Anyone who thinks knitting is for little old ladies hasn’t met the Harlot. In her latest book—successor to her previous bestsellers At Knit’s End, Knitting Rules!, and Yarn Harlot: The Secret Life of a Knitter—Stephanie Pearl-McPhee journeys deep into the land of those who are obsessed with yarn, needles, and what’s on their needles now.

Using a travel guide format, she acts as tour guide extraordinaire, describing and critiquing every aspect of this territory she knows so well: its people (young and old, male and female), familiar phrases (“purl this, darn that”), strange beliefs, currency (skein trading), etiquette, holidays (any sale day at the local yarn shop), and customs. She notes important dates in knitting history and celebrates unsung knitting heroes, from the samurai warriors of Japan to the “Terrible Knitters of Dent”. And, while the land of knitting is a mostly peaceful place, it does have its controversies, such as the acrylic vs. natural fibers and circular vs. straight needles debates, which Pearl-McPhee visits with relish and glee.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is the irreverent spokesperson for today’s knitting revival. As she has toured (and knit) her way across North America during the past two years, her witty banter and trademark “sock-in-progress” have captured the hearts, minds, and funny bones of thousands of knitters. She shares a home with her admirable yarn stash and her family in Toronto.