Colette van Haaren

"We love to drink, we love to go out and we love to knit," says Anna Titcomb, president of McGill's Knitting Knetwork. What's more, these young knitters welcome anyone who's interested in the craft. The group has regular meetings at cafés and other public places, and occasionally meets at Brutopia on Crescent to enjoy a pint - and knit, of course. Knitting in a bar is a real attention getter, Titcomb claims. People show appreciation and are always asking questions.

Titcomb learned to knit from her mother when she was six or seven years old, and her interest was renewed in high school. But many of the young women who are interested in knitting never picked up these skills at home. That's why the Knitting Knetwork staged a learn-to-knit afternoon. The workshop organizers brought yarn and needles, which they sold for $3, to get people started. Experienced knitters showed "knewbies" how to cast on and knit. If they stayed long enough, they learned how to cast off. The next day, the group gathered for a knitting bee.

Last year, the group made a patchwork blanket for Dans La Rue. This year, they're knitting children's clothing to be sent to Mongolia.

"Knitting also bridges generations," says Titcomb. Once a week, Knitting Knetwork members knit with seniors in a Westmount home. And knitters of any age are welcome at their regular group meetings. Then there's charity knitting - last year, the group made a patchwork blanket that was donated to Dans La Rue. This year, they're making warm children's clothing to be sent to Mongolia.

The Knitting Knetwork isn't the only public knitting group in Montreal. There's also Montreal Knits, and a French group called Tricot-thé-Montréal. Titcomb joined Montreal Knits for coffee and some knitting one Sunday afternoon. The individual works-in-progress varied from a dishcloth to a simple garter stitch shawl, and from socks to a green cable sweater done up on circular needles. Montreal's cold winter climate encourages knitters to make clothes and utilitarian items like mittens and scarves - a good money- saver for students or anyone who's on a budget.

Colette van Haaren

Knitting groups also attract yarn sellers, who see an opportunity to approach knitters. That Sunday, Kiyoko Ishii, from online store AmiAmi, passed by to hand out sample cards and show off yarn and Japanese pattern books.