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This book is a collection of stories from many different contributors that all have one theme in common – knitting or the fibers used in knitting.  The stories are from people who knit, who spin yarn, who know people who knit, have received knitted gifts, and who are young, middle-aged, old, married, single, in a relationship, male or female.  There’s at least one story in the book that almost anyone can relate to.

It’s a good book to keep in your vehicle or purse for those times you have a few spare minutes and you want something to do; like when you’re waiting for a child to get done with an after school practice, while waiting in the doctor’s or dentist’s office for an appointment, etc.  None of the stories are more than a few pages long so one can be read in just a few moments.

My favorite part of the book is at the back.  There’s a section that lists the authors of the stories and tells a little bit about them.

My favorite funny story in the book is by Anne McKee.  She wrote about her friend who owned an Old English Sheepdog named Ben who shed a lot.  Her friend, who had taught herself to knit in a short time and who became a proliferate knitter of many things including scarves.

One afternoon while cleaning, Anne’s friend came to the realization that Ben’s white and gray fur would make a wonderful sweater so she collected all of Ben’s stray fur and carefully spun it into wool.  Anne admitted the yarn made from Ben’s fur was attractive.

Anne’s friend used that yarn to make a gorgeous sweater for herself.  A few weeks after the sweater was finished Anne and her friend were out and about when a rainstorm hit.  They both were getting soaked so they ran to the nearest shop to wait out the rainpour.  While standing in the shop, Anne started to notice a very unpleasant smell, one that was far worse than Ben had ever smelled when he was wet.  The odor must have permeated the store because Anne and her friend were asked to leave.  It took Anne’s friend 3 showers to get the smell of that wet dog hair sweater off her!

The story in the book I found the saddest and most touching was submitted by Harry Kelley.  He talks about lying about having made a sweater he was wearing because he couldn’t bring himself to say his partner Richard had knit it but he died so now Harry was wearing it.  He also talks about James who died and whose sweaters he cherishes and about Jim, who is alive and whom Harry taught to knit.  Jim decided to knit a sweater for Harry but Harry didn’t to accept it.  A part of him felt that the sweater would survive Jim; that he would lose him too.

Harry also talks about how he helped stitch the AIDS quilt that is still touring the country and about square he made for James.  Harry is a man who has suffered great losses and yet has learned to appreciate life and be grateful for what he does have.  Knitting has in a small way helped him.

There are many other stories in the book.  Some of them are very good; others aren’t as good; and there’s even a few that I felt were pretty bad.

It’s definitely a book for knitters, whether they are new or seasoned pros because I think it would be hard to relate to some of the stories if a person has never tried to take two knitting needles and produce something with it.

It’s not a great book; but it’s a good book.
My rating (0-10 smilies):  6 ☻☻☻☻☻☻☺☺☺☺