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Knitting trend keeps students in stitches — DAINA KLIMANIS/KRT CAMPUS $*\ r irst-year student Jackie Foelster, left, and second-year student Caitlin Hopping work together on a scarf during a meeting of the University of Maryland’s knitting club in College Park, Md. These knitting clubs have become popular at schools across the country. By DAINA KLIMANIS KRT CAMPUS After Sarah Asher Morris begar knitting about three years ago, she got i dose of teasing. People would say thing! like, “I thought only grandmothers did that!” Now a junior at the University ol Oregon, Morris often sees student! knitting during lectures. A new knitting group has formed in one of the dorms, she said; another meets in the student union. The two knitting classes at the craft center on campus fill up so quickly, A people who want to learn how to knit must turn elsewhere, such as the University Students Fibers Guild of which Morris is co-president. “People want something so that they can pull away from whatever they’re doing just for an hour, instead of (doing) yoga or something else,” Morris said. "... It’s meditative. It’s relaxing.” The University of Oregon is among schools nationwide where knitting clubs are blossoming as many college-aged women, as well as an increasing number of men, are taking up the ancient craft. According to a survey done for the Craft Yarn Council of America, the percentage of women younger than 45 who knit doubled in recent years, going from 9 to 18 percent between 2000 and 2002, the most recent year for which data is available. Since then, knitting has become even more popular among young people, giving a boost to the business, said Mary Colucci, the yarn council’s executive director. She estimates yarn vendors have seen yarn sales grow by double-digit percentages in the last two years. “I know publishers have added more knitting and crocheting titles because the demand is there,” Colucci said. "... I know from retailers around the country, a lot of them have added more and more (knitting) classes — and some shops, they fill up their classes so quickly, people have to wait to get in.” Lisa Meyers, owner of Rosie’s Yarn Cellar in Philadelphia, said college-aged students make up about 20 percent of her customer base; it was only 5 percent when she opened her shop nine years ago. Now she’s getting calls from resident assistants at area colleges who want her to organize knitting sessions in dormitories. “People think this is an industry where you’re going to be dealing with people with hearing aids all day long,” Meyers said. “Not at all.” Knitters are eager to explain the hobby’s appeal. Sure, it’s cheap and portable — many said they take their knitting to class to help them stay awake — and it’s a great source of cheap gifts for friends and family. But for many, the true appeal lies in the repetitive motion itself, which they use to escape stress, or at least keep their hands busy. “Last semester I knitted a lot and it helped me stop biting my nails,” said Elissa Washuta, a sophomore at the University of Maryland. “Then I stopped, and I started biting my nails again.” But none of this is news; the gende clack of knitting needles has been around for thousands of years. What’s changing is the knitting industry, which has been stocking stores with funky yarns and trendy patterns to draw adventurous young knitters. “It’s not such an old lady frumpy sweater thing,” said Emily Powell, a junior at the University of Maryjand. Powell, who enjoys making matching hats and mittens, said even those who make ftin of her hobby end up appreciating the results. “A lot of times they laugh, but then they think it’s pretty cool when I stay warm in the winter due to my cool knitted things,” she said. Not only are yarn makers putting more effort into producing bright colors and interesting textures, but improving technology makes yarn softer and lighter, Colucci said. “You hear, ‘Wow, why weren’t these yarns around?’ “ Colucci said. “I think we’ve all experienced kind of those really heavy handmade things. It’s not that way anymore.” The result, combined with new larger needles that speed the knitting process and patterns that keep pace with fashion, appeals to those who grew up on fluffy store-bought knits. Men are getting in on this traditionally woman’s activity more than ever before. At a recent knitting club meeting at the University of Maryland, four of the 20 attendees were men. One was sophomore Matt Lewis, a club regular who began learning to knit about a year ago. “A lot of punk rock guys I know knit, because it’s a fun thing to do, and they like to switch up gender roles,” Lewis said. A number of male knitters have showed up at the University of Oregon as well, said University Student Fibers Guild co-president Morris. Many had already learned knitting from a family member or a class. “It’s something that’s becoming acceptable for all,” Morris said. As younger adults turn toward knitting in increasing numbers, more and more knitting resources are targeting the younger set. Across the country, Stitch ‘N’ Bitch knitting circles target sassy young knitters. The Web site of Stitch ‘N’ Bitch Chicago sells “knitting paraphernalia of a new generation.” An online knitting magazine, Knitty.com, recently shared patterns for fashionable lingerie — and these kinds of knitting resources are attracting new knitters in turn. “With the new patterns and new types of yarns and more textures, it’s become more fun to do,” Powell said. “It’s a fashion statement.” The slow pace of knitting projects sets the activity apart from other pursuits, said Lizzy Malouf, president of the University of Maryland’s knitting club. In a world where spending hours to make a present for a friend has become a rarity, people have greater appreciation for these homemade gifts. “It stands out and it shows that you spent a lot of time on it, and time is something that no one has anymore,” Malouf said. Singer hovers on the verge of super stardom by JUI-IN UtKUMt THE ASSOCIATED PRESS He hears the talk on Music Row about being the next big thing. He tries not to listen. “To me, I’m still this 15-year-old guy in his first garage band. That’s how I feel every night when I play,” said Keith Urban, who launched his tour Friday in Muncie,, Ind., to support his new album, “Be Here.” The album follows Urban’s 2002 breakthrough “Golden Road,” which sold 2 million copies and yielded four g| fchits including “Somebody Like You” r ®.nd “Who Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me.” The first single, “Days Go By,” is already No. 1 on the country charts, and Urban is up for male vocalist of the year at next month’s Country Music Association awards, alongside superstars Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait. “There’s been a very tangible buzz over the past year or year and a half that Keith Urban is a star ready to break out,” said Neil Pond, editor of Country Weekly magazine. “He’s a great poster boy for where country music can go and wants to go, and that is into a much broader demographic of musical integrity, sexiness and commercial success.” Earlier this week, in an empty, dimly lit arena, Urban and his band rehearsed into the evening. The guitar II ffs had to be loud, but not too loud. ^ The dobro had to come in at the right moment; the harmonies had to be just so. On stage Urban looked like a rock star; slight build, shoulder-length hair, scruffy jeans and black T-shirt, earring and tattoos. His electric guitar was amped up and a little distorted (he’s widely considered a virtuoso on the instrument and counts Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and Angus Young of AC/DC as influences). The drums and bass thumped at a fast, heavy clip. And when he spoke, his Australian accent made him seem like a character from the British invasion. But while other pop and rock-edged country acts often avoid or downplay the banjos, mandolins and fiddles, Urban embraces them. Not only does he use them in most of his songs, he puts them right up front. His musical epiphany came during a John Mellencamp concert in 1988. “1 finally saw a guy who had blended fiddle and acoustic guitar and rock drums and rural lyrics into this amazing package. Because I was thinking, ‘Am I rock? Am I country?’ — 1 don’t know what the hell I am. Every time I pick up an acoustic it comes out country. Then when I pick up an electric guitar it’s a little bit of the other. I think John showed that you can just find your voice, whatever that is.” Fans who liked Urban’s last album will like this one. The big, full arrangements are there, the smooth vocals and stinging guitar-Urban wrote one of the 13 tracks and co-wrote eight others. He covers Rodney Crowell’s “Making Memories of Us” and Elton John’s vintage 1970s “Country Comfort.” There’s also the song “Better Life” co-written with ’80s pop star Richard Marx. “I can easily hear three or four pretty good singles,” said Scott Michaels, music director at WKKG-FM in Indianapolis. Urban played “Making Memories of Us” for Crowell before putting it on the album. Crowell had written the song as a Valentine’s gift to his wife, Claudia, and included it on his new album, “The Notorious Cherry Bombs.” Urban wanted Crowell’s blessing. “It was pretty nerve-racking having him sit beside me when I was playing him the finished product,” Urban said. “If he had cringed on any singular thing, I’m sure I would have fixed it.” Urban’s guitar playing sets him apart from other country hunks like THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Keith Urban kicked off his new tour Friday in Muncie, Ind. Urban is nominated for male vocalist of the year at the CMA Awards. Chesney and Tim McGraw. “The guys who dig him dig him for the guitar playing, and women love to look at him,” Michaels said. Urban has been picking a guitar since he was seven. Raised on a small farm near Brisbane, he delved into his parents’ Don Williams, Glen Campbell and Charlie Pride records and decided early on that he would one day come to Nashville. By eight he was winning country music talent shows and by 12 playing in clubs. He quit school at 15 to hit the road, signed with EMI in Australia in 1990 and recorded a solo album that did well there. A year later he moved to Nashville and released one album with a three-piece group called The Ranch. His U.S. solo debut album came in 2000 and produced three hits, including the No. 1 “But for The . , Grace of God.” The follow up, “Golden Road,” was an even bigger success. The song “Somebody Like You” spent eight consecutive weeks at the top of the charts. Urban wrote a tune about his life for the new album. It’s called “God’s Been Good to Me”: “Oh the sun is shinin’ on down in Tennessee / And right now I’m right where I wanna be / I’ve never felt so loved, so peaceful and so free/ Hey there ain’t no doubt that God’s been good to me.” ■ FELLNER Continued from page 7 construed as a full-torso extension of our phalluses. Whatever you make of them, they’re here to stay, and you’ll need to know a few things about them to succeed in the real world even if you don’t wear one to work — remember those all-important job interviews we talked about a few weeks ago? The first thing is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a nice tie. They’re only worn to complement the rest of your ensemble, so there’s no shame in going basic. The plain red or blue with a white shirt and black suit is still considered the simplest model — the so-called power suit — and note this month how the politicians will replicate the pattern while on TV. The colors are pronounced without the distraction of leading the eyes on a maze of patterns. This strategy will draw the most attention to your face. If you don’t have a particularly nice looking face, then maybe you should go for a flashier look. For this bold strategy I recommend sticking to the basic colors of red, blue, yellow and black, which blend well with nearly every shirt or coat. Pick out patterns that have a purpose. If you’re giving a business presentation and want a positive audience response, go with inviting rounded shapes and blended colors. If you’re trying to impress that girl sitting next to you in class with your male savvy, then flower patterns and sunsets might interfere with your mojo. No matter what tie you choose, please make sure you know how to tie a proper Windsor Knot. This is an invaluable life lesson your father should have taught you somewhere between belching and shaving. If you need help, I recommend visiting www.tie-a-tie.net or just e-mail me. Your knot should appear triangular with a small dimple in the area just below the downward vertex where the base of the tie protrudes from the knot. The end of your tie should be the proper length so as to reach the middle of your belt buckle while standing up straight. And a few other lessons I’ve learned while wearing a tie for all these years: A dark colored tie can substitute as a napkin when eating lunch on the go. Always remember to throw your tie over your shoulder while standing at a urinal in order to avoid disastrous results. Tying your tie once and then loosening it and slipping it over your head every day instead of tying it over and over is a trick that will get you to work faster in the morning. And Anally for your ladies: There’s nothing sexier about ties than when a woman grabs one to pull a man in for a kiss. I Movie Releases I “Taxi” | “Friday Night Lights" | “Raise Your Voice” i Left: Billy Bob Thornton in “Friday Night Lights.’’ Right: Jimmy Fallon in “Taxi.” —■HOMECOMING SPECIAL— — St. Andrews Only — Garnet and Black Carolina House Keysl Cut While U Wait $150 X (LIMIT 2) THE COLLEGE SHOpg AT I m 817 S. 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