How often do you hear about a knitting book which doesn't contain any knitting patterns? Or isn't a manual on instructions or technique? Other than Stephenie Pearl-McPhee (aka Yarn Harlot) it's a rarity. However, this is what we have here. It contains all of my favourite things; knitting chat, yarn chat and travel chat. This in fact is a travel writing book for those who love yarn. Clara Parkes is no stranger to journalistic style writing. In fact this isn't even her first book but it is the first one that I have read.
Parkes is a yarn enthusiast and this is about her travels as she passes on her knowledge to others while occasionally learning herself. The book mainly sees Parke travelling around the U.S but occasionally she finds herself in Europe including our very own Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Reading this I honestly don't know which to be most jealous of. The travel, the people she teaches, the well known knittery names she befriends or all the yarn she gets to purchase at these wonderful events.
Actually I am jealous of all of it. I would love to go to these events and write about them. I would love to attend all of the classes. I would have loved to have gone to the big sock event organised by the Yarn Harlot which is alas no more. Imagine a whole weekend dedicated to sock knitting.
It also gave great insight into famous knitters/designers such as Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Stephen West and the ravelry founders (to name but a few). I also discovered other designer's many of whom are based here in the UK. For all of these reasons I very much enjoyed reading this book (and forgave her for describing the new hand-dyed sock yarn as clown vomit). So if you are strong enough not to be overwhelmed by feelings of envy then I highly recommend you read this.
You can find Ms Parkes around the net. She is the founder of online magazine Knitter's Review. She also has her own website called Clara Parkes.
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