Product Description

From the best-selling author of At Knit's End and Knitting Rules! comes yet another hilarious book of tongue-in-cheek observations on the world of knitting. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off invites knitters of all ages, levels, and persuasions to embark with her on a journey deep into the land populated by those who are obsessed with yarn, needles, and what’s on their needles now.

Using a travel guide format as her launching pad, Pearl-McPhee acts as tour guide extraordinaire, displaying her trademark razor-sharp wit as she describes and critiques every aspect of this land she knows so well — its people, native language, familiar phrases, strange beliefs, etiquette, and cultural customs. Readers will love her timeline of notable dates in knitting history and rarely celebrated knitting heroes, from the samurai warriors of Japan to the "Ter-rible Knitters of Dent." And, while the land of knitting is a peaceful place, it does have its political arguments, such as the acrylic versus natural fi bers and circular versus straight needles debates.

As she's toured (and knit) her way across North America during the past two years, Pearl-McPhee's smart, perfectly timed banter has captured the hearts, minds, and funny bones of thousands of knitters far and wide. No fan is going to want to be left behind as Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off on her latest yarn-bound expedition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50277 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 218 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781580176583
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Her insights into the workings of a yarn-a-holic's mind are charming."—Detroit Free Press (Detroit Free Press )

Her insights into the workings of a yarn-a-holic's mind are charming.Detroit Free Press (Detroit Free Press )

From the Back Cover
1) Pack your Bags (How much yarn?)

2) Map out your course (Where's the closest yarn store?)

3) Learn the language ("Just one more row...")

4) Find your traveling buddies. (Look for the telltale needle holes in the purse)

5) And cast off with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee on a trip from which you may never return—if you're lucky.

Knitting's Yarn Harlot, with her wry humor and unapologetic, obsessive love for everything about this remarkable place, invites you to join her on a hilarious tour of the land, its people, customs, and culture. She tells all—from unusual geographical features such as the giant stash to common ailments you may be susceptible to, like Yarnesia, Finish-It-Upitis, and the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome. Along the way, you may get lost in Stitches or engrossed by the beauties of Lace, but, whatever happens, it's sure to be the journey of a lifetime.

About the Author
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has become the irreverent spokesperson for today's knitting revival through her popular blog (www.yarnharlot.com), and her best- selling books, At Knit's End, Knitting Rules!, and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off. She shares a home with her admirable yarn stash (and her family) in Toronto.

Customer Reviews

I am a normal knitter after all
I feared for my sanity. I'd just spent an entire evening looking at the child's sweater I'm knitting which causes me extreme pain with every stitch. The double yarn twisty stitch called for by the pattern is so painful I can't do more that one row at a time. The sweater is clearly going to still be under construction when the child is in college. Problem is I've already spent more than eighty dollars on the yarn.(Yes - I know I'm a little touched in the head and no - the child is not a heiress.)

Then I got my copy of "The Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting" and found my dilemma was perfectly normal. I'd taken an unfortunate wrong turn in my knitting journey and if I want to scrap the project, I'm not insane. I just headed up the wrong path. All this vindication from one book - obviously the book is worth its weight in gold.

Fortunately, the book is a lot cheaper than that and is one that every knitter should keep in their knitting bag; if for no other reason than to occasionally do a sanity check. I have to admit I love the Yarn Harlot. I read her blog regularly, (one of the few blogs I do read) and I've read all her other books. She gives me hope when I hit forks in the road, like the one mentioned above, whether in knitting or in life. This book is a little different than the others - no short stories, no great knitting tips, this is not a how-to book. This is a wonderful affirmation of the joys of the knitting journey; the joy is not in the finished object, it's the fun in getting there. No matter what kind of knitter you are, the kinds of knitting hurdles you've faced or the amount of yarn you've accumulated, you'll find yourself in the book.

Buy it, give it a read and see if you agree with me. You may find, all indications to the contrary, you are a totally, normal knitter. You've just taken your own path in the Land of Knitting.

Very funny but not my favourite of her books
I love Yarn Harlot's writing. I read her blog and appreciate her very balanced and hilarious view of life as a knitter (Can you have a balanced view of life when you are a knitter? *g*).

I was hanging out for "Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off" as I have read and then dipped back into her other books constantly, my favourite being At Knit's End. I have a sneaky suspicion that this latest book will grow on me, and as someone said in an earlier review it does validate knitters as being sane (or at the very least insane in good company). There were parts of it that I related to so closely that they could have been written specifically about me. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is a very astute observer of knitters and knitting culture.

This book is definitely worth buying, but if you only want to get one book and haven't read her earlier books I'd suggest buying either of them first.

Same Stephanie, different concept
I have always enjoyed Stephanie's knitting humor but wasn't sure I would like this one because the format was so different than her previous books. I was wrong. This book is just as true to her knitting humor as the others. I could identify my style from her hilarious antidotes. I would recommend this book to anyone who knits, travels or has family or friends that knit and want to better understand them.