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.
1. Garter stitch is awesome and really, really warm.
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.
