Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes (Paperback)

by Elizabeth Zimmermann (Author) "MOST people have an obsession; mine is knitting..." (more)
Key Phrases: front needle, yoke sweater, marked stitches, Prime Rib, New York, Back Needle (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The New York Times [Elizabeth Zimmermann] brought a penetrating intellect and a sculptor's sensitivity to revolutionizing the ancient art of knitting. -- Review

Review
Vogue KnittingElizabeth taught us to trust our instincts, revel in our creativity and above all, find joy in the simple act of knitting.

The New York Times[Elizabeth Zimmermann] brought a penetrating intellect and a sculptor's sensitivity to revolutionizing the ancient art of knitting.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Scribners (July 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684135051
• ISBN-13: 978-0684135052
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,265 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #13 in	Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Knitting
  #40 in	Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

378 of 393 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not exactly a beginner book, July 9, 2000

By	Emily Cartier "kallicat" (Madison, WI, USA) - See all my reviews

I'm a beginning knitter. I bought this book because I am terrible at following directions and everything I'd read about it indicated that EZ would help you learn to modify patterns so they worked the way you wanted. They were right.

This isn't really a learn how to knit book tho. It's more an introduction to sweater design book. You are walked through several basic styles of seamless sweaters, given a good stern lecture on why gauge is important, and shown pictures and charts you can use as a jumping off point. I would expect a learn how to knit book to cover several styles of knitting, multiple castons and castoffs, and lots of techniques, all with extensive illustrations for those of us who aren't very good with written instructions. This book does not fit the bill. It is one I will consult frequently as I begin to knit my first sweaters.

It works very well in conjunction with Vogue Knitting or one of the other basic learn how to knit books. Don't buy it as the only knitting reference you'll ever need.

edit: 8 years later, I'm still knitting. I still use this book, and have knit several sweaters based on the ideas in it. They're the ones that get *worn*. It is still an entertaining read, despite rereading large chunks 4-5 times a year over the last 8 years.

185 of 190 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable fun for the serious knitter, May 5, 2000

By	Carol S. (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

I'd repeatedly read and heard about Elizabeth Zimmerman (or "EZ" as she was/is fondly known) but never read any of her books. I was, however, skeptical that her books could be as wonderful as they were reputed to be. The photograph on the cover of "Knitting without Tears" did little to entice me; the sweaters looked, well, a bit dowdy and boxy for my taste. Eventually I gave in and bought this book. Now I am a believer. EZ won me over with her very first sentence: "Most people have an obsession; mine is knitting." Somehow she managed to take knitting very seriously without ever taking herself very seriously. The book is full of practical tips and tricks for improving your knitting, conceptual ways to create your own patterns, and EZ's very decided opinions about the craft (worth considering whether or not you agree with them all). Best of all, anecdotes and humorous, often ironic commentary abound. Even if you never knit a seamless sweater, you'll be glad you bought this book.

92 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My knitting took off after learning the method in this book, May 21, 2001

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This knitting book is ground-breaking. Instead of following a pattern line by line (nothing wrong with that, I like to do that) you learn how to create sweaters to fit any body, with any yarn. Why would anyone want to do that? Well, you might have bought 15 balls of yarn on sale and don't know what to make of it. Instead of waiting for a pattern to turn up for that amount of yarn, that weight, etc, you can create your own sweater in various styles to fit anyone, you, a family member or friend.

The Percentage System used in this book is easy to follow: knit a sample of your yarn, carefully measure how many stitches per inch or centimeter, then multiply that gauge times your chest circumference MINUS 10 percent for the ribbing. Increase up to 100 percent and off you go. Soon you will have a yoke style sweater, Norwegian drop shoulder or saddle shoulder, or even raglan style. Such freedom. You can go to yarn sales and as long as you have enough yarn, you can make anything from it.

Right now I am knitting a cotton summer top using this method with some bargain yarn. While this book doesn't have gorgeous color photographs of stylish knits, it does teach you to create your own. After I bought this book, my knitting really took off. Yours might, too.