Thank you for inviting me to join this blog. I can't believe it took me so many years of knitting before I discovered EZ. Last week, I finished this tomten sweater for my five-year-old son. He loves it and it was very fun to knit. There some things I would do differently next time (see more details on my blog). I knit this in Classic Elite Montera Inca Grey with Fieldstone Heather for the edging.

I knit the Maltese Fisherman's Hat from Knitters Almanac in 2 days - another fun, quick knit. I used a strand of Montera and a strand of dk merino from my stash.I'm currently working on a seamless raglan for myself, with added shaping, but I'm not quite sure how it will turn out.

Jenny

Ganomy Hat for my daughter!

Come by my blog for the details!

Maltese Fisherman's Hat

This was an easy, quick project. I started it yesterday afternoon and finished this morning. Knit with 1.5 skeins Debbie Bliss cashmerino superchunky on size 11 needles.
My favorite part of the pattern is the last line: "Make the tassel of your dreams." (even though I opted not to put a tassel on)

BSJ Done for Christmas baby!

Hi everyone, since this is my first post I'll introduce myself:
I'm Tricia and I'm a Zimmermaniac.
That done, here's my second EZ project. It's the BSJ in Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR Mediumweight Hollyday.


The first EZ project, the Moebius Vest, still needs a photo taken while I'm wearing it. I'm going to try to talk my husband into taking said photo sometime soon.
I've just recently discovered EZ, and there are several more patterns I'd like to knit. Next up is the adult surprise jacket in my size! Glad to have found other Zimmermaniacs!

Two baby surprise jackets

When I first started knitting I came across "Knitting Without Tears". I knew right away that this was the kind of knitting I wanted to do. But at the time, being a complete beginner, I couldn't make heads or tails of it. So almost two years later, here are my first EZ creations, two baby suprise jackets.

The first one uses blue, purple, navy Lamb's Pride wool. The second uses natural undyed yarns - dark grey from Corriedale sheep, Pit River Wool, CA, and natural white color from Coopworth lambs, Coburn Creek Farm and Pottery, WV.

I sent both to "afghans for Afghans" (http://www.afghansforafghans.org/). They collect hand knitted/crocheted items for people in war-torn (and cold) Afghanistan. I enjoy reading zimmermania - lots of good inspiration here.

Surprise! It Fits My Toddler!

I made this Baby Surprise Jacket using almost 3 entire skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patiné, knit on US 5s. It fits my 7 month old with some wiggle room and perfect 3/4 length sleeves. I was intending to use the leftover yarn to add a couple of rows to each sleeve to make them full-length, when this happened:

My 4 year old stole it. She loves the short sleeves, and otherwise it fits her perfectly. So it's going to be hers for a little while. If I had more yarn, or if I were to do this again, I'd add maybe another 20 rows (10 ridges) at the end of the pattern, making it a bit wider and longer. Right now it fits her snugly and hits right at her waist (which is fine because she's been using it over her leotard for dance class). Worn over anything except leotards or dresses it looks a bit odd, as all of her shirts are longer than this sweater.

But she's happy. As you can see from the weird robot dance she was doing while I tried to photograph her.

I loved knitting this, I made a few mistakes which were due to my own lack of attention. I'll be making many, many more.

- marnie

Finished EZ Seamless Yoke Sweater!

This is an Elizabeth Zimmerman style seamless yoke sweater, made to my gauge and shape according to directions found in “Knitting Without Tears” (if memory serves me right, the key number was 230 and the circumference was 46").

OK, so that's a weird face I'm making, but the best view of the sweater.

The pattern is from the Moorish Patterned Pullover from the Winter 2003 Interweave Knits - it’s the border pattern. I used less than one skein of the teal and the light green, and about five of the charcoal - all Cascade 220. Knit on US7s.

Please excuse my rumpled sheets.

It has waist shaping and a little bit of bust shaping in the form of short rows. The sleeves and the bottom are hemmed, have a picot edge, and a contrasting color on the non-public side.

The collar is 1×1 rib on US4 needles (the rest of the sweater was knit on US7s), with some extra shaping at the back, according to EZ’s directions. The sleeves are three quarter, because I am always hot and because it was faster.

I started planning this sweater on Sept 21 - I starting knitting it the moment the yarn arrived, around the end of Septemeber. So a little more than two weeks to a sweater! That’s absolutely my fastest sweater ever. I really, really wanted to get this done to wear at Rhinebeck this past weekend, so I made it my primary knitting project, and gave it three quarter sleeves, so it would knit up faster.

My single regret: I’ve lost a bit of weight over the past month, and I wish I had made it about two inches smaller around. It fits me really well know, with about an inch of ease. A little bit of negative ease wouldn’t have killed me, the sweater would still fit well, and I’d be able to wear it longer, as my weight continues to drop Oh, well.

But it was so much fun to pick out the yarn and the pattern for the yoke, and have my own custom sweater! I'm still amazed at how well it fits me. I want to make piles and piles of them and use them as the basis for my wardrobe.

Thanks for the inspiration,

Jessie of Green Moon Knits

Cobblestone Pullover

I finaly finished the "Cobblestone Pullover" from Jared Flood, a great Elizabeth Zimmermann fan.

pattern: "Cobblestone Pullover" from Jared Flood, Interweave Knits Fall 07
yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed, SH147 dragon, little bit more than 9 skeins
needlesize: 4mm
size: 48", I knit the largest size to get this, since Felted Tweed is thinner than yarn used in the pattern
modifications: added 6 rows to neck edging
for: my husband

I was looking forward to post this pic since I started knitting. Cobblestone on cobblestone. I know, I´m easy to entertain. But best was the face of the workers of the house opposite of ours, seeing a lady running of her house to flash a sweater on the street!

Seed Stitch Tomten Jacket

I knit this for my youngest child, Olive, using Noro Cashmere Island in a black colorway. I used seed stitch throughout, then sewed the front closed and attached decorative buttons. I was so pleased with how the jacket looks in seed stitch, but was a little nervous that changing the stich would mess up the gauge. But I feel it fits its little recipient perfectly!


You can see more pics and details on my blog.

shiver me timbers!!!!

here is a seamless shirt yoke for a 3 year old boy with pirate charts from adrian and a teeth pattern that is a must in norwegian knitting. on one sleeve it says: ahoy matey and the other: arrgh! the yarn is 7 balls of jaeger: extra fine merino.
i hope carl will like this sweater. it was great fun to knit.

Spruce Mittens

Here's Mitten #1 (second is about 1/3 finished) based upon Elizabeth's spruce pattern from Knitting Around. Gosh, I love this book and I can hardly wait for the DVD coming this Fall. The teal icord is Wool Ease and the patterning is Alpaka yarn which is alpaca, wool and other mix. I'm using #8 dpn's.

I know this current 70-ish degree weather is just too good to last and that it will be mitten weather soon!

Please come visit my new blog at http://fibernating.blogspot.com

Seamless Yoke Sweater

Hi Zimmermaniacs!
I just finished this little seamless yoke sweater for my little girl. I used bits of info from both Knitting Without Tears and The Opinionated Knitter, two of my all time favorite books.

The yarn is Cascade 220, and I used less than two skeins.

Details about the construction are over at my blog. For example, it looks like a cardigan but I actually sewed the button band closed because the buttons kept popping open. So, it's the pullover formerly known as cardi!

Pink and Cream

I just love these boots!

Elizabeth Zimmerman at her best....just love these dinky little boots!
Made to go with the February Sweater...
Absolutely Gorgeous!

My blog

My Baby Surprise

The knitting on this little jacket has been finished for a few days, but I just got around to finishing up the seaming and sewing on the buttons. I meant to buy some better matchy buttons when I went shopping yesterday but I forgot. So I just found some in my button stash that sorta matched and went with it. Also, I did a rolled edge on it- an idea from this post over at mason-dixon knitting. It worked out good.

The yarn is KnitPicks Swish Superwash in Marine Heather & Delft Heather. I LOVE this yarn. I've heard some bad things about whether or not it is actually Superwash, so when I gift this to my sister-in-law I'm going to put hand wash on the instructions, but I figure that it's only going to fit the baby for a few months anyhow and it won't really be the end of the world if she doesn't launder it correctly. Just trying to be easygoing about it.

This is my FIRST baby surprise jacket, mostly because it's the first baby that someone I know has had since I discovered Elizabeth Zimmerman. I've got enough yarn to make one more so I'm thinking I will, and I might add a little collar to it. I see several of these in the future.

I'm just enchanted.

Feb sweater synchronicity

I too finished a February sweater this week for my 3 month old granddaughter,Maggie. When I opened the post today from Lifexhistory, my jaw dropped! Hers and mine could be twins...

I spun the yarn myself, using superwash roving purchased on eBay, and did the top in stockinette, but check it out! Her photo is really closer to the color of mine as well, the flash washed it out some. I put in four hidden snaps down the front, and added the two heart buttons at the top.

I know we are all using the same pattern, but this is too comical!

Linda

Another Feb Baby Sweater

I have been wanting to knit this sweater for ages and ages, but had no one to knit it for. Then my brother obliged me by announcing that he and his girlfriend are going to have a baby girl in February (how appropriate!). So I happily cast on. And soon after, I cast off.

I made no modifications to the pattern. I had originally intended to make the yoke in stockinette, but thought the yarn worked up so well in garter that I decided to follow the directions to the "T" and I'm really very happy with the way it turned out. Someone had posted a Feb sweater in Dream In Color Smooshy, and I thought it was absolutely beautiful, so I hunted down a skein of Wisterious to make this one. The yarn is divine to knit with, I got gauge on my first swatch, and I still have half a skein left over for a matching hat, socks/bootees, and mitts.

I still need to block her and sew on some wooden buttons-- I will be sure to post it in action come Feburary. For more details on the knitting, see my blog post here.

New Member, Old Zimmerman Knitter

Thank you for inviting me to this honored list.

I can't remember when I was first using EZ's patterns & permissions,
but it's been well over three decades.

I have developed a cute, short-row infant hat to use up/match the Mystery Sweater.

When I have a chance, I will make another one and write down the directions.
I've given them all away as gifts.

I've given most of my knits away,
but I'll look around to see if I can find any to photograph and post.

owl

My First BSJ

I finished my first Baby Surprise Jacket. Fun, fun pattern, and really easy too. I was a little nervous about starting it, because I'd seen all kinds of cheat sheets and references to knitters using spread sheets to help them keep their place in EZ's instructions. Bah! Totally not necessary, IMO. It's pretty straightforward, really.

My increases did travel a bit on one side at one point, but otherwise it was smooth sailing. I used US size 4 needles and some scraps of sport weight acrylic I keep on hand for charity stuff. I plan to donate this to the local hospital. Now that I know I love the pattern, I'll have to find some scrumptious yarn to make one for T (and figure out how to size it for a toddler . . .). Maybe Peace Fleece on size 7 or 8 needles? Although something softer and maybe superwash would be nice . . .

And, of course, some pics:





crossposted (more or less) on my blog

Me again.

I know. I know. I already posted about the sweater, but I couldn't resist posting the pictures of the recipient wearing it. Because it's the first sweater I've made - hopefully you won't mind a moment of unabashed pride.


Thanks again to all of you who posted your EZ Feb sweaters. It inspired me and helped quite a bit! Now I'm off to cast on for another one!

feb

my great nephew correcting his brother's sweater before catwalk and yet another february sweater. cute buttons, ayh??

Fishtrap cap

I've never been a successful swatch-er (my guage is always off, no matter how many times I swatch), but this time at least I have a useful object as a result. Fun, quick knit and a good way to get back into cables.

A newborn BSJ

I wanted to knit a baby surprise jacket for quite a long time already but I thought that for a first one a baby size should be it. Since my children have outgrown that state I needed to wait for the proper moment. Now that friends of us welcomed their 2nd child the time was there... I knitted this one in Lorna's Laces sport, colourway jeans on 3.75mm needles and it came out as a nice newborn size. I really like to knit this little number and since my SIL is pregnant now for the first time I will make another one later this year but i will use Blue Moon Socks that Rock heavyweight yarn on 4 mm for that one so I hope it will be just a bit bigger (newborn babies grow so fast...)



I made bootees with the leftover yarn, that pattern comes from www.saartjeknits.nl, a nice and fast project too!

Spicey Beethoven Dickie!

I finally got to knit a Dickie! I've been wanting to since I first got my E.Z. books. I used some Knit Picks Bare, which I dyed with Turmeric a few weeks ago. I love how strong the color turned out, and the semi solidness of it. It's worsted weight yarn, and I used just a little over one skein. When you look at it in the picture on the left side, I tried to do the short rows with wraps, but it didn't really look any better. For all other corners I used the method E.Z. described in her book. I did also a 3-needle bind off instead of weaving the ends together. I like the garter stitch neck because it is so stretchy. I'm very sensitive with things around my throat, can't stand turtle necks, but this is O.K.
I love knitting this Dickie, it was fast too. Might make some more, although my family laughed at me, and asked whether I had run out of yarn for a pullover, but we'll see who has the last laugh, when it gets cold! ;o)
There have been so many wonderful baby knits here lately, I like looking at all the knits presented.
Happy knitting all!

Monika

Tomten, Always

This is my first post on Zimmermania, but my umpteenth Tomten coat. I made this little number with Rowan Kidsilk Haze, doubled, in two shades of green, and opted to make the buttons more decorative than functional with the addition of tiny ribbon roses.



It's for my best friend's future granddaughter, due in November. Hopefully she'll be the sort of baby who doesn't mind having things pulled over her head!

little tomten

This is the sibling to the February Baby sweater I made back in August. It is made of two colors of Arucania Nature Wool on size 6 needles. The zipper came from zipperstop.com and is a 14 inch separating YKK plastic zipper. The jacket was a lot of fun to make and a fairly quick knit.
Now, I'll be ready for whatever gender my cousin's baby will be!

Norwegian Mittens

This is the Norwegian Mitten from Knitting Around though EZ also talks about it in the Knitters Almanac and has more instruction for the top of the mitten there. Of course I didn't find that until I had this finished. This is the first of the pair and I have the second one started.

The lighter blue is Brown Sheep Nature Spun yarn and the teal is Lion Wool. I started the cuff with size 4 needles but found that the hand of the mitten was going to be too small. I frogged back to the cuff and used size 5 from there up.

I am still working on keeping the tension right so the stitches lay smoothly but aren't sloppy loose. There are more progress pictures and information on my blog.

Bootees

The shaping is perfection, the construction unique and interesting to knit. These were super speedy. I particularly like the high ankle - babies' clothes ride up, especially when they have big cloth diapers like the Mole, and ride around in baby carriers. More photos and details of modifying the pattern for size and gauge on my blog.