Store-bought bread? Not for this household. I’ve been
baking bread for the past year. White,
wheat, challah, or brioche, no matter what
the variety the process has been rewarding
on multiple levels. You may be wondering what bread has to do
with a sock pattern. Well, the inspiration for this design is
wheat.
Winnowing is the process of separating the desired from
the undesired using wind or air. In order to harvest wheat
grain, threshed wheat was tossed in the air and winds would
carry the chaff away, leaving the heavier wheat berries to
fall to the ground.
Winnowing illustration: Encyclopaedia Biblica, a 1903
publication which is now in the public domain.
Winnow has panels of wheat heads traveling
up the front and back of the sock and airy lace fans along
the sides. I liked the fan stitch pattern as-is, so all of
the sizing is accomplished in the wheat panels.
Feel free to vary the length of the leg
to suit your taste as well as the yarn available.
The pattern repeat for the leg is 16 rounds,
but the leg can be lengthened or shortened
in 4-round increments.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique]
1
set of 5 US #1/2.25mm double-point needles OR
1
US #1/2.25mm 32 inch or longer circular needle for magic loop method OR
2 US #1/2.25mm shorter circular needles
for two-circulars method
Notions
Yarn
needle
2 stitch markers – one should be removable (split ring
or safety pin style)
GAUGE
34 sts/44 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
42 sts/44 rounds = 4 inches in pattern
stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Slip sts as if to purl unless otherwise
instructed.
Work each row of Chart A twice per round.
While working the gusset and foot, the first st of Chart
B is marked with a split ring marker. As the project gets
longer, move the marker closer to the needles while keeping
the marker on the first st of Chart B.
K3tog: Knit 3 together.
SK2P: Slip 1 st as
if to knit, k2tog, pass slipped st
over. 2 sts decreased.
S2KP2: Slip 2 sts
together as if to k2tog, k1, pass 2
slipped sts over. 2 sts decreased.
Special symbols on chart:
DL: While working
gusset, S2KP2; after completing gusset
decrease rounds, SSK.
DR: While working
gusset, S2KP2; after completing gusset
decrease rounds, k2tog.
L: While working gusset,
SSK; after completing gusset decrease
rounds, k1.
R: While working gusset,
k2tog; after completing gusset decrease
rounds, k1.
Rib St (worked over
64[72] sts): Medium size only: [K2, (p1, k1) 3 times,
(p1, k2) 3 times, (p1, k1) 2 times, (p1, k2, p1, k1)
2 times, p1] repeat to end of round. Large size only: [K2, (p1, k1) 3 times,
(p1, k2) 3 times, (p1, k1) 2 times, p1, k2, p2, k2, (p1,
k1) 2 times, p1, k2, p1] repeat to end of round.
Charts
The charts for this pattern are very large. Each fits on a letter-sized
page.
Click the chart name below and print the resulting page.
Choose the appropriate versions of Charts A and B
for the size you are making. Medium • Large
DIRECTIONS
Cuff CO 64[72] sts. Divide across your needles as you prefer,
and join for working in the round. Note or mark beginning
of round.
Work Rib St until cuff measures 1 inch
from CO edge.
Leg
Work rows 1-16 of Chart A 4 times. Each
Chart row will be worked twice across round.
Note: If you change the length of the leg, end the
leg after completing a round that contains row 4, 8,
12, or 16 of Chart A. Make note of the last row worked.
Heel Flap Set-up: Remove start of round
marker if you have one in place, k5.
Turn work.
Note: The heel flap is worked flat across 31[35] sts
which may be consolidated onto one needle. Rem
33[37] sts will be held for instep.
Note: If you have a large instep, you may wish to
work a longer heel flap to add height to the foot of
the sock. If you do this, be sure to pick up more gusset
sts and work more gusset decrease rounds accordingly.
Gusset Note: The instep stitches are worked
from Chart B. See the table below for
which row to start with.
Last row worked from Chart
A
First
row worked from Chart B
Row
4
Row
5
Row
8
Row
9
Row
12
Row
13
Row
16
Row
1
Note: The gusset decreases are integrated into the
patterning worked across the instep. Rows 1, 5,
9 and 13 of the chart have decreases at each end. When
a gusset decrease round falls on one of those chart rows,
a double decrease is worked at the start and end of the
instep sts rather than a standard single decrease. When
a gusset decrease round falls on chart rows 3, 7, 11
and 15 a single decrease is worked in place of theknit
stitch normally worked. See chart and pattern notes
for details. Once the gusset decreases are complete,
single decreases are worked at each end of chart rows
1, 5, 9 and 13; and on chart rows 3, 7, 11 and 15, a
knit stitch is worked at both ends.
Round 1: Sl1, k18[20], pick up and knit 19[21]
sts along the side of the heel flap;
slip the last picked-up stitch to the
left needle, S2KP2, mark the resulting
st with a removable stitch marker— (this is the first
st of Chart B) continue with the second
st of Chart B (refer to table above for which row to work)
ending with stitch 32[36] of the chart; sl2, pick up 1 st
at the top of heel flap and place it on the left needle,
sl2 from the right needle back to the left needle, S2KP2—you
just worked stitch 33[37] of Chart B; pick up and
knit 18[20] sts along the side of the
heel flap, k10[11], pm for beg of rnd
if desired.
Sole/gusset: 55[61] sts, instep: 33[37]
sts. 88[98] sts total.
Round 2: Knit up to but do not work marked st;
work 33[37] sts in established pattern from Chart B; k
to end of rnd.
Round 3: Knit until there is 1 unworked st before
the marked st; work 33[37] sts in established pattern from
Chart B; k to end of rnd. 2 sts decreased.
Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 until 33[37] sole sts remain.
66[74] sts total.
Foot Note: The first and last stitches
of the odd rows of Chart B have different
definitions for this section of the
sock. Refer to the chart key.
Foot round: Knit up to but do not work marked
st; continue instep in established pattern from Chart B,
k to end of rnd.
Repeat Foot round until foot is approximately
2 [2.25] inches shorter than desired length from back of
heel
Toe
Remove beg of rnd marker, knit up to
but do not work marked st. This is
the new beg of rnd. Place a marker or rearrange your
sts as you desire. 33[37] instep sts and 33[37] sole
sts, 66[74] sts total.
Round 1: K1, SSK, k27[31], k2tog, k1, pm for
center of round, k1, SSK, k until 3 sts rem in rnd, k2tog,
k1. 4 sts decreased.
Round 2: K all sts.
Round 3: K1, SSK, k to 3 sts before center marker,
k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, SSK, k until 3 sts before end,
k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.
Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 10[12] more times until
18 sts remain.
Graft the toe closed.
FINISHING
Weave in ends, block if desired.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Janice knits, spins, and bakes in her home in Northern California.
In her spare time she also sings
backup in a band—her fellow band members often see her
knitting during down time at rehearsal and soundcheck.