Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop

During the summer, I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop. Two weeks ago I really began reading and knitting along with the book. I'm loving it. Her instructions are so straight forward and easy to understand. I definitely will be picking up her other books and her daughter's books in the coming months.

By the way, November 30th will mark the 10 year of EZ's passing.

The book begins with instructions that include cast on, knit, purl, increase and gauge. I couldn't believe that after all the years I've been knitting that I could learn so much about the basics. I've changed the way I cast on and increase.

The hardest step to follow from EZ's book is the instructions on determining gauge.

DON'T test it on a 2 inch square, but on a decent-sized cap. Why do you suppose I'm having you make a cap?
TAKE IT off its needle, lay it out flat, dab at it with a steam-iron, perhaps, and place two pins in it EXACTLY 4 inches apart horizontally.

Taking knitting off needles and measuring was the hardest thing I have ever done. It makes the most sense, but I still don't trust my skills in being able to get the stitches back onto the needle. I'd have to frog it and start from the again.

Now I am dyslexic, so I frequently misread instructions, so somewhere along the line I missed the hat measurements, and the first attempt was a little long.



I left too much space between the ribbing and the beginning of the colour work. The other mistake was in not reading the "Important Note" on page 30 that stated that the decrease as stated on page 29 would make the cap "come to something of a point". Well, as you can see it did. So my first attempt at the hat was TOO BIG

I decided to try another hat, but this time with more colour work.



I've been afraid to try the two hand throwing of the wool. With EZ's instructions, the continental knitting method was so simple. I looked at the picture on page 29 of the beautiful colour work of the crown of the hat, I decided to try that for myself.


Unfortunately, I became a little tight in my tension and the hat ended up being TOO SMALL.
So, of course I had to try it again. This time I switched the main colour to the darker of the two. This time it was JUST PERFECT.



Now I have three hats. I think of them as my 3 Bear Hats, one was too big, one too small and one just right.



I made all three with Ecological Wool by Cascade Yarns of Undyed Peruvian Highland Wool. I bought the wool at Mary's Yarns in Unionville, my favourite yarn store.