Local woman pens books about knitting - and they're funny

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Stephanie Pearl-McPhee calls herself a knitting stand-up comedian.

Case in point, her nickname is the Yarn Harlot. She says it's because she can't be monogamous to one yarn. The name stuck while she was knitting a pair of socks and had lusty thoughts about starting another project.

It's the name of the blog she writes every day, Yarnharlot.ca, which has been voted Canada's best blog. This in addition to writing books - comedic books about knitting.

"Knitting is funny the way everything else is funny," Pearl-McPhee said. "Pie isn't funny until it gets thrown in someone's face. Bananas aren't funny until someone slips on one."

About five years ago, Pearl-McPhee was a freelance writer who decided to take a shot. She contacted a literary agent and said "I want to write funny books about knitting." Her latest effort, Things I Learned from Knitting... Whether I Wanted To or Not "presents a wry view of the human condition leavened with the calming presence of very soft yarn," according to critics and has been likened to best-selling director-turned author Nora Ephron's work.

The Bloor West area resident launches her book Tuesday, April 1 at the Isabel Bader Theatre.

Pearl-McPhee's grandmother taught her how to knit when she was four years old.

"It totally stuck for me. It was the easiest thing I've ever done. It's never stopped being interesting," she told The Villager.

The fact that anything she makes can be unraveled into one piece of yarn never ceases to amaze her.

The myth is that knitters are patient people, but in fact, the opposite is true, Pearl-McPhee said.

"Most people knit because they're the most impatient creatures in the world. They're bored," she said. "Old stereotypes die hard too. Like, little old ladies or women with too many cats knit, which is ironic because knitters have huge fun."

Knitters, according to Pearl-McPhee, "confuse the daylights out of people because we don't have a demographic.

She's an equal opportunity knitter. She'll knit almost anything.

"I care about the end result, but more about the process," Pearl-McPhee said. "I only knit for love."

She's not one to turn out the product and she's gotta love someone a lot to give her knitting as a gift.

"I give things out at random," she said.

As for writing, it's a job, Pearl-McPhee said.

"I get up, make coffee and sit at a desk until my work is done. I'll write for about six hours a day," she said.

Pearl-McPhee has penned four other humourous knitting books that have sold upwards of 200,000 copies.

Her latest book launch event starts at 7 p.m., Tuesday April 1.