Knitlandia author Clara Parkes
Knitlandia author Clara Parkes took us with her on a journey to the Magical Land of Yarn Love on today’s episode of the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.
Clara is a THIRD Time visitor as of today, she was previously a guest in 2011 when she shared Knitter’s Book of Socks and in 2013 with The Yarn Whisperer. Knitlandia was released officially last month and has already climbed to the top of the charts, currently #1 for Knitting titles in Amazon, #5 in Travel. Clara said her first job out of college, after customer service for Macy’s Department Store, was a beginning tech version of travel writing. Later after she’d written books that informed us about how wonderful different fibers were and encouraged our love of sock knitting, she posted on her blog about her adventures to Iceland, which changed the direction of her writing to focusing on and taking us with her on adventures in fiber! 
Knitlandia is a collection of stories that take the reader along to some of the highly desired events, legendary and some that no longer exist, such as TNNA, Rhinebeck, Sock Summit, Maryland Sheep and Wool, Edinburgh Yarn Fest. Clara hopes it translates what we experience when attending or traveling to these gatherings for those who can’t attend, or those that can’t imagine traveling for yarn.
You really must listen to this episode as, at this point, Clara read to us the entire chapter of going to Denver and filming a Craftsy Class. The thing that impresses about this chapter is how non-partisan Clara is, she shows the advantages of taking an online class (alway wear pajamas!) and an in-person class where the teacher can mold the class around those in attendance.
As an Best Selling author Clara related to us how it felt to ‘get that call’ that her book made the top of the lists. She describes how it felt to hear the week they expected to hear that it was not selling as expected. It happened the next week that she got the call alerting her of how well it was received and did the dance of joy. Clara has pride that she was able to leap across the chasm of what’s expected to bring yarn and knitting to the world at large.
- Here are some links to Clara’s Books, KNITLANDIA, The Yarn Whisperer, The Knitters Book of Yarn, The Knitters Book of Socks and The Knitters book of Wool. These last few are books that Marly recommends in her classes (so she made sure I had her links to them from Amazon) and personally refers to them as she works.
- Clara also has two classes with Craftsy, Stashbusting: Make the Most of the Yarns You Have (which is the class she was filming in the chapter she shared with us) and Know Your Yarn: Choose the Perfect Yarn Everytime which sounds like the perfect class for her to share with us after being on Knitting Daily as the Yarn Expert for two seasons.
- We can follow Clara Parkes by bookmarking her website, KnitterReview.com which includes her yarn line (!), plus reviews of other yarns, tools, books, and a wonderful calendar of fiber events, such as this week’s Edinburgh Yarn Fest plus a blog about her adventures. She also has a Designer page in Ravelry, and a Facebook page. There really isn’t a place that she is not, check her out in Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.
In the meantime, it may be just as fun to imagine her having a sip of her cup of tea, in a cozy house on the coast of Maine, dreaming up where she is headed to next. It won’t be hard to imagine when she shares it with us sometime in the future…
What a lovely show. I’ve never read Clara’s books but I’m putting Knitlandia on my to-read list. I love yarn especially cashmere. Looking forward to reading.
I’m so excited about this book now! I’m going out to buy Knitlandia! Your voice is as soft and smooth as cashmere. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading to us! I felt as if I was there!
I have had my eye on this book since it came out! Thanks for a wonderful podcast and reading a portion of the book. Does cashmere come with the book?
What an amazing reader you are!!! It would be as amazing as cashmere to get your book in an audio version.
Wow…..I hope that when the audio version of Knitlandia is released – that Clara Parks is the narrator. Her voice is like cashmere to the ears! Thanks for a great podcast.
I have read a few crochet mysteries and a couple of knitting genra books. But knitting and traveling tales sound as lovely as a cashmere cloud! Wonderful podcast, thank you all.
I love all your books, Clara. I’ve learned a lot about cashmere, too! Knitlandia would make my day!
I can’t wait to read Knitlandia! I have heard so much about it that I am almost embarrassed that I don’t have a copy yet! Soon I’ll be cozied up in a cashmere shawl reading it! Thanks for another great podcast and preview of the book.
I’ve heard nothing but wonderful comments from people reading Knitlandia. It was fun to both hear you reading from your book and to learn about your Craftsy adventure. I love cashmere; it’s so soft and squishy.
It was so nice to hear you read a portion of your new book, Clara. Your voice is like a touch of cashmere.
I finally bought my first yarn (from an amazing destash) with Cashmere. I have yet to think of anything to knit with it, it needs a few more fondling moments. 😉
I love Clara Parks. I was so lucky to have take a class with her back when. It is amazing to see her career progress! I am quite jealous, but it is so well deserved. I am enjoying the growth of knitting books on my bookshelves!
I love Clara’s book Knitter’s Book of Yarn-it has great info on different yarns (like cashmere) so I’m looking forward to reading her yarn travel book Knitlandia.
For several years I have been receiving Knitter’s Review in my inbox as it is released. I have learned so much from these posts. One of my favorite yarns is cashmere. Cashmere has many wonderful properties besides the softness. I greatly enjoyed listening to Clara read the excerpt from Knitlandia. – I know I would enjoy an audible version as much as a written version.
Cashmere is such a joy to knit with I’ve been told. I really enjoyed listening to you read a chapter from your latest book. I have it on my wish list, but was waiting to see if it would be available through Audible soon. It sounds like it just might happen. After hearing Marly describe the look and feel of the live book, I might need a copy anyway.
Great episode! cashmere is such a luxury so soft and wonderful. I haven’t read Clar but would like to begin with Knitlandia on audible
I’m so happy I found this podcast, I really enjoy learning about things I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Knitlandia sounds lovely, I would love to win a copy. Cashmere! 😉
I was so excited to finally be able to be on the podcast live, at least for most of it. I can’t wait to read this book. Love Clara!
Oops, I forgot to say that I love cashmere too! Will definitely be purchasing this one if I don’t win.
Whether knitting with cashmere or a more toothy Icelandic wool, we are all on an incredible adventure. No matter if we are home, or traveling, I for sure enjoy the ride. Love your stories, Clara!
I so want to read Knitlandia but even more, I’d love to listen to Clara read the whole book to me while I knit with cashmere.
I very much enjoyed Clara’s reading a chapter of her book “Knitlandia”: it was almost as if she’d taken us along on her adventure in taping her class – which I have registered for, but not yet taken. In fact, I have three shades of a cashmere blend that I’d love to have Clara’s inspiration to help me figure out what to make with it!!! After Easter I hope to be able to make time to sit down for the Craftsy class, and then look forward to reading the rest of her book. Thanks, Marly, for the great interview with Clara!!!
I really enjoyed listening to Clara reading an excerpt from her book. Knitlandia is on my book list for sure! I haven’t worked with cashmere at all, but I do love to wear garments made from it!
What a treat! Marlybird in conversation with the inimitable Clara Parkes is a “must listen” podcast. Thank you, ladies! While I write this I am “re-enjoying” privious “Marly/Clara chats”. I have been tagging alone on Clara’s adventurous treks for a few years. I misremember how I stumbled onto ‘Knitter’s Review’. All I know is little by little, Clara sucked me into her world of wool & yarn. What cinched the deal was the Great White Bale. After that trek, I was thoroughly into learning as much as I could about wool, yarns, et.al. Never have I had so much fun while learning so much. I have proceeded to glom onto many of Clara’s books including the Knitters of Wool and the Knitters Book of Yarn, knitted with yarn from the Great White Bale trek and have some of Clara’s yarn waiting for the ‘right project’. I have not succumbed to the lure of cashmere …………… yet.
Thank you, Clara, for the gift you have given me. Since journeying to Scotland in .84, I have appreciated good wool. Now I have a better understanding of why and endeavor to take a peek in all the nooks and crannies in the world of wool and kindred fibers. How I would love to take that trek across the pond again. I would combine my love of the single malt scotch with my love of wool and combine “The Whiskey Trail” with “The Wool Trail”. [We need some people to put the UK/Ireland Wool Tail together. What a set of books/videos that would make – from Yorkshire to the Shetlands …. from the Channel Islands and across the Irish Sea to Ireland. Hint! Hint!
In any case, I anxiously awaits for the further adventures of Clara Parkes!
While listening to this podcast with Clara I was knitting on my 3 color Cashmere Shawl by Joji Locatelli. Love Clara reading the chapter about Craftsy. I must be having a thing with cashmere as I just finished a pullover using a fingering weight MCN two weeks ago. I love the squishy-ness factor. Maybe this is The Year of Cashmere for me.
I loved listening to Clara read. I could listen all day. It was a very enjoyable episode. As far as cashmere goes, I’ve never knit with it but can’t wait to try some.
What a special treat to listen to Clara!
I agree with her sentiments about cashmere, and I cannot wait to read the book. This is one I’d go back to any time I wanted some soul-soothing.
Loved listening to Marly and Clara. I received a copy of her book at Rheinbeck and I loved it. Glad it has made the New York Time’s Best Seller’s List. I really enjoy knitting with cashmere,
Thank you for an interesting podcast with a great look “behind the scenes” into Craftsy. Cashmere – ohhh – a glorious yarn to work with.
Cashmere and diamonds are a girls best friend! I really enjoy “The Knitter’s Book of Yarn” 🙂
I cannot think of a more perfect afternoon than to be wrapped up in cashmere as I read Knitlandia and sip a cup of tea!
I can’t wait to curl up with a cup of hot tea & Knitlandia! But to do this, I will have to put down my knitting- and since I’m allergic to cashmere, I’m using cotton 🙂
I really enjoyed listening to Clara’s interview – and who doesn’t enjoy being read to? (the only way to top it would be If it was while knitting with cashmere!) Thank you for the opportunity to win her book.
Curling up with a good book is even better than cashmere, in my humble opinion! I loved the live reading. How lovely!
I cannot wait to read Knitlandia!! Love Clara’s books!! Hope to have her autograph one some day! And also on my bucket list knit with cashmere.
Cashmere is one of the softest fibers that I have knit with and I love it. I loved Clara’s reading about her Craftsy experience. I hope there will be an audio book out soon. Thanks for a great interview.
Great show and congrats Clara for the NY Times bestseller in travel. I would love to have this wonderfaul book and some cashmere.
I am looking forward to read Knitlandia. Really enjoyed the reading during the interview. I have never knitted with cashmere but it is in my plans for future projects.
I absolutely loved getting to hear Clara and her cashmere voice! Knitlandia is such a unique and wonderful concept, I definitely have to read the whole thing!
This was such a delightful podcast to listen to! Thanks for reading the excerpt; I’ve been thinking of getting the book and now I really want to. I’m also inspired to work worn cashmere yarn now. Thank you Marly and Clara!
Enjoyed your reading excerpt. I love the feel of cashmere, but I rarely get to knit with it since I live in Texas.
What a great reading from the book, Knitlandia! It was like stroking cashmere yarn…a real treat!
Finally caught up on my listening! What a wonderful podcast with Clara. I love learning about her travels and experiences. Her Knitter’s Book of Yarn helps me learn about cashmere and cotton and even helped my son with a science project on static electricity.
I enjoyed hearing Clara’s reading of an excerpt from her book. It was as if she was wrapping us in cashmere as she read.
After listening to this podcast, I really hope i get chance to read the book. And use cashmere while I read.