 The Yarn Whisperer by Clara Parkes, pub. Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2013 What secret does the great cellist Pablo Casals know about swatching? Which knit stitch is like whole-grain bread? And what does Barbara Walker's husband have in common with mine? Clara Parkes answers all these questions, as well as others you never thought to ask, in her collection of 22 free-standing essays subtitled "My Unexpected Life in Knitting." Parkes runs the popular and useful on-line magazine Knitter's Review and is the author of The Knitter's Book of Socks, The Knitter's Book of Yarn, and The Knitter's Book of Wool---the last two being helpful tomes of use to anyone in the fiber community. Parkes has a poet's appreciation for the interconnectivity of seemingly disparate aspects of life: an old sweater and a run-down farmhouse, a yarn stash and a flower garden, a sailboat and a Stradivarius. 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. This book has a lightness to it, an ease. It made me laugh and even filled my eyes with tears once or twice (the Acknowledgments got to me for some reason). And I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader. Comment on this post by September 30 and say what kind of fiber you would be made of if you were a yarn. I'll use a randomizer to draw the number of one comment and identify the winner on that day's post. The winner will have a week to contact me with shipping information, and I'll send the book. If I were a yarn, I would be linen. Tough and stringy when working up, but softening with use. I would like to say I'm organic merino, fluffy and elastic, but that would be a lie. Still, linen is beautiful and takes dye well. And my husband loves it. Disclosure: Stewart, Tabori & Chang sent Kangath a free copy of The Yarn Whisperer for review. Kangath was not compensated for the preceding review. All opinions expressed in the review are the blog author's and are not necessarily the opinions of Stewart, Tabori & Chang or Clara Parkes.
9 Comments
I would've a yak yarn. the fiber is warm and soft but not cuddly in the animal form before it becomes yarn. When you look at the yak it's hair is sort of straggly and messy just like me most days. A yak looks stubborn which my husband would agree that I am a little stubborn and set in my ways. So like the yak I may not look or behave the best but can be very nice when you get down to the undercoat.
Cindy G
9/12/2013 05:41:58 am
I would be Tweed Merino Wool. Very ordinary but full of scruffiness. Reliable but full of surprises!
s.e.
9/21/2013 09:08:34 am
If I were a yarn it would be wool, something soft yet sturdy, maybe something upcycled but purple for sure.
Paula
9/24/2013 11:12:13 am
I would be merino wool. Soft, sturdy, reliable. Good for the dull, plain work of stockinette, but still able to take the twists and turns of the cables in life.
Paula
10/1/2013 02:42:16 am
Thanks so much! I'm thrilled! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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