Available for pre-order. Full pattern will be released March 15th.

It includes advanced and easy versions with different charts.

Our Knitting Roots Bookclub Selection: March 2017

Let’s spend 2017 reading about the beautiful history, culture, and people from different places around the world, who have all come to America to add to our rich heritage and diverse society.

In March, I’m starting with knitting and reading selections from the Middle East, where knitting began. These socks are named for one of our main reading selections, Arab/American by Gary Paul Nathan. This book is out of print, but available in libraries and from used book sellers on bookfinder.com.

I’ve created a Facebook group for the book club, for those who spend more time hanging out over there. I will put the same posts in my Ravelry group as in the Facebook group, but of course the discussion will be different. And you can also sign up for email updates.

These toe-up socks are a tribute to Syrian immigrants and refugees in the United States. The design is based on what little information I could find, which includes a combination of Iraqi, Turkish, and Armenian designs and the colors and patterning on a mystery sock that I received as a gift. The techniques used are ones I’ve unvented by looking at socks from the region and the information in Ethnic Socks and Stockings by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts.

So far I haven’t been able to find any references or information about traditional knitting in Syria. Sadly, whatever information may have survived in museums and with private owners has probably been destroyed recently. Of course, that is nothing compared with the tragedies of so many people being displaced and so many losing their lives.

One way we can make refugees feel accepted in our communities is by asking them about their traditions and crafts. Perhaps you have some new neighbors who have Eastern knitting secrets that are yet to be revealed to the West.