Stockinette, ribbing, cables, even the humble yarn over can instantly
evoke places, times, people, conversations, all those poignant moments
that we've tucked away in our memory banks. Over time, those stitches
form a map of our lives.
--From the preface
In The Yarn Whisperer: Reflections on a Life in Knitting, renowned
knitter and author Clara Parkes ponders the roles knitting plays in her
life via 22 captivating, poignant, and laugh-out-loud funny essays.
Recounting tales of childhood and adulthood, family, friends, adventure,
privacy, disappointment, love, and celebration, she hits upon the
universal truths that drive knitters to create and explores the ways in
which knitting can be looked at as a metaphor for so many other things.
Put simply, "No matter how perfect any one sweater may be, it's only
human to crave another. And another, and another."
Praise for The Yarn Whisperer:
"Clara Parkes: The Yarn Seer." --Interweave Knits magazine
"If you are a knitter, or even if you are not, read this book for the
sheer joy of her writing, for the way she strings ideas together and
brings you into her world . . . I would compare her to Mark Twain
because of her dry humor. Honestly, she's that good." --New Jersey
Courier News' In Sticthes blog
"Read this book to be reminded of how special it is to be a part of this
warm and fuzzy community." --About.com
"I see a lot of yarn books in this gig, and Whisperer is not only the
best I've seen this year, it's one of my all-time faves. Seriously, it's
that good." --The Oregonian
"I don't want to stop reading. Each chapter is a little jewel."
--KnitCircus.com
"Parkes has a poet's appreciation for the interconnectivity of seemingly
disparate aspects of life . . . I have a sense of affinity with the
metaphors she chooses, which are drawn from music, gardening, baking,
and of course, knitting. Her language dances and gallops, chuckles and
sings." --Kangath Knits blog
"The Yarn Whisperer weaves together knitting anecdotes and life
experiences of the author in a way that I think we can all relate to."
--Kelbourne Woolens blog
"It's a fun book for curling up on a cool day with a cup of tea,
knitting nearby, of course." --CraftGossip.com
"It is seriously the best book about knitting experiences ever. I
absolutely LOVED it!" - --Sweetly Made
"If you haven't read The Yarn Whisperer yet, you should. It's sweet,
funny and full of moments you'll recognize or aspire to. I recommend you
get a copy." --Moth Heaven
"In this charming series of linked essays, Parkes metaphorically puts
the fast whorl on her wheel and spins something entirely new, showing
that she's not just a good writer but a great one. Funny, sweet, and
trenchant and offered in twenty-two digestible bits, this book is not
only the quintessential sampler afghan of knit lit, it is also the 'It'
gift of the season. Buy a stack to stuff inside the handmade stockings
of your knitting-circle friends." --Vogue Knitting
"The creator of Knitter's Review has created a collection of stories of
her life of knitting, yarn, baking and overall appreciation for all
things beautiful, and has woven them together like afghan squares with
charm, grace and hilarity." --Petite Purls
"Her writing is incredibly clever . . . this book will be dear to your
heart." --Knit the Hell Out
"It's my favorite new knitting book of the year." --DallasNews.com
