This is an intermediate level sock knitting tutorial. It is best suited for the confident and adventurous beginner or anyone with prior sock knitting experience.

In this tutorial, I will encourage you to design your own socks. You can, of course knit a plain stockinette sock, but I hope you will see how easy it is to become the master of your own knitting and do whatever you want!

Supplies Needed

Sock weight yarn - approx 350 - 400 yards
Amount of yarn needed depends on how long you want the leg portion. Choose two complimentary colors if you want contrasting heels and toes. Or get many colors and make stripes! (I used Knit Picks Risata in Buttermilk)

TWO Size 1 or 2 circular needles
The length of the needles is not crucial, however if they're too long, they'll only get in the way. I like 16 or 24 inch needles.
(I used two Knit Picks Harmony Circulars in size 1)
You will also need
one split ring stitch marker, safety pin or scrap of yarn
a tapestry or yarn needle
a ruler or measuring tape
and of course, PATIENCE

Before begin,  watch Amy's video knitting on two circular needles. Thanks to KnittingHelp.com for all their wonderful and free knitting videos.

Step One - Cast on

First things first, hold one needle and the cable from the second needle in one hand together. You will cast onto the needle tip and a cable at the same time.

Note: If you're planning to knit contrasting toes and heels, begin with your contrast color now.

Tie a slip knot in the end of your yarn, leaving a tail 8-10 inches long. This slip knot is only to anchor the yarn while you cast on and will not count as a stitch.

Slide the slip knot on to the tip of your needle. Begin a figure 8 cast on:
Bring the working yarn (not the tail of the slip knot) under then over the cable as shown, then under and over the top needle as shown. Be careful to make sure you're wrapping your needle exactly as pictured.

Pull the yarn snug. Repeat these wraps under the cable and over the needle until you have 12 wraps on the needle and 12 on the cable. Do not count the slip knot! There will be a total of 24 stitches, plus the slip knot.

When wrapping, remember to go down between the needle and cable, and then up and around the needle and/or cable. This is a "figure 8" cast on, because the yarn is wrapped in a figure 8 pattern. Also, when pulling the yarn snug, pull it so that it is snug around the needle and cable, and pulls the two close together.

You may be tempted to slide the other needle tip and wrap around it instead of the cable, but don’t. Wrapping the cable will result in a much more even cast on that will become evident a little later in the tutorial.

Count your wraps to double check you have wrapped enough times, then check again. Leave the working yarn going down and between the needle and the cable.

Step Two

The secret to two circular needle knitting is to always keep each side of your sock on the same needle. Meaning the stitches on the top side of your sock are always knit on the same needle, the bottom side of your sock is knit on the other circular.

By the way, this is my favorite sock knitting method. No fuss, no muss speedy sock knitting awaits!

Ok, back to work...

Begin knitting the stitches on the top needle using the other end of the same circular needle.

Knit across these 12 stitches as normal, but do not knit the slip knot.

When you come to the slip knit, just drop it off and pull the knot out. You don't need it anymore.

Now rotate your work so that the stitches you just knit are on the bottom, and the waiting stitches are on top on their cable. The same side of your work should still be facing you.

Slide the just-knit stitches to the cable portion of the needle.

And slide the waiting-to-be-knit stitches onto the tip of their needle.

You're now ready to knit these 12 stitches. However, due to how they were wrapped, these stitches are twisted backwards. Knit into the back of each stitch as shown to correct them. This is the only time you'll have to knit through the back loop.

Knit across all 12 stitches through the back loop. And turn your work.

Knit all stitches one more time. First the 12 on the top needle, then the 12 on the other needle.

As you finish a side and flip your work, notice how each side of the sock remains on the same needle it started on. If you accidentally knit a side with the wrong needle, and are left with an empty needle, just slip the stitches back to their needle.

When you finish side 2 for the second round, slip a pin or stitch marker on a stitch at this side. You do not have to move this marker, but you may prefer to move it up the sock periodically. This marker serves to remind you which side of the sock marks the end of the round.