KNITTING CRAZE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1931, Page 8

KNITTING CRAZE

SWEEPING AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, April 23. A knitting craze is sweeping Ausralia. It appears to have started in Melbourne, and swpet that city like a grass fire. Sales of wool commenced to jump in February, and are now higher than during the knitting craze that followed the war. Of course, during the war almost every woman knitted! for the soldiers. Now every woman seems to be knitting something for herself. One day last week a bigi Melbourne store had 4750 who wanted wool, and 197 girls were kept busy all clay attending to their fleci u*rcm<e.nts Nearly all the shops have had to engage extra hands m the knitting wool department. , Departmental managers say that the boom is largely a fashion craze, the culmination of a fancy for knitted wear that has been steadily rising for the past three seasons. This year for has grow beyond all expectations. indicating the most fashionable year for wool on record. It is considered that the knitting craze is a thrift measure only in part, as the demand for knitting wools started as early as last Christmas, before women thought of buying winter sweatees and cardigans.

Jumpers, cardigans, vests. and men’s pullovers are the most popular garments for home knitting. Countless small orders for wool are also put in f n ’’ beret and .wnf <-ets and for tea cosies. Books of instruction for making all these things sell out with .extraordinary rapidity. Royal blue, orrnge. bottle green, and bright reds anv the colours most in demand. Most of the wools are Australian spun, and one big Melbourne mill imported last week that is output nad increased SO per cent in the last few

weeks. All this must be very cheering to the grazier.