I’m currently reading “Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter” by Stephanie Pearl McPhee. This book is a reflection of my soul.
( If you’d like to get a little kicky flavor of her witting writing, check out a sample of her book her on Google Books). I promise if you’re a knitting or crocheter, you won’t be disappointed. And coming from me, a big non-reader, consider this a glowing recommendation.
Granted, I’m only 40 pages through, but I just got the book from a lady at my knitting group (thanks, Helen!) and am so pleased with it, I can only show my appreciation through blogging. Future note to self: finish reading a book in its entirety before sharing your opinions.
If you eat, breathe, and sleep knitting or crocheting you have to check out this book. Reading Stephanie’s stories will make you realize you’re not alone and not as crazy of a knitter as you realized. You’re just like the rest of us yarn harlots. There is hope.
In the tiny pages of Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter, you’ll find:
- Notes left by UFOs (unfinished objects, for all you non-knitters), begging to be finished
- Panic-laden moments of stretching sweaters and blocking blunders
- Ambitious, soul-stealing knitting projects shoved in closets
- Family vacation money spent at local yarn stores
- Sock knitting ramblings, etc, etc, etc.
My favorite paragraph from the book (so far) has been this,
“Knitting is magic. Knitting is an act of creation and a simple transformation each and every time. Each knitted gift holds hours of my life. I know it looks just like a hat, but really, it’s four hours at the hospital, six hours on the bus, two hours alone at four in the morning when I couldn’t sleep because I tend to worry. It’s all those hours when I chose to spend time warming another person. It’s giving them my time – time that I could have spent on anything, or anyone, else. Knitting is love, looped and warm.“
If that blurb doesn’t incentivize you to put down your needles and pick up a copy of Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter by Stephanie Pearl McPhee, I don’t know what will. Happy reading!