During World War II, German or continental knitting fell out of favor in the UK and US due to its association with Germany.

This alteration led Zimmermann to begin to publish her own instructions as free Newsletters to her customers, later transforming these into longer form, titled Wool Gatherings.

In all her published works (print and video), she encouraged knitters to experiment and develop their own patterns and ideas, letting their latent creativity unfold.

Zimmermann devised her "EPS" (Elizabeth's Percentage System) calculation for sizing garments based on gauge and desired body circumference.

[7] Her "EPS" is still widely used by designers: it consists of a mathematical formula to determine how many stitches to cast on for a sweater, given that the sleeves and body are usually proportionate no matter what yarn or gauge is used.

In her obituary in The New York Times Douglas Martin wrote, "Mrs. Zimmermann chose to play down her influence on knitting, coining the term unventions for her woolly inventions.

"[1] A retrospective exhibit, "New School Knitting: The Influence of Elizabeth Zimmermann and Schoolhouse Press," was presented at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Gallery of Design in 2006.