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Monday, December 12, 2011

Knitting Fever, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and Ugly Sweaters

So I've been wearing my Old, Ugly, First-Sweater-I-Ever-Knitted (yes, that is the official title) a lot lately because I've discovered that Elizabeth Zimmerman was right about a couple of things.
1.   Garter stitch is awesome and really, really warm.
First knitted sweater
Raveled - (to read the whole story of this sweater click on the "raveled" link.)  

This sweater can actually be warn as a jacket most days here in Houston and it's perfectly, wonderfully warm.  So warm, in fact, that I don't even care anymore about the odd glances I sometimes get when I wear it out in public. Or about the fact that I look like a slightly smaller, slightly cuter version of the Michelen Man when I wear it.  

Yes, I've finally picked up a book by EZ, as she's affectionately known in the knitting world.  I decided to start with Knitting Without Tears because it's the quintessential beginning EZ book and I must admit I've always been a bit intimidated by EZ and her devil-may-care approach to knitting.  This woman is truly a knitting master and, as she likes to say, she is the absolute master of her knitting.

I must confess that I am not.  I'm a pattern knitter and I cringe a little every time I stray too far from whatever the pattern says I must do. I'll go so far as to change yarns or even fibers, mostly because I can't afford 27 balls of Rowan SuperExpensive Superfancy Cotton or whatever they're calling it, but that's about it.  If the pattern doesn't work for me I move on until I find one that does.  

But I've been enchanted by the garter stitch, lately, and no one loves garter stitch more than EZ.  So here I go into new territory.

Unfortunately I have a few Christmas things I need to work on before I can really dive into my new garter stitch passion.  (Oh yeah... Christmas...)  AND I do need to finish up the Abandoned Ripple (also it's now official title)

But after that everyone's going to be seeing a lot of garter stitch around here.
I'm also a little nervous about trying out my first EZ pattern so that should probably be good for a few laughs too.  

7 comments:

Yarny Days said...

This is SO beautiful! Love it.

renee said...

Awwww... Thank you for saying that! I make fun of this sweater, but I actually really do like it and still wear it often. I'm planning to make another one someday now that I'm no longer afraid of stripes. Haha! Also, now that I understand about gauge. I think for this sweater I just picked a yarn, picked up some needles (not the ones the pattern called for because I didn't have that size) and went for it. The fact that it fits is pure beginners luck.

Ann Graham said...

I can't believe I just now stumbled onto your East of Eden site. So cool. I've been playing with crochet lately. I don't think I'll ever try knitting but I remember the clicky clicky sound of the needles from when my mother knitted. I love that sound.

Anonymous said...

Renee, I love your creations !~!
Sorry to post here, have been trying to contact you for the pattern please of this most beautiful chevron to knit.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2455/3770320751_8441900713_z.jpg

renee said...

golfer: Thank you so much for your comment and inquiry. I left a comment for you on the flickr page for that pattern, but I will also leave it here in case you check back. I got the chevron pattern from a book called 200 Ripple Stitch patterns:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/089689276X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B008PH2B2U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1AFPAVQHH4RHPTXMQJN1

If you give me a way to private message you I can type out the pattern for you. Just can't publish it here without interfering with copyright laws.
Thank you for stopping by my blog!

renee said...

golfer: Thank you so much for your comment and inquiry. I left a comment for you on the flickr page for that pattern, but I will also leave it here in case you check back. I got the chevron pattern from a book called 200 Ripple Stitch patterns:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/089689276X/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B008PH2B2U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1AFPAVQHH4RHPTXMQJN1

If you give me a way to private message you I can type out the pattern for you. Just can't publish it here without interfering with copyright laws.
Thank you for stopping by my blog!

renee said...

golfer- so sorry I totally blanked on sending you that pattern. As you can see, I don't get to this blog much these days or knitting at all for that matter, but I did remove all trace of your email as requested. I'm so glad you found a pattern that worked for you.