Here’s the last excerpt from Afi-Odelia Scruggs’ essay on Elizabeth Zimmermann.
The last sentence of Part 3 was:
“Anyone can knit and more and more people continue to do so.”
“We have Zimmermann to thank for this. She had a passionate desire to teach others the joy of knitting, not its limitations. Her influence expanded the niche for everyone. Without Zimmermann, we might not have the current range of publishers who specialize in various crafts. Kaffe Fassett might have stayed with oils and canvas instead of turning to yarn and knitting needles. Zimmermann ‘brought intelligence and validity to a craft that had been trivialized as women’s work,’ Linda Ligon, then president of Interweave Press, told the [New York] Times for the obituary.
At a time when women had far less control over their lives, Zimmermann gave them confidence. She opened a way for an ordinary woman to enrich her own life and the lives of others. She paved the way for hundreds of thousands of knitters, men and women, to express themselves without relying on an outside authority’s approval or oversight.
As the editors of the Times rightfully recognized, hers was more than an accomplishment. It is a legacy.”
The full citation for Ms. Scruggs book of essays and patterns is:
Beyond Stitch & Bitch: Reflections on Knitting and Life, Afi-Odelia Scruggs. Beyond Words Publishing, Hillsborough, Oregon: 2004.
It is still available for purchase through Amazon, and Vancouver Public Library has at least one copy which could be borrowed through the Powell River public library.
Ms. Scruggs popped by and left a comment on an earlier post…thanks!
