Recently I have been reading about some big names: the Yarn Harlot, Ann & Kay, Clara Parkes, Amy Singer, and even She Who Must Not Be Named (shhhh, come closer... it's... Alice Starmore). I've also been reading about someone just like us, someone who loves to knit and was overcome by the need - yes, the need! - to knit a certain sweater.

Adrienne Martini's Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously is, ostensibly, a book about Adrienne's quest to knit Alice Starmore's Mary Tudor cardigan. Her own mission impossible: knit an intricate and intimidating fair-isle design from an out of print book that calls for long-ago discontinued yarns in one year AND write a book about it, despite having two jobs, two children under the age of seven, a house and cats. That sounds like a lot, but somehow, with this book, she's managed to do even more. The book is funny and fascinating. It moves seamlessly between knitting (why DO we knit fair-isle in the round and then cut it??!!), a little geography (where is Fair Isle anyway?), a little more knitting (a swatch - yikes!), a little gossip (what is Alice Starmore's problem?), a little more knitting (casting on 357 stitches, four times), a little history (what do YOU know about Mary Tudor that you didn't learn from The Tudors on Showtime?) and a lot of sitting down and chatting with cool knitty people (Adrienne takes us to Nashville, Rhinebeck, Toronto, New York City and western Massachusetts - what a ride!).

And now live, via previously emailed questions and answers, here's Adrienne herself to tell you a bit more about her journey:

Q: First things first: the sweater. I kept hoping for color pictures of the sweater in progress in the book. I decided that the fact that there were no pictures meant that the book wasn't really about the sweater. It's not a collection of blog posts or wip updates. It's really a book about about obsession, challenging oneself, the power of impossible ideals and the joy of accomplishing something that's truly your own. Well, that's what I thought. What would you say the book is really about?

A: When I started really diving into the meat of the writing, I thought it was all about the sweater - its history, the color, the concept. But the more I wrote, the more I realized it really was about the journey, not the knitting. That the journey is one that isn't unique to knitters. Anyone who makes something - a sweater, a book, a quilt, whatever - goes through the same process of discovery and creation.

The lack of pictures, however, was not so much a conscious choice but a cost and liability choice. Which isn't a very sexy answer but is the truth.

Q: But it really is about the sweater, isn't it?!

A: You have to admit that it's a really cool sweater to design a book around...

Q: Your research for the book was fascinating! Which part of your research (be it learning the history of Fair Isle or Mary Tudor, or interviewing a particular knitting celebrity) did you enjoy the most (or the least!)? For folks who haven't read the book yet, can you share a bit about what you learned from this particular research?

A: My all-time favorite part was going up to Toronto and talking to Amy Singer and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Not only are they both great fun to talk to, Toronto itself has a great fibery culture that you can almost feel when you're walking down the streeet. Plus, knit night at Lettuce Knit is something that every knitter should experience at least once.

I don't think there was any bit that I didn't enjoy. Research might be my favorite part of any project. If I could make a living digging up obscure facts, I would be a happy, happy woman.

Q: The connection between knitting and community was a continuing theme in your book. From small knitting groups to the enormity of the internet with over a half a million members on Ravelry, we're all a part of some sort of knitting community, but it's nice to be reminded that we are a part of something really special. What sort of regular knitting communities are you a part of? (Translation: where can we find you?) And how have these communities supported you?

A: I am on Ravelry (martinimade) but don't participate as much as I should. My wee little town in Central New York has a knitting group/ice cream appreciation society that meets weekly and is a great source of support, both of the craft and life variety. I also spend a lot of time cruising knitting blogs, which I justify by calling it research. Plus, I have my own blog (www.martinimade.com) and am not shy about posting strange questions about patterns along with pictures of my cats and kids. I'm not sure I can put my finger on how these communities have supported me - more that it's all just part of a much larger conversation about life and craft. And I hope that I've offered support to others when they've needed it as well.

Q: I appreciated your acknowledgement of several knitting truths, such as counting to 10 is hard, swatching sucks, and "sleeves leech away your will to live." Remind me of why we do this crazy knitting thing? What were some of your conclusions, after finishing the sweater and the book, about our need to knit?

A: I keep going back to something that Stephanie said about knitting passing the time. She wasn't saying it in a dismissive way and neither am I. Rather, for me, even with all of the frustration and will-to-live sucking, there still something about knitting that fills the time in such a satisfying way that I can't imagine giving it up. Plus, I seem to have become addicted to making my own socks. So there's that.

I agree whole-heartedly. And except for knitting, I can't think of a better way to pass the time than to sit down and go on this journey with Adrienne. So, check out the book!

You can get more info about Sweater Quest here.

If you're a local here in the Boston area, you can come meet Adrienne at Porter Sqare Books on April 15th at 7pm.

But wait, there's more! A CONTEST! Check out the Simon & Schuster site for a chance to win a copy of Sweater Quest and a $250 gift certificate to your favorite yarn store (so you can get started on your own sweater quest).

And now, after all that reading, go knit something!