Customer Reviews

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is a wonderful deal. The projects are interesting, the text is witty, and I am actually setting out to follow the Almanac for the entire year of 2002 (it is January and I am almost done with the January project). This is a knitter's paradise. HOWEVER, there are two things you should know before buying:

1) I would be lost if I did not also own E Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears. Her instructions in the Almanac are somewhat abbreviated, and I need the other book as a cross-reference. Knitting Without Tears has the pictures and the more elaborate descriptions to help me understand what she means in the Almanac.

2) The binding of this book is extremely flimsy and cheap. I purchased my book new in October, and, by December, pages were already falling out! It is now not even four months old and it is full of tape (I used clear packing tape to bind the pages in so that I did not lose any of the precious instruction!)

This is a small book that packs a lot of knitting punch. The Knitting Almanac is very useful for many types of projects. The book is arranged by season as Elizabeth knits her way through the year, making warm things for her entire family. There's some fun commentary, too.

Let me list some of the most useful patterns in this book:

Best baby sweater. This is a lacy cardigan with a round yoke, easy to make, and so pretty. I made so many of these I can't even count. The lace stretches a bit, so the growing infant gets a lot of wear out of the cardigan. And it's easier to dress Baby with something that doesn't pull over the head.

Leggings. If you want to make warm tights for babies, kids or even adults. It's HARD to find such a pattern.

"PI" shawl: this is a round shawl that folds into a semi-circle. Very elegant, you can add your own lace stitches to make it unique.

Shirt Collar sweater--good for summer, short sleeved with an open collar. Can be made in any size.

Mittens, socks, an Aran sweater, there's more. This book, packed as it is, still fits into even a small knitting bag or purse and is not expensive. This has to be the biggest bang for the knitting buck I know of. I'm on my second copy. I wore out the first one.

I will admit that I have only made one project from this book, which was the baby pants. They are fantastic. It is true what EZ says, that the more outlandish you make these pants, the cuter they look on a baby. My pants looked bizarre until I put them on chubby legs. Irresistible! I have several things I want to make next, and I know I can trust her, and they will work out. Even though I have only made one project, my copy of this book is dog-eared from reading it cover-to-cover. I have also used the techniques presented for my own projects.

Elizabeth Zimmerman is not only the guru of knitting, she's a witty and charming writer as well. I've given this Zimmerman book as a gift (an inexpensive one, I might add) to beginning and advanced knitters alike. (And I've read passages aloud to non-knitters, who've appreciated Elizabeth's humor and ability to relate knitting to almost any other subject.) Probably one of the most interesting parts of the book is Elizabeth's description of knitting in the car even when it's dark out (at least she's not driving, too -- although I believe she probably could). The best thing about this book is that Elizabeth presents knitting as a practical matter, not as something that you must follow stitch-by-stitch from a pattern someone else has written. She explains knitting so that you can create sweaters and other items from your own heart

I don't want to duplicate the other reviews, so I'll keep this short. My favorite thing about this book is that EZ's instructions include the _reasons_ behind each step of knitting each garment, so you can either modify them according to your own inspiration or (if you're feeling lazy : D ) follow them exactly.

I wish your ratings went higher than 10. Many years ago, armed only with this book, I taught myself to knit. Elizabeth Zimmermann became my mentor, my inspiration, my Hero. This book, and all of her books are a MUST for knitters. The size is another plus.....fits in your purse or knitting bag so you never have to be without it. Sharon

I'd rate this book as a must have for anyone who wants to become a better knitter. Elizabeth Zimmerman inspires knitters to look at yarn in a whole new way...to envision what the yarn can become....and not be worried about what pattern leaflets are available.

I'm a large-size person, and have always been limited to the few patterns available which were written to include sizes large enough. At the same time, I have short arms, and the available patterns were never quite right. I'd learned how to "make do," by modifying the patterns which were available in large enough sizes, but this book helped me find a better approach. With Elizabeth's insights, I was able to design a sweater that was based on MY measurements, and on what I wanted. It freed me from limitations and opened up a whole new world of knitting.

It's also a great book for a new knitter (although it doesn't teach how to knit). The humor is contagious, and innoculates the beginner against taking knitting too seriously.

After 15 years of knitting, my only regret is that it took me as long to find Elizabeth Zimmermann. As countless others have discovered, she brings knitting to everyone with her wit, fearlessness and "why not?" attitude.

This book is as wonderful a read as it is a knitting guide. Her writing style has a lovely way of making you feel as though your needles are clacking alongside hers.

Knit On!

Highly recommend!

This is a delightful book just to read--I know because I owned it for five years before I felt brave enough to tackle any of the projects. The story-style directions are a bit intimidating for someone just starting out, but the "pithy directions" are surprisingly easy to follow. I wish I hadn't waited so long to make my first Triangular Beret, but now I feel like I can do anything. If you're a new-ish knitter and want to move beyond potholders and scarves, this book is an entertaining springboard.

I believe almost all EZ's fans have this book. There are twelve projects to knit, one for each month, supposedly. Of course, you can do whichever you want, whenever you want. I have made the baby sweater and leggings and the ensemble is just wonderful and everyone asked how I have made them. I think I will eventually try out all tweleve projects. But even if you are not going to make any of the items, it is a fun book to read and a good book to own.