Well, it's cheaper than gin and better for you than valium. Isn't it strange and charming how knitting has changed from being corny and old-fashioned to cool? Doing it is strongly relaxing and soothing - and you even get nice things to wear or give away at the end. Does anyone else think hand-knitted jumpers on men in all those 1940/50s telly programmes just look so darned manly!! It's doing no harm to the UK wool industry either this revival in knitting, apparently, so win-win all round.