Vanishing Fleece

Adventures in American Wool

By: Clara Parkes

Narrated by: Clara Parkes

A fast-paced account of the year Clara Parkes spent transforming a 676-pound bale of fleece into saleable yarn, and the people and vanishing industry she discovered along the way.

Join Clara Parkes on a cross-country adventure and meet a cast of characters that includes the shepherds, dyers, and countless workers without whom our knitting needles would be empty, our mills idle, and our feet woefully cold. Travel the country with her as she meets a flock of Saxon Merino sheep in upstate New York, tours a scouring plant in Texas, visits a steamy Maine dyehouse, helps sort freshly shorn wool on a working farm, and learns how wool fleece is measured, baled, shipped, and turned into skeins.

In pursuit of the perfect yarn, Parkes describes a brush with the dangers of opening a bale (they can explode), and her adventures from Maine to Wisconsin ("the most knitterly state") and back again; along the way, she presents a behind-the-scenes look at the spinners, scourers, genius inventors, and crazy-complex mill machines that populate the yarn-making industry. By the end of the book, you'll be ready to set aside the backyard chickens and add a flock of sheep instead. Simply put, no other book exists that explores American culture through the lens of wool.

©2019 Clara Parkes (P)2020 Tantor

I LOVED IT!

A beautifully written story of yarn making. Since I work in the industry it was so great to hear someone write of how it is all done. I laughed, I cried and I appreciated our work even more.

I learned something new

I had no idea what this book was about other than the fact there was a sheep on the cover. Boy did I learn a lot! It was an amazing journey and I loved every moment. Thanks for the experience it was fun!

Excellent story -

Although I don't knit or typically wear wool, the book intrigued me from the beginning and it was well written that kept my interest. All of the backstories and journeys that Clara and the wool took to become a finished product were well done and interesting.

Additionally, the insights about the people, their lives in the industry, and how they ended up working in the industry.

Everything was well written and kept me interested until the end. I highly recommend this book, which is not only about wool, but the textile industry, sheep farms/ranches, and the history of the United States.

Beautiful

I crochet, when I can. Hearing the entire effort of what goes into making our beloved yarns was both interesting and beautiful, in equal measure. I am inspired to continue crocheting, but now, will use more wool.

An Adventure

wow, what an adventure this book took me on along side Clara. As a total wool nerd and yarn fanatic I so enjoyed this journey.