Introduction:

This is the pattern for the socks that I made for a friend for her 49th birthday a couple of years ago. I am finally writing up the pattern now, a short time after she passed away from cancer. The socks are meant to be squishy and comfortable, perfect for wearing around the house, but also would be good for wearing inside larger shoes, slippers or boots. The pattern is knit top-down, in the round, with a set of 5 double-pointed needles. They are designed with a strong heel and the option of adding reinforcement thread to the bottom of the heel and the toes. These thicker-than-usual socks are made with DK weight yarn or an equivalent (two strands of fingering weight, or one strand of light fingering plus one strand of sport weight). The socks in the photo above were made with one strand of light 3-ply sock yarn and one strand of sport weight nylon wool blend yarn that I found in my stash. I chose a bright rainbow colour that reminded me of my friend because she always brought so much brightness and joy to everyone around her. Choose whatever colours you want and have available. This is an intermediate pattern, intended for people who have knit socks before and have a good knowledge of knitting.