Did you know that there are hundreds of ways to start and finish your knitting? If you've only done a standard method of casting on, now is the perfect time to learn a new method. Each form of casting on and binding off has pros and cons. Some offer more stretch, while others are decorative in nature and are part of the pattern's design.
How many ways can you cast on and bind off? Do you have a favorite? I use the long tail cast-on for most projects, but some patterns require a crochet cast on that can be removed after you make some progress with the pattern. My preferred method of binding-off is a method that I learned from Lucy Neatby. I think that it gives sweaters a professional and polished look.
Hard to believe that there are so many ways to cast on and bind off? There are some great online tutorials to help you learn a new technique, as well as books that outline a variety of methods. The Cast On Bind Off book by Leslie Ann Bestor outlines 54 different methods. Reviewers agree that this book offers easy to follow instructions, along with illustrations to supplement the written instructions. At a whopping 4.8 star rating, this book is a top-rated knitting book that is a great reference when working on any project.