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Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Quotes

Writer

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, born on June 14, 1968, is a renowned writer known for her humorous and insightful works. Her books, particularly those about knitting and Jewish culture, have gained her a significant following.

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All Knitting Knitters Yarn Knows Sock Believe Ifs Needs Way People

Famous Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Quotes

“I'm reasonably sure that Calvin Klein does not knit.”

Humor Fashion Knitting Calvin Klein Knit

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“Knitting is still trying to teach me That no matter how well you knit, looking at your work too closely isn't helpful. It's like kissing with your eyes open: nobody looks good that close up.”

Knitting Knitting Humor

Book:Things I Learned From Knitting

Source: Things I Learned From Knitting

“Hello? I just wanted to call and tell you that you're wrong about me. I'm great, and I have the socks to prove it.”

Yarn Knitting Humor

Book:Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again

Source: Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again

“Since I became a knitting humor writer, I seem to be understood a little better - at least for the purposes of social discourse.”

Littles Seems Purpose Social Understood Discourse Knitting

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I do know that there isn't ever going to be a time when there aren't any knitters.”

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“The rules of Canadian engagement say that if we encounter a celebrity, we have to pretend we're not encountering a celebrity.”

Ifs Encounters Engagement

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“The essay is one of my favourite forms of writing, and I feel like what's inside is really personal, more so than with shorter pieces.”

Feels Writing Form Pieces Favourite Essays

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“Sweaters need to be imagined, dreamed over.”

Book:Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

Source: Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

“If you were ever dumped after knitting a guy a sweater, consider the possibility that the problem was with the sweater, not you. The recipient probably took one look at the thing, imagined a lifetime of having to pretend to like (and wear) this sweater and others of its like, and saw no choice but to flee into the night”

Ifs Looks Problem Night Guy Choices Saws Possibility Lifetime Sweaters Knitting Dumped

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“Your average knitter, obsessed as we are with the art form, is quickly going to begin producing far more in the way of warm things than are needed by even an arctic-bound knitter. Knitting breeds generosity, true...but perhaps in a hurry to avoid burying ourselves in hand-knits. There are only so many scarves one knitter can use.”

Way Art Use Hands Form Needed Bounds Average Warm Generosity Obsessed Arctic Knitting Scarves Burying Knitters

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“A plain sock by itself is terribly boring, but it could score points by having a clever stitch pattern, or maybe by being made out of a very beautiful yarn that's an enchantment to work with. (Sadly, it is still infuriatingly true that being beautiful without being clever is almost worth more points than being clever without being beautiful, but such are the rules of life and knitting-they are cruel, but there anyway).”

Made Stills Beautiful Patterns Boring Clever Score Sock Very Beautiful Enchantment Knitting Being Beautiful Stitches Rules Of Life Yarn

Book:All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin

Source: All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a Spin

“Hat head is a sad affliction wherein the chosen hat and the selected hairstyle are grossly incompatible. The unfortunate combination results in a condition that can be hidden only with the application of another hat.”

Results Conditions Chosen Combination Hats Application Unfortunate Affliction Selected Hairstyles

Book:Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

Source: Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

“I make a habit of setting aside some time each evening to take out my knitting and work quietly on it, happily relaxing. I believe that it prepares me for sleep and washes away the cares of my day.I will consider that intarsia, or Fair Isle with three or more colors in a row, prepares nobody for sleep and cursing loudly while flinging knitting around the living room is about as far away from soothing as you can get.”

Believe Care Three I Believe Sleep Rooms Color Habit Fairs Setting Settings Evening Far Away Living Room Soothing Knitting Cursing Isle

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“With great effort comes great gratification.”

Effort Gratification Great Effort

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“You know you knit too much when ... Before you buy anything, such as a hammock or curtains, you seriously wonder whether you could knit it.”

Knows Wonder Too Much Curtains Knitting Hammocks

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I'm a knitter. My projects are the ultimate in 'some assembly required.”

Projects Ultimate Assembly Knitting Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“When you are knitting socks and sweaters and scarves, you aren't just knitting. You are assigning a value to human effort. You are holding back time. You are preserving the simple unchanging act of handwork.”

Humans Values Simple Effort Sock Sweaters Knitting Unchanging Scarves Holding Back

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“There is no wrong way to knit. ... We should all agree to stop correcting each other and deal with the more important issue. How wrong crochet is.”

Way Should Important Deals Issues Agree Wrong Way Correcting Knitting Important Issues

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“The first time you find yourself having a conversation about moss stitch with a group of people who aren't desperately trying to escape you ... it's like coming home.”

People Trying Firsts Home Groups Conversation First Time Finding Yourself Coming Home Moss Knitting Stitches

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It is a little known fact that much like birds, who can always find north, knitters can always find yarn.”

Littles Facts Known Bird Knitting Yarn Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“The chances of running out of yarn on a project are directly related to the difficulty that you will have getting more.”

Running Chance Projects Difficulty Related Knitting Yarn

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It is some kind of miracle that all knitting is constructed of only two stitches: knit and purl. Sure, you throw in some yarn overs, and sometimes you knit the stitches out of order, but when it really comes down to it, knitting is simplicity. The most incredible gossamer lace shawl ... the trickiest aran ... a humble sock ... each just made with knit and purl.”

Kind Made Two Sometimes Order Miracle Incredibles Simplicity Humble Sock Lace Knitting Stitches Yarn

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“You know you knit too much when ... You take knitting to a wedding, in case there's a little time before the bride comes down the aisle. Double points if you are the bride.”

Ifs Knows Littles Cases Too Much Brides Little Time Aisle Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“You know you knit too much when ... You will check out a book from the library just because you heard that one of the characters knits.”

Knows Book Character Too Much Heard Library Checks Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It turns out I will buy any yarn, even yarn I will never use, if the store discounts it by more than 50 percent.”

Ifs Use Turns Percent Stores Shopping Knitting Discounts Yarn

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“just because something is fun doesn't mean it's a waste of time.”

Mean Fun Pleasure Waste Wasting Time

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“Knitters use knitting to value-add to the world.”

World Use Values Add Knitting Knitters

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I explain at the parties that I believe knitting is a transformative and intriguing act that can change the life and brain of the person doing it, and that knitting is a perfect metaphor for life and insight into some better ways through it.”

Way Believe Persons I Believe Perfect Party Brain Metaphor Insight Better Ways Intriguing Knitting

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“When people see me knitting, I tell them I'm a knitter. Not the sort of knitter they may have run into before, but a passionate, constant, deliberate knitter. I knit everyday, all the time, everywhere I go.”

People Inspirational May Motivational Running Constant Everyday Passionate Crafts Deliberate Knitting Knitters

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“The only difference between an experienced knitter and new knitter is that the experienced knitter makes bigger mistakes faster. Be bold; there are no terrible consequences in knitting.”

Differences Mistake Terrible Consequence Bigger Faster Knitting Knitters

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“100 years ago, buying something you could make was considered wasteful; now making something you could buy is considered wasteful. I am not convinced this is a step in the right direction.”

Years Steps Years Ago Convinced Buying Right Direction Steps In The Right Direction Buying Something

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I recognize that knitting can improve my mood in trying circumstances”

Trying Circumstances Mood Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“...the number one reason knitters knit is because they are so smart that they need knitting to make boring things interesting. Knitters are so compellingly clever that they simply can't tolerate boredom. It takes more to engage and entertain this kind of human, and they need an outlet or they get into trouble. "...knitters just can't watch TV without doing something else. Knitters just can't wait in line, knitters just can't sit waiting at the doctor's office. Knitters need knitting to add a layer of interest in other, less constructive ways.”

“I will always buy extra yarn. I will not try to tempt fate.”

Trying Fate Extras Yarn

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“I will resist the urge to underestimate the complexity of knitting.”

Complexity Urges Underestimate Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“There is practically no activity that cannot be enhanced or replaced by knitting, if you really want to get obsessive about it.”

Ifs Want Activity Replaced Obsessive Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“I will continue to freak out my children by knitting in public. It's good for them.”

Children My Children Freak Knitting

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“When confronted with a birthday in a week I will remember that a book can be a really good present, too.”

Book Remember Week Happy Birthday

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It is a peculiarity of knitters that they chronically underestimate the amount of time it takes to knit something. Birthday on Saturday? No problem. Socks are small. Never mind that the average sock knit out of sock-weight yarn contains about 17,000 stitches. Never mind that you need two of them. (That's 34,000 stitches, for anybody keeping track.) Socks are only physically small. By stitch count, they are immense.”

Needs Mind Two Problem Amount Weight Average Track Immense Saturday Underestimate No Problem Sock Stitches Happy Birthday Yarn Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“SABLE- A common knitting acronym that stands for Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.”

Common Acquisition Knitting Expectancy Life Expectancy Acronyms

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“Achieving the state of SABLE is not, as many people who live with these knitters believe, a reason to stop buying yarn, but for the knitter it is an indication to write a will, bequeathing the stash to an appropriate heir.”

People Writing Believe States Reason Achieve Buying Appropriate Indication Heirs Yarn Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“As usual, the sock yarns have no idea what is going on.”

Ideas No Idea Usual Sock Yarn

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“Dear designer of questionable intent, Please send me a photo of yourself. Please be wearing the knitted pants that you designed. It's not that I don't believe that there is anyone out there thing enough to wear horizontally stripped trousers knit from chunky wool, it's just that I would like to know whether you are deliberately cruel or whether you are the one woman these would look really great on.”

Knows Believe Looks Enough Please Don't Believe Dear Designer Pants Really Great One Woman Questionable Trousers Wool Photos Of Yourself

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“The best reason for a knitter to marry is that you can't teach the cat to be impressed when you finish a lace scarf.”

Reason Teach Cat Impressed Lace Knitting Scarves Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It is important for knitters to know two things about frogging: that cats are capable of this knitting action, and even seem to enjoy it and seek opportunities to do it; and that foul language is a normal, healthy accompaniment to frogging, whether it is you or the cat that accomplished the task.”

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“Some knitters say that they buy yarn with no project in mind and wait patiently for the yarn to "speak" to them. This reminds me of Michelangelo, who believed that every block of stone he carved had the statue waiting inside and that all he did was reveal it. I think I've had yarn speak to me during the knitting process, and I've definitely spoken to it. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong, or maybe my yarn and I aren't on such good terms, but it really seems to me that all I say is "please" and all it ever says is "no".”

Thinking Mind Seems Speak Waiting Process Term Please Projects Stones Block Statues Knitting Yarn Knitters

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“A half finished shawl left on the coffee table isn't a mess; it's an object of art.”

Art Left Half Objects Tables Finished Coffee Mess Knitting

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I am a person who works well under pressure. In fact, I work so well under pressure that at times, I will procrastinate in order to create this pressure.”

Wells Persons Facts Order Pressure Under Pressure Procrastinating

Author:Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

“I will not let the non-knitters of the world decide how normal I am.”

World Normal Knitters

Book:At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

Source: At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much

“It's only knitting and it's one of the few times in your life when there are no bad consequences to a mistake.”

Mistake Consequence Knitting

Book:Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

Source: Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks

About the Author

Born: June 14, 1968
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 58

Related Topics

Knitting Knitters Yarn Knows Sock Believe Ifs Needs Way People

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

At Knit's End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too MuchRelated source material

Free-Range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes AgainRelated source material

Knitting Rules!: The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting TricksRelated source material

All Wound Up: The Yarn Harlot Writes for a SpinRelated source material

Things I Learned From KnittingRelated source material

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