ooooh, i got a new book in the mail a couple of weeks back and i think it’s one you’re going to like—a delicious cornucopia of cast ons and bind offs by master knitter and teacher, leslie ann bestor.
cast on, bind off (story press) has an amazing array of starts and stops for virtually any type of knitted edge you are after. the concept alone is handy enough to make me buy one, but then the are are a number of additional features that make this a solid investment for any knitter.
i love the spiral binding that allows the book to lay flat while i’m working. i’m much more likely to use such a book when i need to look up and practice a technique, since i’ll be able to follow along more easily. it’s also small enough to pack along in a knitting tote, another plus
i love the way it’s organized too—techniques are divided into groups according to type and there is a reference page that tells you which bind off or cast on will work best for what type of project. love!
i can’t show you photos from inside the book as i usually would, but i will vouch for the way the material is presented; each technique has its own spread and introduction, with photo of right side and wrong side appearance, a list of appropriate applications, and tips for making it perfect. then follows a series of photographs with step by step instructions for executing the maneuver. where applicable, more than one set of instructions is included (as with the knitted cast on).
(BTW, my grandma’s cast on is not here, but that doesn’t surprise me; I’ve yet to see it included in ANY book on the subject)
there are several cast-ons i’ve been meaning to learn, but have been lazy about looking up and figuring out—now i have no excuse. i’m going to try for some practice on these in my next available free time. according to my calendar, that should be sometime in september, 2017.
seriously though, cast on, bind off is a great little book which i’ll be sure to keep handy. even if i don’t have time to practice and learn something new just for the heck of it this week, i know i will use it frequently.
and guess what? one of you can win a copy, too. if that sounds like a good deal, leave a comment at the end of this post by 9 pm EDST on saturday, july 28. you might also want to check out posts and book giveaways at the following stops on the blog tour:
7/9 Picnic Knits
7/9 Picnic Knits
7/10 Knit and Tonic
7/11 Zeneedle
7/12 Rambling Designs
7/13 Rambling Designs (pt. 2: Leslie Ann guest post)
7/14 Neo Knits
7/15 Knit & Nosh
7/16 Knitting at Large
7/17 Rebecca Danger
7/18 Lapdog Creations
7/19 Nutmeg Knitter
7/20 Yarnagogo
7/21 Weekend Knitter
7/22 knitgrrl
7/23 It’s a Purl, Man
7/24 Whip Up
7/25 Knitspot
7/27 Knitting Daily
7/29 Hugs for Your Head
7/30 The Knit Girllls
431 thoughts on “starting and stopping”
Thanks for reviewing this book. I’d love an extra copy for a friend with upcoming birthday…
Short of taking a class with Anne this book would be a great addition to my library.
Awesome book!
This book looks like it would be an amazing addition to any knitter’s knitting bag. I’d love to have a copy.
I need this book!
This book looks good!
Love book giveaways.
This looks like a really great book, I would love to win it!
This would be a wonderful book to own. I always have to do computer search for different cast on’s–this would save some time and would be darned interesting too!
Thanks!
I would love to win a copy of this book! It looks like a great addition for my knitting library. I’m pretty limited on what I use for cast ons AND bind-offs.
I’ve love to win this book. It looks fabulous.
I’ve heard great things about this book and would love to have a copy of my own. Thanks for the chance to win one!
Such a cool idea! I would so love a copy of my own.
It is too bad that you have little time to practice these techniques. But that means there’s lots of content for the blog 🙂
Lovely book – hoping that I’ll be the lucky one!
Ooh! A book I would likely keep at my fingertips. Thanks for the offer.
I always thought thee was only one way to cast off-my Mom’s way. It’s time for me to grow up and learn new techniques! 🎎
Wow, sounds like a must have book. If I don’t win it, I will have to buy
Great book!
I hope I win. I would love to know more than just the one long tail cast on that I only just recently learned to do all by myself 🙂
This looks like a great book! I would love a copy of it!
This looks like a great addition to the reference shelf! Thanks for the review, Anne. I’ve been collecting cast-offs and bind-offs for several years, but a handy reference for all of them would be a welcome thing.
It looks like a great book.
Sounds like that would be a useful addition to my knitting library–well thought out and designed to be easy to use. My kind of book!
Thanks for sharing your review. I keep hearing good things about this book. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Sounds like a great book! I’m always amazed at how many cast ons and bind off there are!
Wow, there are a lot of comments on this post. I know the odds are really against me, but I’d love to win a copy of this book! I’ve read several reviews of it from the blog tour, and it sounds so helpful!
Casting on – I know one way to do this. Taught myself in the 5th grade when I received a small knitting kit for Christmas. Big red wooden needles and some very bulky white yarn. I knit the little hat project but could not understand the bind off section for I just ran one loop into the other and tied it off with a knot. No one in the family was a knitter so no help there and in 1961 the internet did not exist. No help on a You tube video!!!
I love technique books. You can never have too many!
Want and need this for my library.
I’d love this book! I’m always interested in new techniques.
Great book!
We all can always learn something new. Would love this book to reference and use.
Ooh pick me – this looks like a great book.
Was just looking at this the other day in the bookstore. Love the way it’s organized, the comprehensiveness, and the spiral binding. Sometimes a physical book is still the best way to collect and use information!
As a newish knitter, this would be an invaluable resource I’d love to add to my library! Thanks for the review.
I love your book reviews, they’re very helpful. Thanks for the giveaway.
This looks like an awesome book! I would love all the new ideas….seems like I do the same old thing all the time! Love it!
I’ve been knitting for 48 years and still I find new things to learn. This book would help!
You mean there’s more than one way to cast on?!?!? ;^) Love to expand my knowledge of such things by winning the book.
I have heard so many great things about this book. I am going to have to go back to all the tour dates to read everything!
The more I read about this book, the more I want a copy.
Would love this as a reference- never know which is the best option for my project.
Would love to have this in my knitting library – what a useful book.
Thanks for offering it as a give-away!
This would be a fantastic addition to my knitting library not to mention how useful it would be.
This looks like a book well worth having in any knitting library
Yes, would be a great addition and constant reference!
I have knitting books falling off the shelves but am always on the lookout for another!
Cast On – Bind Off = two important elements that can change a project from “ordinary” to “WOW!”.
This such like such a handy reference to stuff in your knitting bag! Crossing my fingers, and thanks for the giveaway contest.
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