Trend stitches way across campus

At first glance, it is difficult to draw any distinctions between College sophomore Johannah Lebow and the 200 other students in her class lecture. Lebow is intently concentrating and her fingers are flying, but unlike most of her peers, Lebow is not completely focused upon the professor -- her fingers are not rapidly scrambling to take notes.

While it may seem unbelievable to many, Lebow is concentrating on a ball of yarn in her lap, and her fingers are feverishly working to knit the scarf which trails at her feet.

"Knitting actually really helps me concentrate," Lebow said. "I work best when I'm doing more than one thing at a time, so if I'm knitting, it's easier for me to listen and take notes during lecture."

An increasing number of students are agreeing with Lebow, making knitting one of the latest crazes on campus.

"I think knitting has really gotten a lot bigger recently," knitter and College freshman Hanna Cohan said. "It seems like more and more people are picking it up."

And while it may still be an unfamiliar fad to the majority of Penn students, due to its increasing popularity -- as evidenced by knit clothing and the growing list of celebrity knitters, including Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Charlotte on Sex and the City -- knitting is slowly but surely establishing its popularity.

"Everyone seems to want to learn how to knit all of a sudden," College senior Nicole DuPont said. "Now that people are wearing a lot more knitted scarves and hats, a lot of people are picking up knitting."

Indicative of the growing interest in knitting is the rapid growth of Penn Knitters, a group of University faculty, staff, alumni and students that holds bimonthly knitting lunches. Although the group is almost 6 years old, in recent months the original membership of seven has surged to more than 40 members.

While frequently viewed as a pastime restricted to elderly women, the increased interest in knitting -- coupled with the willingness of older generations to pass the hobby on -- has resulted in an outpouring of new knitters, not only at Penn, but on college campuses across the country.

According to the Craft Yarn Council of America, college students compose the majority of new knitters, among the 40 million Americans who knit or crochet. In the past few months, knitting circles have popped up on college campuses across the country, including UC Santa Cruz, Bowdoin, Harvard and Yale. At Smith College in Massachusetts, knitting has become so popular that it is now offered as a university class.

While the popularity of the new trend is still beyond the comprehension of many, knitters and crocheters explain that there are many benefits of knitting, citing first and foremost its therapeutic nature and ability to relieve stress.

"For me, knitting is a great way to relax," College senior Diana Dlugash said. "We're all so busy and our lives are so chaotic, and knitting really helps to calm you down a bit."

Because knitting is such a relaxing pursuit, most people find that, like Lebow, they can multitask and knit while simultaneously pursuing other activities.

"I can definitely knit and still focus on other things," knitter and Wharton freshman Rachel Hayes said. "I usually knit while I watch TV or do my reading for class."

In addition to knitting's calming effects, many have picked up the hobby because of the opportunity it affords for artistic expression. "I really like making my own stuff," Hayes said. "For me, knitting is a creative outlet that's the ultimate statement of individuality."

Moreover, knitters enjoy this activity because it is extremely easy to learn, a quality which will almost guarantee its continued growth and popularity on campus.

"Knitting is fun, simple and easy to do," Dupont said. "I think it will definitely become even more popular because anyone can do it if they try."

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