First I guess was buying 3 Vises before I got the one I like best, LOL! Tie colors you know work and more than a couple each, but new colors to try a couple is plenty to see. Learning to tie is so much easier now with all the info out here and there. When I started just had to find what I could and best was something I know was right, FAOL Written lessons with good step by step pics. Then found some streaming lessons, not sure if they kept doing them for long as I got away from that when I just got too busy. One mistake that makes me a bit crazy is when doing my finish and every once in a while I use to let one loop get on the other side of the tie on spot and wouldn't see it until I had it tight and ready to cut! Of course breaking the thread use to make me crazy when using smaller thread, but I am better at that now as we learn at some point!