| My first introduction into the world of
knitting was through Elizabeth Zimmermann. The Elizabethan philosophy
is creative and habit forming. This is seamless, shaped knitting
at its best. I still marvel at the way Elizabeth formulated these
concepts in her mind and transferred them to knitted fabric. I have
learned to appreciate yarns made from natural materials such as wool, silk
and cotton. Here are a few of her signature designs - the Surprise
Jacket, Suspender Sweater, Bog Jacket and Tomten. All of these sweaters
use the garter stitch fabric, making use of a development of angles and
short rows for shaping. As another plus, garter stitch is a reversible
surface which adds to the continuity to the design.
Before I started to knit extensively I believed that knitting was done in pieces and sewn together. With the concepts that Elizabeth Zimmermann shared this is no longer a given to create a successful project. Also included are additional examples of circular knitting - the spiral sweater - please note the message in the hem. Elizabeth Zimmermann lives on through her daughter Meg Swansen and Schoolhouse Press in Pittsville, Wisconsin.
It in great fun to knit shawls and I have included some of my favorites. Here we have two Mananitas - one from Meg Swansen and the other my version. These lovely circles of knitting are very satisfying to create and wear. I love how both are based on circular knitting and fundamental lace techniques and each have a personality of their own. |
