Inspiration: pretty yarn, fast & soft, cozy socks! Easy and fun!

Materials:
3 - 50 gm balls Mochi Plus Bossa Nova #562
Crystal Palace Bamboo dpn needles - sizes US 4 & 5 or size required for gauge.
Large eyed tapestry needle or crochet hook

Gauge: 6.5 sts per inch (26 sts/10 cm) over St st with larger needles

Size: woman’s small/medium (size 7-9)

Abbreviations:
CO- cast on; dpn- double pointed needles; K- Knit; K2tog - knit 2 sts together; P- Purl; rep - repeat; St st - stockinette stitch; YO - yarn over; PSSO - pass slip st over; rnd(s) - round(s); st(s)- stitch(es); tog - together.

Instructions:
With smaller needles, CO 48 st. Join, being careful not to twist. Place marker.
K 2 rounds K2 P2 rib. Change to larger needles and continue rib until leg is ~6" from CO-edge.
Start heel: change to smaller needles.
K 12, turn; P 24.
Heel Front: Sl-1, K1, across. Back: Sl-1, P across. Repeat these two rows until heel is ~2.5 in.

Turn heel:
Sl-1, K13, K2tog, K1, turn. Sl1, P5, p2tog, p1 turn.
Right Side: Sl-1, K across to 1 st before “gap”. K2tog, K1, turn.
Wrong Side: Sl-1, P across to 1 st before “gap”, P2tog, P1, turn.
Repeat these 2 rows until all heel sts are used up.
End ready for front row.
Gusset pickups: K across ½ sts and change to new needle.
K across remaining sts; PU & K the slip sts going down the side of heel.
Change to a new needle #2 and K the instep sts;
change to a new needle and K the slip sts going up the other side of heel.
End by knitting across remaining sts.

Gusset decreases:
Dec round:
on ndl 1, K1P1 3 sts, k2tog, K1;
on ndl 2, K2P2 across;
on ndl 3, K1, Sl-1, K1, psso, and work in K1P1 rib.
Plain round: knit with no decreases across all 3 needles- Ndls 1 & 3 are K1P1 rib; Ndl 2 is K2P2 rib.

When you have returned to the starting 48 sts, continue the foot in ribbing until the sock foot is ~1.75" from length of longest toe.
Now begin toe decreases.

Dec rnd:
Needle 1, K to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1.
Needle 2, K1, Slip1, K1, PSSO, K to last 3 sts; K2tog, K1.
Needle 3: K1, Slip 1, K1, PSSO, and K to end. Plain rnd: K all sts.
You will alternate Dec rnd and Plain rnd until 8 sts remain.

Toe closure:
cut the yarn, leaving an ~8 in end. With a crochet hook, pull the yarn through the sts one at a time, dropping each off the needle. Pull tightly to close; tuck end inside.

Finishing: Work in all ends.
Try a crochet hook for this - no need to thread needle & this is faster.

Laura is the editor (and author-designer) of Friendly Socks, Vol.1, Friendly Socks, Vol 2: A-Z; a 3rd set Friendly Socks, Vol. 3, 50 Socks - 50 States, is due Fall 2009. Information about these books can be found at http://siriusknitting.blogspot.com or www.siriusknitting.com .
Laura is the owner of Sirius Knitting Publications and can be reached at
drlaura -at- siriusknitting.com (change the -at- to @ to send email, we do this to help drlaura avoid spam).

copyright 2009 Crystal Palace Yarns/Straw Into Gold, Inc. - We are happy to share this free knitting pattern with knitters. The pattern may be used for non-commercial personal or knitting guild use. It is not to be used in any publication in print nor should it be reproduced in electronic/digital format or elsewhere on the Web without permission. Knitting shops carrying CP Yarns Mochi Plus are welcome to print and share this pattern with customers of our yarns.

Retail shops in the USA should contact CPY Wholesale for information on purchasing Crystal Palace Yarns and email cpyinfo -at- straw.com (replace the -at- with @)

or write to:
Crystal Palace Yarns, 160 23rd St., Richmond, CA 94804
phone: 510-237-9988,  fax: 510-237-9809