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  • Published: 15 November 2013
  • ISBN: 9781590308233
  • Imprint: Roost Books
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 320
  • RRP: $65.00

Adventures In Yarn Farming



A knitting book focusing on the sheep-to-shawl process by a well-known knitter, shepherd, and artisanal yarn producer.

Gain an insider's view on fiber farming and yarn craft, from sheep to skein, all told through the eyes of shepherd and textile artisan Barbara Parry. Follow her flock over the course of a year and discover all the facets of life with sheep: from shearing day and lambing season, to preparing fiber for yarn. Along the way you'll find projects for the fiber obsessed by top knitwear designers; essays on country life, including planting an heirloom kitchen garden, harvesting winter greens for a holiday wreath, and making bluebird nest boxes; and over 100 stunning photographs. With the growing locavore movement, the rising trend in sustainable farming, and the ever-increasing interest in crafting, this book is perfect for those who yearn for a closer connection to a rural lifestyle and who enjoy making things by hand.

City and suburb dwellers sometimes dream about what it would be like to live on a country farm and raise animals. Adventures in Yarn Farming invites readers to participate vicariously in the daily life of a working sheep farm without ever having to muck out a barn, be chased by a recalcitrant ram, or lift a hay bale. Told through the eyes of veteran shepherd and textile artisan, Barbara Parry's stories follow her flock over the course of a year, showing all the facets of life connected to sheep and making yarn. Readers get a front-row seat to the sheep show--tending sheep on winter mornings, shearing day, the round-the-clock chaos of lambing season, preparing fiber for yarn--and a visit to Barbara's dye studio, where she colorfully transforms skeins for hand-knit creations.

With the growing locavore movement, the rising eco-friendly trend in sustainable farming, and the ever-increasing interest in crafting, this book is relevant on many fronts. It will draw readers who yearn for a closer connection with a rural lifestyle and who enjoy making things by hand. Through 13 projects, as well as sidebars and side excursions, readers get a slice of life on a New England farm.

  • Published: 15 November 2013
  • ISBN: 9781590308233
  • Imprint: Roost Books
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 320
  • RRP: $65.00

Praise for Adventures In Yarn Farming

“Many people dream of ditching it all and starting a farm in the country, but Barbara Parry actually did it. In 1997 she began building a flock of sheep that has since become the foundation of her thriving Western Massachusetts fiber farm. Here she offers a beautiful, vivid portrayal of the life she has chosen. Season by season, she presents a narrative that is dreamy yet concrete, inspiring yet informative, and, always, unblinkingly honest. A must-read for anyone who wants to better appreciate where their yarn comes from.”—Clara Parkes

“Parry’s skillful hand and gentle heart  are the perfect blend to capture the joys and heartaches of farming in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains.”—Linda Cortright, publisher of Wild Fibers magazine
 
“Many of us wool enthusiasts daydream about someday owning a farm, raising sheep, harvesting yarn, and going back to the land. Follow Barbara Parry—a former English teacher who made this dream a reality—on a journey that teaches us all ‘about the intangible gains of . . . taking the long road.’ ”—Jared Flood, knitwear designer and owner of Brooklyn Tweed