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3rd out of 52 books
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Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes
Do you love to knit -- and hate to purl? Have you ever started a sweater without enough yarn from the same dye lot to finish it? When you cast on, do you end up with a tail of yarn that's maddeningly too long or too short? Elizabeth Zimmermann comes to the rescue with clever solutions to frustrating problems and step-by-step instructions for brilliant, timeless design...more
Paperback, 128 pages
Published
July 1st 1973
by Fireside
(first published 1970)
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This is a great little book. A classic for a reason.
EZ's writing is chockful of anecdote and done up in a very conversational style. I love how she stresses freedom and personal choice for knitters--I mean you knit for fun, right? Why be bogged down in a lot of technical rules someone else wrote?
My favorite moment in the book is when she discusses steeking--the actual cutting open of a piece of handknitting in order to add a button placket or zipper, ie. to make it a cardi...more
EZ's writing is chockful of anecdote and done up in a very conversational style. I love how she stresses freedom and personal choice for knitters--I mean you knit for fun, right? Why be bogged down in a lot of technical rules someone else wrote?
My favorite moment in the book is when she discusses steeking--the actual cutting open of a piece of handknitting in order to add a button placket or zipper, ie. to make it a cardi...more
For me, Elizabeth Zimmerman's writing inspires confidence. She gives you the basics you need to understand. Then she gently shoos you out of the nest to go make your own things. Her insistence that you do NOT have to follow a pattern exactly to get good results was a bit stunning to me. But it's worked, because I have branched out into putting my own "designs" together.
She has a very chatty, narrative style. It doesn't work for everyone, but I love it. She often provi...more
She has a very chatty, narrative style. It doesn't work for everyone, but I love it. She often provi...more
Elizabeth Zimmermann is known in knitting circles for seeing patterns in ways that no one else does, for being able to create things that while at first glance seem as if they simply won't work, ultimately end up being very cool projects. She's known for knitting in the round, and lots of these patterns are in the round. She is conversational and witty in this book and provides lots of helpful advice and patterns. It's a must read for knitters; I'm glad I finally looked at it.
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I can see why EZ was (is) considered such a badass. But today's knitting has taken EZ's plans even further, making this book somewhat dated and superfluous. That said, I like her writing style. And when I'm brave enough to try my own sweater pattern, I will certainly try her percentage method to try and create the right fit.
I learned knitting the American/British method, which was slow and cumbersome. So I took up crochet instead, then went back to knitting because I don't like ...more
I learned knitting the American/British method, which was slow and cumbersome. So I took up crochet instead, then went back to knitting because I don't like ...more
This is a very simple book which talks about Elizabeth Zimmermann's experiences with knitting and her knitting patterns. It's an amazingly simple book (the patterns are written descriptively, and often take only a few paragraphs), but it has inspired more knitters than any other I know.
Not only does it give some very good, very basic, instruction, it seems to be able to give knitters the confidence to try new things, to experiment, and to make mistakes.
Not only does it give some very good, very basic, instruction, it seems to be able to give knitters the confidence to try new things, to experiment, and to make mistakes.
Elizabeth Zimmermann is my knitting guru. She died before I really knew who she was- but her comforting words and common sense ring true decades later. I reccommend ALL of her books, I really can't say one is better than the other. She truely was a genius, radical thinker.
I liked this book for several reasons... I even took notes!
The titles of my notes are:
How to hide discrepancies between dye lots. Loose knitters vs. tight knitters (finally didn't feel so bad about knitting loosely). Gauge and needle size adjusting. And designing your own garments, of course! I read this book when I had just begun to get into knitting, I could get so much more out of it today...
This book was more philosophical than the other books I've read about kn...more
The titles of my notes are:
How to hide discrepancies between dye lots. Loose knitters vs. tight knitters (finally didn't feel so bad about knitting loosely). Gauge and needle size adjusting. And designing your own garments, of course! I read this book when I had just begun to get into knitting, I could get so much more out of it today...
This book was more philosophical than the other books I've read about kn...more
I loved this book! It was so inspiring that I pulled some yarn out of my stash and knit Emma a sweater before I even finished reading it.And unlike some previous attempts, this sweater fit! I love how EZ shares the basics about garment construction then sends you off to try it out. Her methods helped me to feel free of that terrible "pattern anxiety" and left me wanting to do my own thing and trusting that I knew enough to be successful at it. Plus, as she reminds gently, you can alway...more
Elizabeth Zimmermann cracks me up. She is completely matter-of-fact and enjoys her craft immensely without romanticizing it. She is also a genius when it comes to inventive knitting techniques.
Elizabeth Zimmerman is THE knitting guru. No nonsense here. Absolute classic and a total must-have if you ever intend to pick up needles.
This is the book that will help you not give a shit.
I have seen this book mentioned over and over as required reading for knitters. I knew it was a somewhat older book, and I had always assumed that it must be just chock-full of all the complicated techniques that advanced knitters know. It sort of is like that, but now that I've read it, I see the real reason that it's a book that will take you from beginning knitter to experienced knitter. It's because Zimmerman instills in one the idea that there is more than one way to knit something, and th...more
I love Elizabeth Zimmerman! I've had this book for a few years but had never read it.
If you want easy to follow patterns, this book isn't it. But if you want to be challenged to really learn about HOW to knit, and to think about it independently, then this is your book. If you want to be the kind of knitter your grandmother probably was, this is your book. If you like old stories that make you nostalgic for an era that might even be before you were born, this is your book.
C...more
If you want easy to follow patterns, this book isn't it. But if you want to be challenged to really learn about HOW to knit, and to think about it independently, then this is your book. If you want to be the kind of knitter your grandmother probably was, this is your book. If you like old stories that make you nostalgic for an era that might even be before you were born, this is your book.
C...more
I love the way that she explains things, because she mixes the techniques with her personal life, normal knitting problems and questions that you might have sometimes while knitting.I really liked it.
I wouldn't recommend this book for a beginner though, because it doesn't have a lot of pictures, it's more like "a knitter talking to another knitter and sharing the big secrets of knitting. If you are an intermediate or experience knitter everything she says on the book is going to make s...more
I wouldn't recommend this book for a beginner though, because it doesn't have a lot of pictures, it's more like "a knitter talking to another knitter and sharing the big secrets of knitting. If you are an intermediate or experience knitter everything she says on the book is going to make s...more
Absolutely lovely and liberating. Covered nearly all of my questions about knitting that I have ever had, except for one: darning. I am afraid I am hopeless at darning, and wish she would have given me one or two hints in that area. Still. This book will be much-used, referenced, and savored. My favorite moment was a misread: "Have you realized how most men yearn for proper socks?" became "Have you realized how most proper men yearn for socks?" I am going to remember it this ...more
Elizabeth Zimmerman is a funny and likeable author. Her personal stories are scattered throughout her knitting advice, and I can almost "hear" her voice when I read her books.
This is a must-read for any knitter. You may not love Zimmerman, but when it comes to the knitting culture, you need to know what she is about to understand so many references that other knitters make. The Shakespeare of the knitting world - love it or hate it, better to know what it is about.
This is a must-read for any knitter. You may not love Zimmerman, but when it comes to the knitting culture, you need to know what she is about to understand so many references that other knitters make. The Shakespeare of the knitting world - love it or hate it, better to know what it is about.
This is a classic for good reason. Contained in one very short read is a mountain of anecdotal wisdom from a veteran knitter. Not intended for a beginner-- the title does sound like it's going to teach you how to knit. Rather, this teaches you how to properly strategize a project, making you a better knitter with a higher percentage of success. Never boring (surprisingly, given the subject matter.) Feels like an old pro sharing her tricks.
Possibly the first knitting book that I actually read cover to cover, the woman was hilarious and practical. With the profusion of more "modern" knitting books that rely on patterns and don't discuss knitting, it's always refreshing to go back to earlier books where knitters were treated like intelligent people who don't have to follow a pattern line-by-line but just want a general idea of how things are constructed.
Elizabeth Zimmermann is a knitting icon and in reading her book, it's easy to see why. Very conversant in style, which can bother some, but I found it to be a pleasant, easy read. I learned many tricks from her book and she's given me a new confidence in how I approach projects, mistakes, and re-writing patterns. This is not a beginner's book and assumes that you've had knitting experience. It's a classic.
I refer to this book over and over. Elizabeth Zimmermann's sense of humor and gentle, no-nonsense approach to knitting was what changed me from a frustrated non-knitter (always looking over my shoulder for the "knitting police") to a happy, relaxed knitter (and designer).
Her techniques and observations gave me a wealth of tools to use both for my own knitting and for teaching others.
Her techniques and observations gave me a wealth of tools to use both for my own knitting and for teaching others.
(8/9/10) I bear a grudge against this book for its view on left-handed (aka mirror) knitting. For somebody who advocated knitting in the way that is best for you, she really didn't get it. I have only reversed one pattern in my time as a knitter, and that was because it had numbers on it. Knitting mirror is no hardship.
I flipped through this after finishing The Gun Seller. And I realized the writing was familiar.
This is how I write when I am condescending to someone. I use my most pretentious voice, and when reading it back, I can see my nose stuck firmly in the air.
Yeah. No thanks.
This is how I write when I am condescending to someone. I use my most pretentious voice, and when reading it back, I can see my nose stuck firmly in the air.
Yeah. No thanks.
If you could only have one knitting book, this would be it.* This will teach you the basic and THEN take you to off-the-road knitting. Now gauge will work for you, in any yarn and needle size.
Once you discover EZ, you'll never be intimidated by yarn or patterns, ever again.
* Except you'll have to have all the rest of her books, too.
Once you discover EZ, you'll never be intimidated by yarn or patterns, ever again.
* Except you'll have to have all the rest of her books, too.
At first I found the writing style very difficult, but I learned if I read it as a textbook, it's actually enjoyable. I'm not prepared to throw away my patterns, but I like her approach to knitting by percentages and measurements, and I now feel like the mystique has been taken out of knitting simple garments. (I'm certainly not prepared to jump into complicated things like that require a lot of shaping, but I feel I'm one step closer.) I'm also excited that I learned another couple of cast-o...more
this book taught me how to knit, and i'm so glad it was the first one i owned because i like figuring things out for myself and this book inspired me to experiment and strike out into unknown knitting territory absolutely fearlessly.
Karen
rated it
Recommends it for:
Any knitter, especially one who wants to break away from patterns
Shelves:
knittingbooks
I heart Elizabeth Zimmerman! She was a knitter like no other. The title of the periodical that she wrote for, The Opinionated Knitter, says everything there is to say about her. The best part is that, even though she held strong opinions about how best to do something, she had equally strong, solid reasons for why her was was best. Most of the time, she was right. Certainly, IMNSHO, when it came to knitting garments in the round. There are a couple of garments that have made the rounds (so...more
Elizabeth Zimmermann's words guided me through the first few stumbling months after I first learned to knit. Her witty, sweet style written in a chatty, conversational way has inspired many first time knitters.
25 years ago, Elizabeth Zimmerman changed my life. She implanted the daring idea that perhaps following directions might lead me astray. A knitting book, you say? Or inspiration to unvent at will....
I have used this book so many times in the twenty or so years that I have owned it. Its wonderful as a reference and also as a pattern for making circular sweaters and hats among other things.
My favourite knitting book. I read this before I knit and after that thought I could give knitting needles a whirl. Fully addicted now. Mission accomplished.
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An influential knitting pattern designer, teacher, and writer, Elizabeth Zimmerman advocated knitting techniques to speed progress and simplify pattern creation. She enthusiastically championed Continental knitting, where the working yarn is carried in the left hand, as opposed to the English or American style where the working yarn is carried in the right hand. She also advocated knitting in t...more
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“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage.”
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