The first time I made these socks, my intention was to give a bit of joy to a friend who then worked as a deck officer. He had married recently but was a little heartbroken because he had to very soon afterwards be away on a ship for four months. I found out in short notice, and I wanted to make something practical for him, so I decided on these socks, originally made with sport-weight yarn.

Over the years, this simple pattern has become my go-to recipe for making socks. It makes a perfect opportunity for learning new techniques as a beginner, or an easy and useful project if you are more advanced and are already familiar with the techniques.

10-year update: I have written more detailed instructions so that this pattern is beginner-friendly. I have also added links to the techniques used, and have written a series of helpful notes