Knitting Without Tears: Basic Techniques and Easy-to-Follow Directions for Garments to Fit All Sizes: 0001 (Knitting Without Tears SL 466)

This book is very chatty, if you love Ikea's pictograms & can't bear being told how to do something by a friendly expert then it might not be for you, but if you buy books to improve your techniques & then flick through them never to pick them up again this might be the answer. I have sat down and read this book cover to cover on several occasions. EZ writes in a friendly chatty style and talks to you thro the pages so it is an easy read. It might take some people a bit of courage to leave behind the formal written pattern but once you have then I am sure you will never look back. The patterns are designed for you to be able to make ANY size in ANY wool, and when possible with no sewing or a minimum of sewing up after, the most famous of these patterns is the ski jumper which seems to be back in fashion this year, Ann Budd uses EZ's pattern in the Sweater Book putting it in a table form, but it still only goes to a 54" finished chest using EZ's method you could knit it to any size, I did one to measure 60" and it worked fine. EZ spells out the pattern for a 40" measurement so you can see how it is done then gives you the formula to do it yourself for any size any yarn. I do think she gets a little carried away in the possibilities for jumpers that need no sewing but that is my only criticism. If you are a beginner who has mastered the basics but not really followed a pattern for a garment you should manage fine if you are an expert who want to move into design this book would be helpful. Definately an important pat of any knitters library who seeks to do a bit more than follow patterns blindly

I love Elizabeth Zimmermann’s style of writing. Reading her book is like having a friend in the room with you. I picked up several good tips in this book but most importantly it gave me confidence just to “have a go”.I bought a new copy for myself at £12.99 but then wondered why I had not bought a much cheaper second hand one. That’s no criticism of the book just of my own lack of budgeting.

I enjoy the writing very much - motherly, kind, funny. It's a little peek into the past and into someone's life and character.Having recently knitted a sweater with set-in sleeves I am very interested in patterns with minimal seaming. Seams are hard work! The icelandic yoke sweater looks like something I could do, though I may not be brave enough to tackle the colourwork. I've only been knitting for three months but I do understand the principles of construction, fit and fibre because my mother was a dressmaker. I guess it gave me a head start.What this book could really do with is a little TLC to make it more palatable to modern tastes - colour pics, step-by-step photos of works in progress, updated formatting, nicer paper. Hence, one star deducted as it's not as attractive as it deserves to be.Still, you can check out lots of pics of finished projects on Ravelry.

I was hoping for clearer diagrams. It is an old fashioned text.

It’s maybe a little bit old fashioned but it’s a very interesting book. I have learned a lot and I am an intermediate knitter 😊

Such a good read, so useful, a must for the serious knitter. Gives you lots of hints, tips, etc., just the little things that you will find useful for refining your knitting techniques. Besides such useful things like alternative cast-ons, etc., you will get the information you need to write a pattern for your own design, all you need is to do a sample square and some measurements of your desired sweater. you can then work it out from the instructions. I've started writing my own patterns, and they do work! Socks, hats, mittens, sweaters, a lovely child's hooded jacket with not so much in the way of specific instructions, but the information you need to do your own thing - magic! It's a lovely companion to the book 'The Opinionated Knitter' by the same author. They both make good bedtime reading too! Buy it!!

I would have rated this book 5 star but the narrative style makes finding specific techniques difficult. Reading the book, one feels that Elizabeth Zimmerman is there with you, talking you gently through the techniques which are very well explained. This is a book for the competent beginner knitter who wants to improve the quality of their knitting and move on to designing their own garments. The fundamentals are all there. Just enjoy the narrative whilst you discover them.

This book was written just for me; a new granny, reviving an old love affair with knitting but having forgotten most of the techniques necessary for making a garment stylish and comfortable. More than anything else Elizabeth Zimmerman empowers one to knit, her book gives the confidence to go ahead and try without fear, something new. Lets face it, knitting can be unravelled and redone quite easily until one is satisfied with it, and that is the message. A great book!! Great patterns too!! I particularly like the garter stitch hoody that will stretch with the growing child. Can't wait to knit it.