When Labour is a Pleasure!

Happy Labour Day Weekend everyone! We are open today so come and visit but closed tomorrow on Monday September 7th.

Yesterday I had a visitor in the shop who blew my mind. On seeing our fine example of The Baby Surprise Jacket knit with Noro in our “stuff we made with Noro display” she let the bomb drop that she had MET ELIZABETH ZIMMERMANN!!!!!! Not only had she met her, she had taken classes with her at her knitting retreat in Wisconsin.

I was floored, and remain floored now. Here is a living breathing person who had met my knitting hero. If you do not know what the heck I am on about here is exhibit A – The Baby Surprise Jacket

If you look on ravelry today and see how many folks have made this pattern you will find that 23645 people have. Of course this is probably just a sampling of the people who actually have. This pattern was born out of the genius mind of Elizabeth Zimmermann in 1968, and has been going strong ever since. The construction of this sweater is so unusual it changed knitting forever.
Also Elizabth Zimmermann’s approach to writing about, speaking about, and teaching knitting changed how we all knit today.
Sometimes when I need inspiration or when I’m feeling a little down I grab one of my Elizabth Zimmermann books and read a little bit. It does wonders – works even better then chocolate ice cream or whatever your poison might be.

Full of enthusiasm and practical advice and a whole lot of humour you learn more then knitting when you read an Elizabeth Zimmermann book. Her openness to invention and her enthusiastic belief that anything imaginable is achievable is infectious.
This walking, talking human who had learned to steek from Elizabeth Zimmermann tells me that Elizabeth Zimmermann  live and in person was a lovely lady. Of this I have never had any doubts.

We have a copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s book  Knitting Workshop in shop. It contains the pattern for the baby surprise jacket. You can also get the Baby Surprise Jacket and many of Elizabeth Zimmermann’s other patterns in singles from her legacy business Schoolhouse Press still run by her offspring. I do suggest you read some of her books in their entirety – I’ve found many in the Toronto Public Library.
The Baby Surprise Jacket or any Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern would be great to do in a Knit Café Project Class or in a one-on-one private class. We would love to accompany you on your first journey with EZ.

On this Labour Day I think we would do well to listen to the words of Elizabeth Zimmermann and instead of regarding our knitting as something we’re passing through in order to get to the next thing, we can love it up stitch by stitch.

EZ says:

“I can knit. I knit all year, day in, day out. It is my passion, and I rarely knit the same thing twice the same way.”

Craftily yours
Kristin