Knitting tutorials and tricks that have recently blown my mind

I've been knitting for a while. I learned when I was 7 (thank you Waldorf school) and got really into it in college. So I tend to think of myself as a pretty experienced knitter. Then I read something online or listen to something a podcast that makes me go, oh duh. So I thought I'd share some of the things I've been learning recently with you.

This morning's revelation is curtesy of Ysolda's blog. You don't have to make a slip knot to start casting on. I know I should have realized this because when I cast on for toe up socks I don't but I just thought they were special and I always make a slip knot. 

From Stitched in Sweden I recently learned how to do a biased bind off so that you get a smoother edge when casting off a few stitches each row (like when making sleeve caps). Here is the tutorial. 

This last one isn't so much a technique as knitting theory. I read this article this morning explaining different types of sleeve construction. I liked it because it helped me understand how the set in sleeve should be assembled and why it was done the way it is done. Which is helpful for me since I knit a lot of set in sleeve sweaters. 

I'm sure I'll have follow up posts in the future as I'm always learning new things in knitting and this is turning into a pretty knitting focused blog. But that's where my life is right now, I knit a lot, so I'm ok with that.