Circular knitting "wrong/right side outside/inside the tube" and pattern instructions

Hi everyone,

Not sure my topic title makes sense (happy to adjust it if someone can suggest a better one?) but here’s the issue: I’m currently test knitting a sock pattern by a first-time designer. It’s a (gorgeous) cuff-down all-over stranded colorwork sock with a reinforced heel and a gusset. Now, I always knit with the wrong side of the work outside the “tube” (facing me) and the right side of the work inside the tube. The designer apparently knits the opposite way. Can this have an impact on the way to write/interpret the pattern instructions? Basically, I started knitting in the round again after completing the heel and instead of starting with the diagram for the sole of the feet as the pattern requires, I have to start with the diagram for the top of the feet. I had the correct number of stitches after completing the heel but now my knitting doesn’t match the diagrams. It’s entirely possible that I have made some sort of mistake somewhere, but could this be linked to the sense of my circular knitting not matching the designer’s? Also, this is a first-time designer so I wonder if he would need to take that into account (assuming, possibly wrongly, that I haven’t made any mistake)?

Knitting tubes is conventionally done with the public side of the project facing out but it’s certainly possible to knit inside out. It’s often done in stranded work to keep the floats loose and prevent puckers.
There might be a problem with the pattern which is why you’re test knitting of course. You might check by flipping the sock right side out to see that all the sts and rows are in the correct place and figure out sole from instep.
Good of you to test knit. It’s such a valuable asset for a designer.

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Thanks @salmonmac! That didn’t quite work - mostly because my brain can’t seem to handle the switch. Knitting with the public side facing out feels completely unnatural and I’m doubting my every move! I put all the sts on dental floss instead ( :upside_down_face:), took the needles off the project entirely, then reintroduced them so that I can start with the right diagram as required by the pattern, without changing the way I knit. Am I sure this is a good idea? Nope, not at all!

Sounds like you’ve discovered a good workaround! Good going and enjoy testing out these socks.