Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Meg Swansen's Thoughts about Eeyore + a New Book from Elizabeth Zimmerman

Got a funny note from Meg Swansen the other day via my Facebook page after I wrote about Eeyore, our donkey:
From Meg: "E.O.R: I distinctly remember seeing it in a knitting magazine and not knowing what the heck it stood for - and as I was searching about in my brain, EEYORE came out as an obvious, but misguided, solution."
 
That Meg - she has all the wit of her mom Elizabeth, doesn't she? E.O.R. - that never would have occurred to me. I'm just not that clever I suppose. 

The other day, I was talking to my super talented friend Susan Anderson and I heard her story of her meeting Meg at the Madison WI Knitting Guild. She told me that Schoolhouse Press is publishing a new book of garter stitch designs by Elizabeth. How great. I myself had just run into Meg at VKLive in NYC which was a thrill for me. We hadn't seen each other in over 25 years! 

I asked Meg about the new garter stitch book and here's what she had to say:
"Schoolhouse's new project is Knit One Knit All. It is the Garter stitch book my ma always wanted to write (but was rejected by several publishers; "only ONE stitch"!) We hope it will be available in May; over 40 designs, many of which have never been published - and no overlaps with her existing 5 books. Onward. Meg"

Doesn't that sound great? I love garter stitch and the spins Elizabeth put on it were so great. How many of you have knit a baby surprise sweater? I can only imagine. (I must admit, I haven't but it is always because I am working up my own ideas.) To think that Meg was able to unearth over 40 of her mom's designs that are new to the knitting world is earth-shattering, don't you think? And to think that all those publishers turned it down. Wow  - what a lost opportunity for them but now we will all be luckier for it. And Schoolhouse Press too! Getting to publish a goldmine like that! Wow-wee! Or as Eeyore would say "Hee-Haw! Hee-Haw!"

It doesn't look like it is available on the Schoolhouse Press website yet but I'll try to keep you all apprised of its release when it is. Sounds like one of those books every knitter is going to want to own!

And by the way, Susan Anderson has a new book that is hot off the presses. It's called Spud and Chloe at the Farm and it looks darn adorable. I think it is shipping now!

3 comments:

Caffeine Girl said...

I was at guild when Meg spoke last month. The place was packed! She is amazing as a knitter, and so down-to-Earth as a person. Just like her mom!

Anonymous said...

What were those publishers thinking? I was learning to knit this past year and the person teaching me steered me to Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch as a basic resource. I looked at the copyright page and it's in it's 12th printing! I hope your friend has as much success with her "just one stitch" projects.

Lori Gayle said...

The new EZ book can be found here on the Schoolhouse Press web site, but you have to scroll down a bit:

http://www.schoolhousepress.com/newbooks.htm

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