Oktoberfest

“Have you seen a sock
the color of wheat,
the color of corn….”

Sorry….

Well, but it is “the color of wheat, the color of corn” – or more to the point, the pale golden amber of ale. Except for the contrasting cuff in Wheat Ear Rib, which gives it a creamy head.

The motif running up the leg is a stitch I call Barleycorn Eyelet; which is intended to suggest either grains of barley… or bubbles rising… or, I hope, both.

Construction: toe-up.

With grateful thanks to the knittyheads who were so generous with their thoughtful suggestions – our Simpler Sock: Oktoberfest.

10-15-06 – Hot off the needles – Oktoberfest is finished!

Man, I have to say – I really love it when the finished sock comes out looking like the sketch – more to the point, when it comes out looking like the IDEA.

I didn’t have to double the white after all. It seemed thin in the skein, but bloomed up nicely on the needles.

Just noticed in this pic that the heel isn’t on quite straight – on my foot, I mean.  It isn’t actually short! It’s a bit snugger than my usual, though – I was deliberately going for a little more negative ease  (I’m sorry, but that phrase still sounds oxymoronic to me!).  But the two pics above are a more accurate reflection of the actual fit.

How do I love this Wheat-Ear ribbing – let me count the ways.

I’ve narrowed it down from the BGW original – so it’s a four-stitch repeat instead of five. Brings the ribs closer together and adds elasticity – not to mention that it looks nicer IMO, and harmonizes better with a 64-stitch sock.

Special bonus: I really love the slight scalloping of the edge – almost like the effect of Feather&Fan in miniature, and totally in keeping with the “foamy” theme.