A good while back I received an e-mail – asking me to review a book. I don’t normally get these sorts of e-mails, but it was a technique book so I was intrigued and said sure – send me a book. So they sent me a copy of Leslie Ann Bestor’s Cast On Bind Off.
First off – I just want to say that I think that using spiral binding on a technique book is nothing short of genius. I have a fair few stitch dictionaries. And some of them are looking pretty worn out because I turn to them so frequently. I think this cute little book will stand up to my abuse!
And I’m pleased to say that I will actually use this one. Not only does she offer a nice long list of different beginnings and ends, she also gives you the why. As in why you would want to use this cast-on or bind-off. Or why not. Sometimes I think the “why-nots” are even more important!
Each and every cast-on has an amazing amount of pictures – pictures of how it looks from different angles and wonderfully detailed how-to photographs.
I actually got to meet the author, Leslie Ann Bestor, at TNNA and she was lovely. A smart girl would have taken her book and had Leslie Ann sign it and gotten a cute picture of her, but hey, it was my first TNNA and I forgot a lot of things. Like say my hairdryer. Ahem.
I was quite shocked to find there were a number of techniques in this book that I had never heard of, much less attempted, so I feel I can safely say that it would be useful to novices and experienced knitters alike! After I received the book and realized how much I wanted to keep it for my very own self, I had to scramble back to the e-mail because I was pretty sure I was expected to give it away. But huzzah! This is not the case. I am having a giveaway but they will send it to you and I get to keep my copy. Which is good for you because I might have licked it. Ok, not really. But anyhow…
If you comment on this entry by end of day on July 12th, I will choose a very lucky winner on Friday to get their own copy of Leslie Ann Bestor’s Cast On Bind Off. So comment away. Tell me something amusing. Go!
And if you want to read more about this amazing little book visit the other stops on the blog tour:
7/9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Picnic Knits
7/10Â Â Â Â Â Â Knit and Tonic
7/11Â Â Â Â Â Â Zeneedle
7/12Â Â Â Â Â Â Rambling Designs
7/13Â Â Â Â Â Â Rambling Designs (pt. 2: Leslie Ann guest post)
7/14Â Â Â Â Â Â Neo Knits
7/15Â Â Â Â Â Â Knit & Nosh
7/16Â Â Â Â Â Â Knitting at Large
7/17Â Â Â Â Â Â Rebecca Danger
7/18Â Â Â Â Â Â Lapdog Creations
7/19Â Â Â Â Â Â Nutmeg Knitter
7/20Â Â Â Â Â Â Yarnagogo
7/21Â Â Â Â Â Â Weekend Knitter
7/22Â Â Â Â Â Â knitgrrl
7/23Â Â Â Â Â Â It’s a Purl, Man
7/24Â Â Â Â Â Â Whip Up
7/25Â Â Â Â Â Â Knitspot
7/26Â Â Â Â Â Â Under the Humble Moon
7/27Â Â Â Â Â Â Knitting Daily
7/28Â Â Â Â Â Â Knitting School Dropout
7/29Â Â Â Â Â Â Hugs for Your Head
7/30 Â Â Â Â Â The Knit Girllls
How awesome, I love the idea of this book and that you can give a copy away! I almost always struggle with how to start and finish a project to get a look that matches. The basic bind off just doesn’t always look right. Would love to win to expand my skills! Thanks for the giveaway!
Ooh, pick me, I love technique books! My favorite cooking technique book is La Technique by Jacques Pepin. But somehow I couldn’t get into the sequel, La Methode… too methodical or something.
My library has this book on order and I’m really looking forward to getting it. It looks like I’ll eventually be buying this book for myself, though. Thanks for a good review! 🙂
Hmm, I haven’t picked up many knitting books lately, but I think this one needs to go on the to-get list. I have my favorite castons and bindoffs, but I’m sure there are plenty that I don’t know about!
This book looks like a great resource. Would love to add it to my library. Thanks!
Great review. I wanted to take a class at ssk offered by Laura lineeman on this topic but did not get into the class. This would be a great add on to my knitting skill set. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
I’m always on the look-out for that perfect stretchy bind-off and haven’t yet found a guide I can follow. This book sounds like it just might do the trick! Thanks for the great review..
What a great resource! I”ve been knitting for years and still only know a couple of ways to cast on and bind off. Love to learn more about this…..
I really love instructional technique books. I could vertainly improve my skills in this department.
I would love to be a better knitter. I have only made a scarf and a bag. Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway!
It sounds like a very useful book – I like to make my cast ons match my bind offs, not always easy to do, so perhaps the book could help!
It sounds like a very well thought-out and useful book which would make a great addition to my knitting book library! The why-to’s and why-not’s would make it especially useful when designing ones own patterns or modifying existing ones.
I like the idea of the spiral binding. I only have one knitting book and it’s been through the ringer. It was a hand-me-down, but I keep it for reference. I would love to win this book. I’m still a knitting newbie and it would really be helpful to have so many pictures and various ways to start/finish. I know of only one way and it doesn’t always look right to me.
I don’t lick books, but I’ve been known to drool on them!An intriguing review. I’ve learned a variety of cast-ons and bind-offs in classes over the years, but they don’t all stick.
I like that it has real photographs in it. I think they are much easier to understand than drawings.
OMG! That’s the book I was wishing I had when I was casting on 277 stitches. I mean, I have *plenty* of technique books. Who among us doesn’t? But to have all the techniques *and* pictures *and* whys? And in a spiral-bound book? Excellent resource.
It seems a bit silly that when I saw that this book was coming out I got really excited. Cast on & bind off, what is there to get excited about? But I am a technique junkie!
Something amusing I can tell you? Hmmm? Well, when I am on the computer my 5 yr old comes up and asks me “Are you on Rabbelry?”
This sounds like a very useful book. Thanks for the review.
looks like a great book and I’d love to win a copy!
I would love to win this book! I’m a huge fan of technique books and am always in search of the perfect cast-on/bind-off for projects so this one would be extremely useful.
This looks like a very useful book to have on hand. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
I have been waiting for a book like this!
Looks like a very handy book! I’m sure it will inspire you to design another bit of gorgeousness! Can’t wait to see what it sparks in you. 🙂
I found your site through Hugs for your Head, I just subscribed, I’m thrilled to have found you!!!! I am a beginner/intermediate knitter (just started in Jan) so this book (I just learned of it) would be awesome to have, I’m sure I can learn a lot from it, plus the binding is perfect! Thank you!!
This looks like a great book to have! I am always looking for a better way to bind off. I usually have to use a really stretchy BO because my tension is so tight, but I don’t always like the way JSSBO looks.
I would love to win! thanks! gussek on Ravelry
I am a book freak, especially knitting books! I am an advanced beginning knitter but would love to learn more cast ons and bind offs. My knowledge is pretty limited. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’m dying for this book! My library doesn’t have it but I’ve been checking and checking. I’m crossing my fingers!!!
aedgeworth27 on rav
Wow. I have been seeing this book everywhere lately. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
What a great technique book! I can see where this is one that any knitter would go to over and over again!
Ooh! Looks like a good book, but something amusing?Uh, um, what do you call cheese that belongs to someone else? Na cho cheese, snicker snicker.
Are you amused?
I’ve seen this book around, it looks like a great addition to any knitting library!
What could be better than a spiral-bound technique book that includes where and why to use the techniques, and where and why not to?I hope that you are actually choosing a winner at random…It is hard to think of something amusing to say about such a useful practical book!
Me. Pick me! Leslie Ann Bestor taught me how to weave last summer. She doesn’t answer to Leslie. Ever. Just Leslie Ann. I think she said LA works, too, but I don’t recall for sure.
You want to know something funny, eh? I often walk to different buildings during my work day. One day I slid on my clogs and walked several blocks to one of our buildings. On my walk back to my office I happened to look down at the sidewalk and noticed that I had 2 different shoes on. One black and one light brown. I literally laughed out loud and probably drew more attention to myself doing so. If that’s not funny, I don’t know what is. I hope you had a chuckle. Thanks for the giveaway.
Love the spiral binding. No more broken spines, something I hate being a librarian.
Even though I have been knitting for almost 10 years now, I have never owned any knitting technique books (not including stitch dictionaries). I’ve always used the internet, or friends, and have found most of what I needed when I needed it. But since I have gone on the road, Internet has been scarce, and being able to look up how to do certain techniques or which cast on to use has become difficult. So thank you for reviewing this book, because I surely seek it out now! I carry so few books with me, but I think this one is worthy of a spot in the vardo 🙂 And now for something amusing… Did you know tha cows have accents? Their “moo”s sound different depending on where they’re from. Fun fact!
Tell you something interesting? Er, I love your designs and would love to learn more cast-ons and bindoffs=D
Looks like a great book. I always get stuck with the why’s and why not’s to use one technique versus another, so a book that spells this out is great!! Nice to know it gets your stamp of approval!
Spiral binding! Is there anything more to say?
It’s a well-designed book, and the spiral binding is awesome. I would love to own a copy.
This looks like a delightful little book. would love to own it!
My mother taught me to knit as a young child and as a family of three girls we knit a lot. However it took me over forty years to realize that there was more than one way to cast-on. Always used the cable cast-on. My mom was a prolific knitter and we eagerly received English women’s magazines and ordered wool from relatives in the UK. I don’t remember never not knitting.
I’m intrigued that there are so many different techniques, and yet most patterns tell you simply ‘cast on’ or ‘bind off’ with no suggestion as to what might be the best method, when there are obviously some that are better than others for a given project.
I know a few bind-offs but for cast-ons I think I only know the long-tail, backwards loop, and Judy’s Magic cast on. Learning more cast-ons and bind-offs would be awesome. Thanks for the chance to win!
Can’t think of anything pithy to amuse you, but you surely would have gotten a kick out of my provisional cast-on attempt for the sweater I knit in June – took me 3 days. I really, really, really need this book 🙂
woo! do I have anything amusing yet? no, not enough coffee on board.
this looks like a fabu resource to have in one’s knitting library!
I love the cable cast on! I’m sure I’m going to pick up this book when I get the chance!
I thought the ‘cast on bind off’ class that I took at my lys was a treat, but this book looks like it’ll top that class (but Anne, if you’re reading, your class was fab!)
My 2 favorite silly jokes:
1)Two cannibals were eating a clown. One looked at the other and said, “This tastes funny”
2) Two peanuts were walking through the park, when one got assaulted!
I rarely tell them because I crack up so much that my words are unintelligible 🙂
Amusing thing: In efforts to amuse myself, I’m going snorkeling this weekend in LA. I suspect I will freeze my amused fingers and toes right off. Thanks for the chance to win! I only know the long tail method, so winning this book would increase my knowledge quite a bit!
This book looks amazing. Thanks for the chance to win it!