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mischacooks
New Pal
1 Posts |
 Posted - 11/28/2002 : 12:57:56 PM
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I received "Knitting in the Round" from my grandmother, and read it about 8 months ago. Wow!! To say that it revolutionized my ideas, feelings, and abilities to create with my knitting is an understatement! I have been knitting since I was a little girl, and while I've always felt satisfaction with my projects once they were completed, there was always an underlying frustration with getting all the pieces done, and THEN having to hand-sew them together. Elizabeth Zimmerman's creative knitting philosophy has given me the confidence to begin writing my own designs, and in the process I've learned lots of new techniques and shortcuts. I am having way more FUN than I ever have, and am teaching my first beginner's knitting class tomorrow!! I hope to help my new knitting protogees get as excited as I am!
Mischa :-) |
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BessH
Permanent Resident
3095 Posts |
Posted - 11/28/2002 : 6:59:51 PM
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Yeah Mischa
That is EXACTLY how I felt and what I did. revolutionized, creative, and then teaching.
You go girl!
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Sallyann
New Pal
United Kingdom
5 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2002 : 07:13:43 AM
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Boy, Am I glad that I read this discussion. As a "Brand new to knitting after a break of 20 years" knitter, I just knew that there had to be another way. So far I have just stuck to knitting various shaped cushions and am just about to start an afghan. But I have to admit that the thought of making a garment was putting me off. All I can remember about the first time around was all that complicated pattern wording and lots of sewing together.
I shall have to investigate EZ's books/videos now!
Thanks ladies for an inspiring discussion
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joypaints
New Pal
2 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2002 : 04:23:31 AM
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quote:
I received "Knitting in the Round" from my grandmother, and read it about 8 months ago. Wow!! To say that it revolutionized my ideas, feelings, and abilities to create with my knitting is an understatement! I have been knitting since I was a little girl, and while I've always felt satisfaction with my projects once they were completed, there was always an underlying frustration with getting all the pieces done, and THEN having to hand-sew them together. Elizabeth Zimmerman's creative knitting philosophy has given me the confidence to begin writing my own designs, and in the process I've learned lots of new techniques and shortcuts. I am having way more FUN than I ever have, and am teaching my first beginner's knitting class tomorrow!! I hope to help my new knitting protogees get as excited as I am!
Mischa :-)
I know exactly what you mean about the sewing together phase! I love the knitting, don't really like the sewing together. After reading EZ's book, Knitting Without Tears, I knit about 25 toddler sweaters and sold them for Christmas money. My oldest daughter, then 3, got the first one and was so cute...she wore it everywhere! At thirteen, she still wants a new sweater every year. Without EZ, I would probably not love knitting as much as I do now.
Good luck with your class...It is important to pass on the skill.
Joy |
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janeknits
Warming Up
98 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2002 : 07:29:47 AM
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I will always think of EZ as my "knitting mother" (and thank you, Meg, for so graciously sharing her with all of us). Her books and videotapes still give us knitters not only wonderful techniques but also support and courage and laughter and pure joy. I was never able to go to knitting camp but it must have been wonderful to knit in the same room with her! Every winter I reread at least one of her books. And faced with a knitting challenge, my best question is always, "What would Elizabeth do?"
Jane
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Dot
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
350 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2002 : 5:35:08 PM
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Just catching up on the forums after a few weeks' diversions. Found Bess's observation in the first response interesting...that knitting was originally a useful skill to which each person could bring creativity and had become an art for the gifted, complete with often unfathomable (my words,not Bess's)instructions. EZ brought it back to its roots. I don't know if EZ covers it in her book(s) but one of the things I've learned in my reading is that the traditional Aran sweater, certainly a garment born of a need for warmth and made beautiful by the creativity of individual knitters, was originally knitted in the round from the top down. Not a new notion, but a good old one renewed. Bess, as usual, you're spot on.
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The Red Sweater
New Pal
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 12/05/2002 : 6:37:48 PM
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So many wonderful things have already been said about EZ, but I have to chime in anyway. I have Knitting Without Tears and The Knitter's Almanac, both of which I got when I was a real newby. She makes me feel like anything is possible, I can take risks and do no wrong, and that being a knitter is one of the great joys of living. Her writing is wonderfully warm and charming and I wish so much that she was still living so I could meet her and thank her for her words.
Jamie
http://www.theredsweater.com
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AtomicKnit
Chatty Knitter
USA
120 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2002 : 2:54:37 PM
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On the devil's advocate side: I was so intimidated by EZ's Knitter's Almanac when a friend gave it to me that I didn't knit anything out of it until six years later! And even then I picked the item with the fewest instructions. I liked the chatty parts, but didn't understand the free-form style instructions at all . I guess I was still a serious "blind follower" at that point. These days I'm perfectly comfortable with the idea of winging it, but it came after a couple of years of learning techniques, shaping, etc. by slavishly following patterns. I wouldn't recommend Knitter's Almanac to a newby--unless you're a very brave newby. Maybe start with Knitting Without Tears. But I do consider EZ the patroness saint of knitting.
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Sunshine_Amy
New Pal
13 Posts |
Posted - 12/13/2002 : 6:27:40 PM
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I knitted for years, and then saw EZ's videos, which I got from the library. VERY MIND OPENING! (As everyone is saying!) I rented the entire series and watched it all the same week, absorbing her techniques like a sponge! (There's a LOT of info on those video's!)
Regrettably, those videos mysteriously disappeared from my library, and I'm wishing I could watch them again. I might have to suck it up and buy the series. Thanks, BessH, for posting the link to the website, where to buy them! If I do buy them, I may have to donate them to my library after watching them! I am so grateful that someone else shared those videos with the library so I could see them years ago!
I checked out one of her books recently. Although I loved the charm of her stories, I found the videos much easier to follow. She moves fast, but the presentation is clear and no-nonsense. Plus, you can rewind and watch something over and over until you get it. |
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DADemby@msn.com
New Pal
3 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2003 : 11:18:53 AM
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| dear susan, after reading your article on elizabeth zimmerman. i was inspired to find her books and meet her for myself. her books are an inspiration for all who knit. i have worked on circular needles with alice starmore who does many of of celtic sweaters on circular needles. but the many tips given by mrs. zimmerman will make the next one much easier. |
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KnitWit
New Pal
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2003 : 6:55:43 PM
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Elizabeth Zimmerman,one of the best instructers of knitting that ever was.Ihave most of her videos and can highly recomend them.It's like having a knitting buddy right at your side.Meg her daughter is carrying on in her mothers footsteps.
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beth02116
Warming Up
69 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2003 : 4:04:34 PM
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I had my first EZ experience this weekend when I rented and watched end to end her KNITTING WORKSHOP videos. She was AMAZING! When she cut the pocket right into the vest she was wearing I was in shock! Scissors, a knit object???? I am totally in awe of this woman.
I was most taken with the garter stitch baby blanket. Does anyone know if that is in the KNITTING WORKSHOP book? I must get the directions!
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2003 : 4:49:38 PM
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Since I'm having a CRS period in my life, I can't remember who I've told, but I sat and watched all of the EZ videos a couple weekends ago when Tony was away and I didn't have to feel guilty "making" him watch them. I have to say, I'm very glad I waited until I had some knitting experience under my belt before I watched them. I had started watching when I first bought them (quite a few months ago...maybe a year??) and I was LOST completely. But now that I understand things like SSK and PSSO, not only did the tapes make much more sense, but they were inspiring! I'm still not sure about winging it...I've got no guts at all...but I know one day I will try it, if only on a small sweater to get the hang of it!
Another wonderful EZ tape is her audio tape "Digressions". In it, she reads her own work. You want to talk about an inspiring woman?? She's done it all! And she's got some really great insights into not only knitting but life in general. Schoolhouse Press has the tape for $15 and, to me, it's worth every penny. I've listened to it three times already. She's my traveling companion on the way home from work. (My rosary is my companion on the way in. Gotta pray to get through these days!!)
chris
Keep on knittin', mama, knittin' those blues away! |
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snowangel
New Pal
7 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2003 : 12:11:27 AM
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I received a copy of EZ's knitting without tears shortly after it was published. I was still in high school, and from that time on, I was liberated from published patterns. She can send you in new directions, and every knitting publication I have purchased since has more to do with techniques, stitch ideas, etc., because I know that I can design the sweater MYSELF!
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Marg in Mirror
Permanent Resident
Canada
3204 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2003 : 07:01:48 AM
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I'd never heard of EZ till January -- and I've been knitting 40+ years!  Perhaps I'd 'run into' her, but not paid attention.
Anyway, I found a copy of her little "Knitter's Almanac" and read it in a gulp. She inspired me to really try to *finish* stuff this year!! (One year, I resolve, I will actually *do* a project a month as she describes!!!) She now has Pride of Place on my knitting book shelf!
-- Marg in Calgary
TLWKOTB |
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OryxRun
Seriously Hooked
USA
625 Posts |
Posted - 02/28/2003 : 08:18:57 AM
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EZ would write an article in Vogue Knitting for a while (The while I subscribed). I would love to get the magazine just to read her articles. Never felt the need to read her books. Bad idea. I so loved her then. Years later I picked up a VK and looked for her article and since it wasn't there I didn't buy the magazine.After reading this conversation I decided to go to the library and pick up her Knitting Without Tears. I reads so well. Witty and very direct. I must now purchase the book and I also will get Knitting Around. Thank you for bringing this all back to me. The '80's were a blurr.
Mary |
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