Knitting

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Audiobook Review: The Yarn Whisperer: My Unexpected Life in Knitting by Clara Parkes

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Listening to The Yarn Whisperer feels a bit like sitting down for tea with your favorite knitting friend—the one who can turn a tangle of yarn (or life) into something comforting and meaningful. Clara Parkes doesn’t just write about knitting; she speaks it, and hearing her tell her own stories brings a warmth and intimacy that the printed page can’t quite capture.

Her voice is calm, expressive, and familiar—like she’s reading aloud from her heart rather than a script. Each essay unfolds with gentle humor and insight, connecting everyday moments to the quiet rhythm of knitting. She talks about dropped stitches and lost love, about finding patience in fiber and peace in imperfection. There’s something wonderfully meditative about listening to her words while your hands are busy with your own project.

Unlike most craft books, this isn’t about patterns or technique—it’s about the soul of the knitter. Parkes explores how yarn connects us to memory, creativity, and resilience. Her phrasing and pacing are spot-on for audio; you can easily drift along with her storytelling while folding laundry, commuting, or settling into your favorite chair with needles in hand.

The production is clean and simple—no dramatics, no background distractions—just Parkes and her storytelling. It feels personal, genuine, and deeply human, like a one-on-one chat in the corner of a cozy yarn shop.

Verdict:
 An audiobook that wraps around you like a hand-knit shawl—warm, thoughtful, and beautifully spoken. Ideal for knitters who love to pair storytelling with stitching.

 5 out of 5 – The perfect companion for quiet evenings, long car rides, or hours lost in yarn.

Have you read?

Apple Knitting Patterns for Fall and Back to School

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects. 

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor. 

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf. 

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn. 

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn. 

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too. 

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.