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8th out of 80 books
—
78 voters
The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn
by
Clara Parkes (Goodreads Author)
Not all yarns are alike. Some make our hearts and hands sing, some get the job done without much fanfare, and some cause nothing but frustration and disappointment. The gorgeous pair of socks that emerged from their first bath twice as long as when they went in. The delicate baby sweater that started pilling before it even came off the needles. The stunning colorwork scarf...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
October 16th 2007
by Potter Craft
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I need to qualify my review to mwntion that I am a contributor, in a small way, so I am not totally unbiased. This is a book that I wish had been available when I was a new knitter, and even without taking account of any of the patterns, it is one that will be useful to knitters and other fiber crafters because of the solid infornation that the author has included.
I'm willing to admit that this book probaby sounds deadly boring to non-knitters, and maybe even to some less-dedicated knitters. But if you want to understand the basis of the medium, this book is a very good start. The organization (kinds of fiber, how they're spun and dyed, and why yarn is or isn't plied) is good. The author does a good job of explaining how the structure of the yarn influences how designers use them in knitted garments. And although I'm not a fan of all the patterns in the b...more
An excellent book I'd like to buy. It gives you the family tree (categorizations) of yarn, and tells you, as you have been told no where else, what yarns are good for what types of knitting projects ! It discusses how yarn is made, from what source (animal, veggie, man-made), the types of ply's, whether large industry or small farm, giving patterns for the particular yarns that will showcase them off best. She gives additional reading and internet resources, and encourages patronizing small make...more
Such a clear explanation of each type of fiber, what its characteristics are, and why. Perfect for someone like me who never finds a pattern and goes out and buys the exact specified yarn - my style is more trying to adjust a pattern I found to yarn I've had for years, or unravelled from an old sweater, etc - so knowing what yarn is appropriate (for warmth, drape, wear, itchiness, type of stitches...) would really be great. A really good resource - now I just have to memorize this before returni...more
I've owned this pretty much since it was published, but I've done a bit of a reread recently, and it's the kind of book you get a lot out of on rereads. Not because it's unclear at all, but because there's a wealth of information that I, at least, hadn't seen before reading this. There's really only one pattern I love in the book, and that's the Maine Morning Mitts, which is available for free online. (I've made it many times and it's a great pattern.) It wasn't until this browse through that I...more
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I treated reading this book like a study assignment, and took 30 pages of notes as I went along. I learned so much about fibers and how they feel, knit, wash, wear, insulate, itch, stretch, and more.
I can apply this information to not only my yarn choices for knitting, but also my clothing purchases. Why does some silk smell bad? What do the Pima Indians of Arizona have to do with my favorite cotton sheets? Why do some of my cotton t-shirts shrink biased? Why is hand-washing better than dry cle...more
I can apply this information to not only my yarn choices for knitting, but also my clothing purchases. Why does some silk smell bad? What do the Pima Indians of Arizona have to do with my favorite cotton sheets? Why do some of my cotton t-shirts shrink biased? Why is hand-washing better than dry cle...more
I LOVE this book! I've learned so much about the different categories of yarn and which purposes each type of yarn are suited for. I appreciate yarn even more now. The projects in here are great too. The next big yarn sale I go to will definitely find me with this book in hand to better understand what I'm buying. A timeless reference book.
Excellent, clear description of types of yarn and how they are produced. (note to self: silk is repulsive) Finally, I understand this "ply" thing, and weights, etc.etc. Plus, there are great, great patterns to do in each type of yarn. Very lovely design as well.
Judging by its billing as the "ultimate guide" this book failed for me. While there were details I found useful, it's very American and author-centric. There were fibres not covered in the book, which may reflect on the speed of new yarn being developed/made available or a reflection on the author's limitations (on availability, it seems. Though if you're setting out to write the ultimate guide, surely you'd try to get your hands on the more "exotic" materials).
At times the book reads more like...more
At times the book reads more like...more
I may be the only one that isn't ohing and ahing about this title. I think the problem is the fact that I have a strong textile chemistry background and the fiber chapters were not all together accurate. So I found the book anoying.
This may be on my read shelf but it is a book that gets taken of often for information about a yarn I might be thinking of using.
This is an excellent primer on yarn. The author describes the whole process of yarn from the fiber level to the finished spun yarn. She provides a great survey of the different types of fibers and the inherent nature of these fibers and how it affects your knitted piece. It's kind of the "Good Eats" of knitting. She goes into some scientific detail but not too deeply -- just enough for what you need. Very easy to read. I borrowed this from the library and intend to get my own copy as a reference...more
I really enjoyed the first half of the book where it talked about the different types of yarn, and give that 4 stars. However, the patterns in the second half rather confused me (granted, I'm not a great knitter), and I wasn't that interested in them, so I give 2.5 stars to part 2.
I'd actually consider buying this book if it were just the first part and therefore a fraction of the price. Maybe I should check out her "The Knitter's Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Lo...more
I'd actually consider buying this book if it were just the first part and therefore a fraction of the price. Maybe I should check out her "The Knitter's Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Lo...more
This was a fascinating book, and a great addition to my crafting library. The author goes over various types of yarn, not limited to just the fibers but also the yarn weight, details of how it was spun, plys, and so on. Each yarn type is deconstructed and its behavior explained, with several different examples shown along with a few patterns that show off that type of yarn to its best advantage. As a beginner knitter, I found this incredibly helpful and I think it will help me be more successful...more
I was seduced by the title's promise to be the ultimate guide.
Even after reading descriptions of different yarn, I didn't see how this would help me when in the yarn shop. Paying attention to the labels in our clothes seems more helpful than this book. I found the listing of brands strange. I wasn't looking for brands - what if they stop making a product line? How helpful is that?
After reading, I came back to my original subconscious thought: Nothing beats experiential learning.
Even after reading descriptions of different yarn, I didn't see how this would help me when in the yarn shop. Paying attention to the labels in our clothes seems more helpful than this book. I found the listing of brands strange. I wasn't looking for brands - what if they stop making a product line? How helpful is that?
After reading, I came back to my original subconscious thought: Nothing beats experiential learning.
I learned a lot about different types of fiber from this book, those chapters are clearly-written and really interesting.
I'm not wild about the pattern selection, though of course taste in knitting patterns is really subjective. So I'd be much more likely to buy this book if more of the space dedicated to patterns had been reserved for yarn talk.
The sections about yarn construction were brief and mostly served as introductions for each pattern chapter. These sections weren't presented in a way...more
I'm not wild about the pattern selection, though of course taste in knitting patterns is really subjective. So I'd be much more likely to buy this book if more of the space dedicated to patterns had been reserved for yarn talk.
The sections about yarn construction were brief and mostly served as introductions for each pattern chapter. These sections weren't presented in a way...more
I am a fiber geek now
I know that qiviut is the warmest yarn (and expensive). That you can knit with opossum. And that rayon used to be called "wood silk".
I know the difference between woolen spun and worsted.
I know why merino feels so dang good.
And why angora is stifly hot.
ohhh the things in my little head.
Good book. Not sure about the patterns, but go have fun.
I know that qiviut is the warmest yarn (and expensive). That you can knit with opossum. And that rayon used to be called "wood silk".
I know the difference between woolen spun and worsted.
I know why merino feels so dang good.
And why angora is stifly hot.
ohhh the things in my little head.
Good book. Not sure about the patterns, but go have fun.
The Book of Yarn is actually pretty darn nifty. The book talks about the different fibers and weights that are typically used in yarn, and how to decided what's appropriate for certain projects. It also has a healthy number of patterns I'd actually make. Totally recommended for someone who is just getting past the scarf stage and is trying to understand what is at their disposal.
Essentially an overview of the different types of yarn both man-made and natural along with patterns. Explains how yarn goes from being on an animal to becoming yarn (and all the steps in between). Also explains why yarns do things like felt, shrink, grow, etc.
Very interesting as a reference book on what has the potential to be a rather boring subject.
Very interesting as a reference book on what has the potential to be a rather boring subject.
Geeky!
after finishing: Lots of useful information, lots of stuff to think about. Patterns kind of ehhh, but I'm not really a pattern kind of person to begin with. A fair amount of folksy mysticism about Letting The Yarn Speak at the end, which was amusing and sort of embarrassing but not unexpected.
All in all,a pretty decent resource.
after finishing: Lots of useful information, lots of stuff to think about. Patterns kind of ehhh, but I'm not really a pattern kind of person to begin with. A fair amount of folksy mysticism about Letting The Yarn Speak at the end, which was amusing and sort of embarrassing but not unexpected.
All in all,a pretty decent resource.
This book is a great reference, but I wish it contained more information on the spinning. The patterns do not particularly appeal to me for the most part, though I like how they are presented. Overall, this would be great for a knitter who doesn't spin, to give them information about yarn composition they wouldn't otherwise have.
Only skimmed through it. Seemed incredibly thorough, with plenty of pictures and patterns. Formatting is great, introducing yarns by number of plies, with relevant patterns at the end of each section. Paper quality is fantastic, as well- each page felt thick and luxurious without seeming bulky, and very matte.
If you know nothing about knitting fibers this is the book for you. The straight-forward information is presented with personal asides and humor. The author suggests we support our local “yarn” growers and invest in expensive beautiful single balls of yarn just to try things out. Includes patterns.
I requested this one from the library for the tea cozy pattern in it. The first part goes into great detail about yarns, fibers and how they're made which I found very interesting. The projects are all nice looking and there are gorgeous yarns used. If only my stash were as pretty!
This is a really excellent reference book for any halfway serious knitter. Great information on how different yarns are made, and how to choose the best type of yarn for different projects. Plus, there are some good patterns in the back half of the book.
Like her Book of Wool and her Book of Socks, Parkes writes a wonderfully informative tome for for the knit geek. It is especially useful for those of us who forget all we've learned and have to reference each year after a 6 mos no-knit period!
To paraphrase: Pick up the ball of cashmere. Are you compelled to hold it to your cheek and make ooh and ahh sounds? If so, buy it. This is not a scientific test but one that I have come to trust over time.
Gift from pal and fellow-knitter Rhonda. Love this book. Read it cover to cover and found other great books about yarn, sheep, and spinning as a result of it.
Clara is such a good writer and I'm always amazed at the depth of her knowledge. Excellent resource for how yarns are made and what they can be made of. Wonderful patterns too.
I think the first part of the book is great, but am generally uninterested in any of the patterns. I wish they had published just the first section.
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CLARA PARKES left her career in the booming high-tech industry to pursue her love of knitting. She lives on the coast of Maine in a farmhouse full of yarn. She is the publisher of KnittersReview.com and a contributor to Interweave Knits."
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