REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Cast On, Bind Off

Cast On, Bind Off

by Leslie Ann Bestor
Spiral-bound: 216 Pages
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (June 19, 2012)

While store bookshelves overflow with one knitting technique book after another - many of which simply contain the same information, just repackaged - one thing was always missing.  Enter the technique book that I've been longing to add to my collection... Cast On, Bind Off!  Won't you join me in discovering the perfect beginning - and ending - for all of our knitted projects?

Cast On, Bind Off features 54 step-by-step methods for, well, casting on and binding off!  Knitters are a crafty bunch and while we love to learn new techniques, I would bet you are stuck in a rut with your go-to cast on and bind off methods.  Am I right (raise your hand... don't be shy)?  When it comes to getting projects started, my personal go-to is the long-tail cast on, as taught to me by my Mom. If I have to cast on a large number of stitches and am not in the mood for ripping it out three hundred times before I have enough yarn in my long tail to get me through, I'll opt for the knitted cast on. As for the finishing touch, I trust the good 'ole traditional bind off, except when it comes to socks (hello Mr. Kitchener) or if the pattern specifies something fancy. In the latter case, I tend to visit YouTube to figure out just what the crazy pattern is asking me to do. Unfortunately, that's not always easy to do when you're knitting on the go, and often I get frustrated trying to follow along with an overly perky instructor while I constantly hit rewind and pause. This is what makes Cast On, Bind Off the best thing since sliced bread. Okay, that might be a bit of a stretch, but seriously... 54 methods to choose from, packaged in a conveniently sized spiral bound book!  I can toss it in my knitting bag (in fact, I already have) and the spiral binding means there is no juggling act necessary.  The book lies perfectly flat so that you can follow the well written - and photographed - instructions. 

Cast On, Bind Off is perfectly organized into types, making it very easy to find what you are looking for quickly.  Cast Ons are grouped into nine categories: Basic, Stretchy, Decorative, Circular, Double-Sided, Multicolor, Provisional, Tubular and Mobuis.  Bind Offs are grouped into four categories: Basic, Stretchy, Decorative and Sewn. 

I wanted to pick a technique to try and show you as part of this review, so I opted to cast on a basic cowl. After trying out a few of the stretchy cast ons, I decided to go with the simple, yet great looking, Alternating Long-Tail Cast On (I know, big stretch from my go-to, right?).

This variation of the long-tail cast on is perfect for projects that start with ribbing, produces a neat edge that looks good on both sides, and results in a moderately elastic edge. As with all of the methods in Cast On, Bind Off, there are detailed pictures showing how the edge looks from various angles, as well as both the front and back of your fabric. The step-by-step instructions are clear, concise and accompanied by photos of each step. I find the format of the book very easy to follow and understand. Tips, characteristics and "good for" information is provided for each method. 

Verdict?  Pick up a copy of Cast On, Bind Off for your craft bookshelf now!  And yes, you can enter to win a copy below (if you happen to win and have already picked up a copy, that's okay... this is the perfect knitting book to pay forward to a good friend!)

About the Author: Master knitter Leslie Ann Bestor has more than three decades of experiences as a trusted knitting instructor, yarn retailer and fiber artist.  She is currently a knitting teacher and manager at WEBS, America's Yarn Store. Many of her designs have been featured in books and magazines. Leslie lives and creates in western Massachusetts.

GIVEAWAY! Thanks to the great folks at Storey, we get to give away a copy of Cast On, Bind Off to one lucky reader! To enter:

• Leave a comment here telling us why you want to win! Perhaps you're stuck in a cast on rut or there's a particular bind off you've been dying to try?  Maybe your socks are longing for a stretchy cast on or that shawl would be more special with a decorative bind off?  
• You can get extra entries by sending your friends here to enter (be sure to have them mention your name), so be sure to blog, Tweet, Facebook and text about this giveaway!
• Winner will be selected by random number generator.
• Deadline for entries is Wednesday, July 25th at 11:59pm EST

Check out the other stops on the Cast On, Bind Off Blog Tour.  

7/9         Picnic Knits

7/10       Knit and Tonic

7/11       Zeneedle

7/12       Rambling Designs

7/13       Rambling Designs Part 2

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

7/26       Under the Humble Moon

7/27       Knitting Daily

7/28       Knitting School Dropout

7/29       Hugs for Your Head
7/30       The Knit Girllls