[ZeldasMom]

Okay, I have knit soakers and socks and want to try a sweater. Would it be better to start with a more traditional pattern for my first one, or do you thnk I could start out doing an Elizabeth Zimmermann sweater?

I have Knitting Without Tears, which has seamless yoke sweaters, seamless raglans, etc.

 

[ZeldasMom]

 

[alison_in_oh]

My first sweater was a child's sized Wonderful Wallaby, which is based on Elizabeth's Percentage system. Seamless sweaters just make sense, sewing seams scares me! So I say three thumbs up for an EZ sweater, but think about making it in a child's size for quicker gratification and less arm-shaping.

 

[Sarah]

I just did a EZ percentage child size raglan (last blog entry I think) if you can knit a soaker- you can do that... go for it-!

 

[ZeldasMom]

Thanks mamas!

 

[lnupermom]

Just keep in mind that Elizabeth's patterns are more like a recipe than an actual "I'll hold your hand and get you through this" pattern. I did my first EZ pattern in a knitalong for the Baby Surprise Jacket--I don't think I could have handled it without that additional help. Now her patterns don't scare me.

 

[alison_in_oh]

While I totally agree that she's chatty and not formulaic, the BSJ is another beast altogether.

There's a reason they call it a surprise! A bottom-up raglan is much more sensical: you cast on for the sleeves and knit up to the pit, you cast on for the waist and knit up to the pit, you join all the bits together and knit 'round decreasing as you go till it's down to a neck-hole and voila!

The sweater grows under your fingers.

 

[Indigo73]

EZ's TomTen was one of my first projects.

 

[rachel]

You should be fine! Go for it!

 

[Maplecat]

EZ's yoke sweater from Knitting Without Tears was the first sweater I ever knit. I found it to be very straight forward and it came out great. If you start the sweater and get stuck, you can always find help on the web. Good luck!