Lydia Hoffman is a cancer survivor, and owner of a Seattle knitting shop called A Good Yarn. She delights in her knitting classes and has just started a new one. The first class, consisting of three women, is a disaster. One is irritable, another lacks basic confidence, and the third is a miserably unhappy teen. It's evident that they do not enjoy each other's company.

Lydia dates her gorgeous UPS deliveryman, Brad. Both are concerned about Lydia's sister Margaret, who works in the shop. Margaret definitely is not herself. Lydia has other family concerns, namely her mother, who is badly diminished by her husband's death.

Elise Beaumont is retired and, thanks to a crooked real estate developer, broke and homeless. All she can do is live with her daughter, wait for the pending lawsuit, and hope she eventually will get some money back. Intrigued at the thought of knitting lessons, she heads down to Blossom Street to check out A Good Yarn. On her way, for some reason, her thoughts turn to her ex-husband, Maverick. Later she discovers that Maverick also will be staying with their daughter, and the thought is intolerable. What will she do?

Bethanne Hamlin is devastated by her divorce. Her sixteen-year-old daughter Annie, damaged by her father's leave-taking, is headed for certain trouble. Yet Annie insists her mother take knitting lessons and signs her up at A Good Yarn. Meanwhile, Bethanne must find a job --- and soon. But she has no marketable skills. Or does she?

Courtney Pulanski is spending her senior year of high school with her grandmother in Seattle. She's bored, lonely and overweight. When her grandmother treats her to a sock knitting class at A Good Yarn, she goes along with the idea.

Cutting back and forth to each woman's story, A GOOD YARN takes the disparate threads and (okay, I can't resist) knits them together into one warm and snuggly shawl of a tale as the knitters form a supportive community. Readers' interest never lags as they root for each character's triumph over her struggle. The identity of a generous fairy godperson is a delightful addition to the plot. I personally found the ending to be wrapped up just a bit too tidily; however, others will no doubt find it to be a satisfying conclusion. A truly enjoyable read.