Remembering Elizabeth Zimmerman
I had the great good fortune to run across an eBay auction for this Spring 2000 Knitter's magazine commemorating Elizabeth Zimmerman. It wasn't expensive either like I expected it might be. It arrived in the mail yesterday and it's in mint condition! What I can't figure out is how anyone could part with it. The photos alone make it worth keeping. The feature article is a round table-type discussion with Kaffe Fasset (who felt the discovery of circular knitting needles, thanks to Elizabeth, revolutionized his life), Knitter's editor Nancy J Thomas, Book editor Elaine Rowley (who attended one of Elizabeth's first Knitting Camps) and Elizabeth's daughter Meg Swansen. What I think I like best is that they do not divinise her but rather remember her honestly with all her quirks, her strengths and the fact that who she was made as big an impact as what she did and how she did it. If you don't own a copy of
her Knitter's Almanac, I highly recommend it! It was my introduction to
the knitting world of Elizabeth Zimmerman and I count it as one of my
most treasured knitting books! You will never think about knitting the same way again!
"Meg: That's her writing skill, her ability to communicate...
Kaffe: Her writing skill and her huge spirit. She just looked at people and said, "You can do this." And she made us feel we could. Like the time she got stuck in a boat with only three inch needles and she just made it work. Those are the kind of stories you can't imagine another knitter saying.
Meg: She would often go to knit a sock and pull four double pointed needles out of her stash, and they'd be four different sizes. After knitting for a number of years your hands automatically adjust to the diameter of the needle. I don't think Elizabeth ever wrote about this, but I witnessed it so many times myself."
This magazine is the best read I've had in a looooong time! I think I'll dust off my Knitter's Workshop DVDs and specialty knit items VHSs. I could use a bit of more un-knitting indoctrination! Cheers!
"Meg: That's her writing skill, her ability to communicate...
Kaffe: Her writing skill and her huge spirit. She just looked at people and said, "You can do this." And she made us feel we could. Like the time she got stuck in a boat with only three inch needles and she just made it work. Those are the kind of stories you can't imagine another knitter saying.
Meg: She would often go to knit a sock and pull four double pointed needles out of her stash, and they'd be four different sizes. After knitting for a number of years your hands automatically adjust to the diameter of the needle. I don't think Elizabeth ever wrote about this, but I witnessed it so many times myself."
This magazine is the best read I've had in a looooong time! I think I'll dust off my Knitter's Workshop DVDs and specialty knit items VHSs. I could use a bit of more un-knitting indoctrination! Cheers!
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