instead of beginning traditionally at the cuff or toe, these knitted socks start with a decorative lace section around the center of the upper foot. The rest of the sock is then developed around this starting point, making the pattern an interesting choice for experienced sock knitters looking for something different.
Green Is The Hope Pattern Details
- Designer: Stephanie van der Linden
- Original name: Grün ist die Hoffnung
- Published: July 2008
- Craft: Knitting
- Category: Mid-calf socks
- Pattern availability: Free download
- Yarn weight: Fingering / 4 ply
- Suggested yarn: Schachenmayr Regia 4-fädig 4-ply
- Yardage: Approximately 350–437 yards (320–400 m)
- Construction: Unusual center-start sock construction
- Techniques: Lace, short rows and knitting in the round
- Heel: Short-row heel
- Pattern format: Includes charted instructions
- Languages: English and German
An Unusual Way to Knit Socks
What makes Green Is The Hope particularly interesting is its unconventional starting point.
Most hand-knit socks begin either at the cuff and work toward the toe, or begin at the toe and work upward. This design takes a different approach by beginning with a lace motif positioned on the upper part of the foot.
The sock is then developed outward from this decorative starting point, creating a construction that feels very different from a conventional sock pattern.
Decorative Lace Socks
The lace motif is one of the defining features of the design. It creates an eye-catching geometric texture across the upper foot while also becoming an important part of the sock's construction.
Fingering-weight yarn keeps the fabric relatively fine, allowing the lace openings and stitch definition to remain visible.
A solid, semi-solid or gently tonal yarn can be especially effective if you want the lace structure to remain the main visual feature.
Yarn for Green Is The Hope
The pattern is designed for fingering-weight / 4-ply sock yarn.
Stephanie van der Linden suggests Schachenmayr Regia 4-fädig 4-ply, a traditional sock yarn containing wool and nylon.
The pattern listing gives an estimated requirement of approximately 350–437 yards (320–400 metres).
Another fingering-weight sock yarn can be substituted, but choose your yarn and needles according to the gauge and fabric required by the pattern rather than relying only on the yarn-weight label.
Short-Row Heel Construction
Green Is The Hope incorporates a short-row heel. Short rows allow the knitted fabric to curve around the heel without requiring the traditional heel-flap-and-gusset construction used in many cuff-down sock patterns.
Combined with the unusual center-start construction, this gives the project a very different knitting experience from a basic pair of socks.
Skills Used in Green Is The Hope
This is an especially interesting project for knitters who already have some sock-knitting experience and would like to explore a less conventional construction.
Useful techniques include:
- Knitting in the round
- Lace knitting
- Reading a knitting chart
- Yarn overs and decreases
- Short rows
- Short-row heel construction
- Picking up or working into existing stitches
- Following an unconventional sock construction
Designed for a German Sock KAL
Stephanie van der Linden originally designed Grün ist die Hoffnung for the Socken-Kreativ-Liste, a German Yahoo knitting community and knit-along that had around 2,000 members.
The original German title translates as “Green Is The Hope”, which is why the pattern may appear under either name when you search for it online.
English and German Versions
The design is available in both English and German.
The English version is available through Stephanie van der Linden's Ravelry store. The designer's pattern information asks knitters seeking the German version to contact her.
Why Knit Green Is The Hope?
Green Is The Hope is not simply another lace sock pattern. Its unusual starting point changes the way the sock develops on the needles and makes the construction itself part of the appeal.
If you have already knitted traditional cuff-down or toe-up socks, this pattern offers an opportunity to approach familiar sock components from a very different direction.
The combination of fingering-weight yarn, lace, short rows and the center-start construction makes it a memorable project for knitters who enjoy exploring unusual techniques.
Get the Free Green Is The Hope Sock Pattern
The complete Grün ist die Hoffnung (Green Is The Hope) pattern by Stephanie van der Linden is currently available as a free download from the designer's Ravelry store.
Get the Free Green Is The Hope Sock Pattern
Pattern availability was checked when this article was updated. Availability on external websites may change over time.