Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks (Paperback)

by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (Author)
Key Phrases: circular shawl, sock yarn, stitch dictionaries, Fair Isle, Boring Scarf Solution, Scarf Recipe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, the best-selling author of At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much and celebrated blogger and humorist of the knitting world, is back! Funnier than ever, Pearl-McPhee continues her running dialogue with her knitting compatriots — cheering them on to ever-greater heights in the climb to make knitting universally recognized as THE peak life experience.

Both a celebration of knitting and a sourcebook for practical information, this book is a collection of useful advice and emotional support for the knitter. Pearl-McPhee examines essential truisms of knitting, side by side with tongue in-cheek warnings, realities, and fantasies about the act of knitting and the people who do it.

In chapters on everything from yarn needles, gauge, and knitting bag essentials to hats, socks, shawls, and sweaters, Pearl-McPhee unravels the mysteries of what it is that makes knitting click, from the inside out. She dares to question longstanding rules and uncover the true essence of what makes a hat a hat, a sock a sock, and so on. Insights into why certain techniques work encourage knitters to take control and knit in the way that works best for them. As she says, “There are no knitting police.”

The result is an illuminating, liberating (and hilarious!) look at knitting that will comfort the experienced knitter, surprise the mainstream one, and entice the beginner.

About the Author
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee entertains knitters with her unique blend of humor and knitting highwire acts via her popular online blog, articles, and essays. She lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and three daughters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580178340
• ISBN-13: 978-1580178341
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #16,499 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

173 of 173 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it 6 stars, if I could!, June 16, 2006

By	PurpleKat (Davis, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I work at a yarn store, and I take this book to work with me every day. There's rarely a day goes by that I don't have the chance to use it. Aside from the humorous anecdotes and essays (like the story of the lady in 'gauge denial' who makes a sweater that's more like a tent), the book contains extremely helpful tips for eyeballing measurements, making ballpark guesses as to how much yarn will be needed for a scarf, blanket, or shawl, making simple hats and socks, among other things.

Actually, let me say a couple of words about the author's "sock recipe". Before I read this book, many of the regulars where I work were urging me to start making socks so I could help them when they had trouble. I'd looked at sock patterns and felt very intimidated. But the way that the Yarn Harlot explains the process is so clear and so simple that it took away all of my fear. She helped me to visualize what I would be doing, and because of that, I now have a wonderful pair of finished socks! Everyone admires them and are stunned that they're my first pair, and that I made them without a pattern.

I would recommend this book to any knitter of any skill level. Even if you own no other knitting books, you should own this one.

117 of 122 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knitting Rules is a must have for every knitting library, April 7, 2006

By	nanapama (Dorchester, MA USA) - See all my reviews

Knitting does rule and this book rocks! What I love about Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is she allows me to combine my two favorite addictions, books and knitting. As a confirmed knitaholic and bookaholic, this book is exactly the kind of reading Im constantly looking for. I not only get to read about my favorite past-time and (this important for all you bloggers out there) I can put it on my bookshelf where I can pull it out and enjoy it again and again.

I've got nothing against blogs but there is nothing like a wonderful book, a book you read once, then go back and read again. "Knitting Rules" is full of great knitting tips, fun callouts and interesting facts. This is a book that will have turned down pages, comments in the margins and a rolled up cover. This is a book that will show how much it is loved.

I recommend "Knitting Rules" not only for your personal library but as a great gift for a person who is a new knitter or someone you are try to incite to the knit side. For those people who say knitting is too complicated,takes too long and is boring, they need to spend a little time the Yarn Harlot.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the yarn harlot strikes again!, March 26, 2006

By	Violet (Arcata) - See all my reviews

this book is a little more technical than Steph's first two, but a must-have for any fan of her humorous celebrations of the Knitterly Lifestyle. she includes invaluable size charts, tips, tricks, and "recipes" that make are incredibly handy and make for a well-rounded set of "tools" every knitter should know. she writes in a friendly, humorous, and accessable tone that i have come to love. the only reason i give this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that, like i said, it's a bit more technical, and i prefered the personal stories and scenarios from the first books. however, if you're a Knitter-with-a-capital-K, you'll love this book!