In an earlier post on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac, I outlined why I believe that Zimmermann's no-frills paperback should be considered a very special publication indeed, despite its somewhat bland appearance and apparent lack of project photography.
First up, a few words on the low-cost nature of the paperback edition: The Almanac features instructions to over 15 patterns (including 4 sweaters) on approximately 150 pages, making this a densely packed publication. With the exception of the book cover, the project photography is in black and white throughout, thus lacking the visual appeal and photographic detail of contemporary knitwear publications.
In short, the project photography (though decent and undertaken with great care) is by modern standards outdated. As a result, those of us, who derive inspiration from ogling an appealing finished object before casting on, will undoubtedly be disappointed. To really get in the mood for knitting a Zimmermann pattern from the Almanac, it might be best to start off by trawling the web for pictures of finished Zimmermann projects and adaptations of her original designs. At this point, her true genius will be revealed. The Pi Shawl pattern provides a perfect case in point.
Zimmermann's Pi Shawl design and instructions have inspired countless knitters to produce a multitude of design variations based upon Zimmermann's original design. The Pi Shawls featured below are merely a small selection of the many outstanding projects on show across the web.
Special thanks go to MadKnits, Terhi, Aisling Doonan and Glenna C aka crazyknittinglady for allowing me to showcase their most amazing, finished Pis here on the blog. Thank you so much!
Special thanks go to MadKnits, Terhi, Aisling Doonan and Glenna C aka crazyknittinglady for allowing me to showcase their most amazing, finished Pis here on the blog. Thank you so much!
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| Terhi's Pi, Yarn: Wetterhoff Sivilla and Fiberphile Merino |
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| Aisling's Perfect Pi |
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| Aisling's Pi |
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| Photo courtesy of MadKnits - A variation of Pi called 'Gull Wings', designed by Mwaa Knit Obsession in 2010 in honor of Elizabeth Zimmermann's 100th birthday. |
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| Glenna C's Pi |
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