Customer Reviews

The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn

5 star:		(57)
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2 star:		(1)
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If you are familiar with the Knittersreview.com, then you know how great Ms. Clara is (and the depth of her knowledge of yarns) , and have probably preordered your copy already. If you haven't visited KR yet, this is a great introduction to yarn design, and a wonderful reference work, as well as a great set of easy and fun projects. Ms. Parkes just makes it easy to understand the "how and why" of which yarn to use for what.

I was lucky enough to score a copy of "The Knitters Book of Yarn" at the NY Sheep and Wool festival this weekend, and managed to make it cover to cover in about 10 hours. Ms. Parkes is one of this countries top experts on all types of knitting yarns, and this is a wealth of yarn construction knowledge with some really useful tips and tricks about selecting the correct yarn for your project. The projects included are also range from the beginners washcloth to some great vests and the "Maine Morning Mitts" are truly excellent. I can't say enough about how well it is written, and how facinating Ms. Clara makes all the details of twist, balance, and fiber selection.

If you are a knitter, know a knitter, or want to be a knitter, you can't go wrong here. Fun to read, clearly organized, and quite comprehensive, I know I will be using this as a reference tome for years to come, as well as making a couple of sets of Mitts for Christmas gifts!

Ever wondered why your experience of knitting is sometimes one of ambivalence? Clara Parkes suggests that it may be the materials you are using. Curious to understand why yarn had such an impact on her knitting, she quite her high-tech job and applied her experience to providing knitters honest and in-depth reviews of yarn. Her search to understand if there was such a thing as "good" and "bad" yarn led to the birth of KnittersReview.com in September 2000.

The Knitter's Book of Yarn: the ultimate guide to choosing, using, and enjoying yarn collects seven years of knowledge that has led Parkes to be considered by some a "yarn whisperer." Her goal is to help knitters avoid "yarn-related errors" and match the right yarn to the right project, "to hold a skein in our hands, look at it, touch it, listen to it, even smell it, and instinctively know what the yarn wants to become."

In The Knitter's Book of Yarn, Parkes explores common fiber types, methods of preparation, spins, and ply combinations. The yarns discussed are meant to serve as examples of type and lead to a better understanding of the yarns in your stash or those found at the local yarn shop. The main body of the volume is called "Ply Me a River," where Parkes explores the qualities of classic single ply, two-ply, three-ply and four-ply (and more) yarns. Within each section are patterns designed to showcase the best qualities of this type of yarn. Each pattern is by designers whom Parkes admires for "their instinctive love and understanding of yarn."

The end of this main body is used to explore "modern" yarns; cabled yarns and textured yarns. Parkes also includes information on the "care and feeding" of yarn; that is, how to wash and care for your garments once they are knit. Additional tips are provided on the special handling each fiber requires when it is wet and for removing odors (especially important if you are sensitive to the smell of wet silk).

Armchair Interviews says: Savvy knitter will reach for The Knitter's Book of Yarn before their next yarn purchase.

When I first saw that Clara Parkes was writing a book about knitting yarn, I didn't think that it would be a book I needed to own. But I was first in line to borrow it when our local library got a copy and I have to say that I was wrong. The Knitter's Book of Yarn is a beautiful book with some terrific patterns and it is the best resource book about yarn that there is.

The book is arranged in three main sections. First, she looks at all the different types of fiber in some depth, and you will find some products that you didn't think could be made into yarn, as well as answers to some burning fiber questions you may have had, like what the heck is rayon, anyway? In the second section, she considers the structure of yarn, how it is made and how that affects the use. Finally, Clara addresses the specific qualities of singles, 2, 3, 4 ply yarns, cabled, textured, boucle, brushed and chenille yarns, and includes several patterns for each type of yarn.

I'm quite impressed and will be pleased to add this book to my knitting library. I have already knitted 2 pair of Maine Morning Mitts. This book will appeal to knitters, crocheters, spinners and weavers. Bravo, Clara! Well done!

Clara Parkes also publishes a weekly e-newsletter called Knitter's Review, which is very informative, well written and entertaining.

I bought this book sight-unseen purely on the basis that I have so much respect for Clara's knowledge of yarn, and she is the perfect author for a book of this type.

Section 1 of the book looks at Fibre Foundations, focusing on the specific properties of various types of fibre, including the many types of synthetic and natural fibres, including some less well-known varieties. This provides a wonderful background for any knitter in to where their yarn comes from and what makes a quality fibre. As an Australian, the brief section on possum fur jumped out as factually incorrect for instance, but generally the information is fantastic and very useful for knitters or anyone who works with yarn.

Ever wondered how the fibres are transformed in to yarn? That's where section 2 comes in, looking at how yarn is processed and dyed. Section 3 then moves on to the topic of how yarn fibre is plied together to give different qualities to the final result (and explains for instance why single ply yarns have a tendency to bias or pill).

This book would be a valuable resource based only on the yarn information in the first sections, but the patterns that are also included are a wonderful bonus. Patterns are included from several different designers, with the brief to design a pattern that best highlights the qualities of a particular type of yarn. This is done very successfully, and patterns range from hats, mittens, and scarves to bags, cardigans and vests. The designs are all very wearable, but with a great diversity brought about by the different yarn types and designer approaches.

For anyone who is interested in learning more about yarns and why they behave as they do, or how to choose the right type of yarn for a particular project (particularly if you tend to substitute yarns), this book is unbeatable.

I ordered mine from Amazon but couldn't wait for the slow shipping so I went to chain bookstore and drooled. Clara Parkes from the Knitter's Review has produced a masterpiece for fiber fanatics and knitters (aren't we one and the same?). The pictures are clear and the patterns are well written. But that's not all. For those who want to know more about yarn and the reasons why it feels a certain way (and who doesn't), this is for you.

Clara Parkes should be awarded a doctorate in Fiberology.

This is a good, well-written book.

My beef is with the description, which led me to expect 256 pages of in-depth information about fiber properties, fiber blending, the effects of bleaching, dye and other processing on the fibers, and the benefits and drawbacks of various yarn constructions. I was very excited about getting such a book.

Which is why I was so disappointed when I got the book to find so much of the space was actually devoted to patterns. The patterns are certainly good, but there are pattern books by the hundreds---that wasn't what I was shopping for here, and space given over to patterns was taken away from the information I had expected and wanted.

The shame of it is that Clara Parkes is a fine writer with wide exposure to yarns and yarn types, and access to the people who create them and the people who use them. As someone who neither creates nor sells fibers or yarns, she is in perhaps an ideal position to synthesize yarn and fiber information in a readable, unbiased way - precisely the book I expected and wanted.

What appears in the book is more of a survey of fibers and yarns for the advanced beginner or intermediate knitter, while I was expecting more of a true fiber-whisperer master class. I would have bought this book anyway had it been more accurately described, but I would have been a much happier owner had my expectations not been raised so high by the description. In Sheep's Clothing: A Handspinner's Guide to Wool by Nola and Jane Fournier is closer to what I expected this to be as far as reviewing specific fibers, although it deals only in wool and does not discuss the issues of chemistry or yarn structure.

I do like this book, but I'm also still waiting for someone (maybe Clara?) to write the book I thought it was going to be.

This book far, far surpassed my expectations. I've long been a fan of the author's Knitters Review website, and I pre-ordered this book merely because of that. When it arrived, I expected a slightly dry, dull, but factual book on fibers. Instead, it turns out to be not only packed full of more fiber information that I could have imagined, but that information is well written and enjoyable to read. Suddenly the light bulb has gone on, and I understand the connection between fiber content, spin and ply and my finished product. Instead of merely "going for the gauge" and expecting a sweater to work out, I can now make a far better decision about what yarn will work with what pattern and, more importantly, what yarn will not work and why. Honestly, this may be the only reference book that qualifies as a bona fide page-turner! And the happiest surprise - there are a bunch of fabulous patterns included.

This book, more than any other I own, has made me a better, more competent, confident knitter. I highly recommend it as a must-have for every knitter's bookshelf.

Let's be honest. There comes a time in all knitters' lives when they realize they simply have enough knitting books. They have all the sweater, hat, purse, scarf, shawl, sock, whatever patterns they will ever need, and they don't want to hear about another little yarn store or another group of knitters who did some inspiring thing. But now, there's a book that even a booked-out knitter will want to buy. I ended up reading the thing from cover to cover.

Learn about the foundation of all textile arts: the yarn itself. Did you know that rayon and Tencel start their lives as plant material, which is why you can make yarn out of milk without making string cheese? Do you know why it's sometimes called "virgin wool"? Do you know why knitters should be grateful to mulberry leaves? Do you know the difference between worsted weight yarn and worsted spun?

But my favorite thing about the book is that after it talks about the particular properties of a yarn, it offers a pattern or two that exploits that property -- and what fabulous patterns, too! I recommend this for beginning and advanced knitters alike. A real gem.

Not only does she tell you everything you want to know about yarn, in a pleasant and approachable style, but she has super good-looking patterns, lots of them, specifically designed to make the most of various yarns' characteristics. Anyone who knits will love this book. Just buy it!

If you like to know how and why things are, then this book is for you. The Book of Yarn (which should just be named "THE yarn book") has it all: history, science, definitions, pros and cons of various yarns, and fun trivia. It will help you understand how different yarns behave, and how this affects your knitting--which ultimately will help you plan and complete more successful projects.

The first half of the book is devoted to explaining how the yarn gets from it's source (the animal, plant, or mineral) to you. There is a really fun overview of all the different yarn sources--everything from alpaca and oppossum to seaweed and coal! This is followed by a brief description of the processes of creating, spinning, and dying the yarns, along with discussion of farms, mills, and even large yarn festivals to visit throughout the year.

The second half of the book is broken out by ply and type of yarn (e.g, single ply, two ply, boucle, chenille) and has several pattern examples for each ply/type. Most knitting books tend to have fairly hideous patterns, with maybe a few "interesting but NOT ME" patterns, and one or two "I love this and must knit it NOW" patterns. However, The Book of Yarn surprised me by having many patterns I would actually knit, including some cute mittens, hats and shawls.

The last section of the book is very practical, and includes useful tips for cleaning your yarn creations, calculating how much yarn you have, and a glossary.

My only small critique? The glossary and index could both be greatly expanded--I don't have much background in sewing or fashion or textiles, so I've been going nuts trying to figure out what "drape" is!