[.uk] Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac (ISBN 0486241785)

Tasty read with some *very* Elizabeth Zimmerman designs:
I've had this book in my collection for many years. A self-taught knitter, I am not overly intimidated if a pattern is a bit sketchy or without the *pithy* details. Alas, this is my favorite EZ (Elizabeth Zimmerman) book. Why? She captures the essence of living life day to day with knitting in hand. Her description of picnicing in the car with sandwiches and hearty beer while in Westby, Wisconsin at a ski jumping competition seem out of place in a knitting book (especially when snipped out for this review), yet, it speaks to who EZ was. I get a charge out of the 3 Corner Hat and while I've not knit it, I find her take on going for it in your knitting such a fresh approach despite the fact the book was written long long ago. I guess you could say this is an oldie, but a goodie. Every now and then I get a bug to remember my childhood in Wisconsin and so I quickly grab this book off the shelf and I snuggle up in bed to read. EZ is an inspiration because she empowers the reader to bound ahead and to become more than she was before she started it. She has a knack for writing a lovely turn of the phrase. It's an immensely charming book. It's one that I treasure now and shall continue to treasure in the future. Even if you never knit a thing from it, read it, absorb it, and enjoy your knitting whether you long for the pithy details or not!

Wish there were illustrations:
Four stars for the writing, three stars for the fact that there it's difficult to "see" what Ms. Zimmerman is describing when she refers to illustrations that aren't in the current edition. If you aren't looking for a book that contains patterns specifically to knit, then you could very well love this book. Despite my low star rating, I really enjoyed it. Her turn of phrase is engaging and her descriptions and segues are charming. It's a good little book to read while sipping a cup of tea. However, when she refers us to see how something looks in the photo, but the photo isn't there, it's less handy. It's a real shame that time wasn't taken to include color pages, even if they ended up all in one section, so we can see what she's talking about. Black and whites just don't show enough detail or information. I don't think each and every project is on the cover, and the cover isn't all that big when it comes down to it, so it's difficult to refer from text to illustration to know what she means or how something will look.

NOT FOR EVERYONE...:
EZ's Knitter's Almanac was, to me a beautifuly done book. Half story book, half knitting instruction, EZ's wit and wisdom really shine in this lovely colection of patterns and shared stories. I do not, however, feel that this book is for everyone. If you are a straight forward, k1,p2 type of knitter, you may want to borrow a copy from the library or a knitting friend. What is meant by that is this book is a guide, not a set pattern book. (Do this with these needles and this yarn, then that, this is the result.) EZ lets you decide how your item will look... If you like a lace pattern, insert it in the shawl! Don't like a certain stitch in your Aran sweater? Do something differant there! But overall, enjoy it for the process, not only the product.

Clever and witty:
I have made one pattern from this book (the pi shawl), but I have made it so many times and adapted it so many ways that it alone was worth the price of the book. Elizabeth Zimmerman was THE knitting master, and her books are essential to any knitting library.

Very Pleased:
I ordered this book as well as another, and love that it was sent so fast.