The event is part of a national movement by the Craft Yarn Council of America to motivate people to knit and/or crochet. Groups from New York to Dallas are staging marathon sessions during at which you'll see creations such as fluffy iPod covers and ponchos and hear gripping terms such as back twist, frogging and stockinette.

Stay-at-home mom Kimberly Dallas is the one to thank for Stitch 'N Bitch Phoenix, inspired by the popular book Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook, by Debbie Stoller. Dallas became smitten with the hobby after living in Portland, Oregon, and joining a local freestyle knitting group to polish her techniques. She discovered more than just patterns and tips: She found a whole new set of lifelong friends.

Dallas started Stitch 'N Bitch Phoenix after moving to Chandler from Portland, Oregon.

I couldn't find anything like what I had experienced in Portland, says the 34-year-old. There were very specific classes, like learn-to-knit socks or sweaters. I wanted more than that, I wanted an open forum where people of all skill levels can socialise and bring their projects to share. And if they get stuck in a hard spot, no matter what, there will be someone to help them through it.

Last December, Dallas posted a message on an online site to try to unite other renegade knitters. Four responses came in. Today, her group counts more than a hundred, with anywhere from 20 to 50 people showing up for the biweekly gatherings. Some can barely balance the needles on their fingers, while others could clean up at a speed-knitting competition. Then there are those such as Weiner and Adams who come just to unwind, chat and knit away the night.

I love it because our conversations go all over the map, says Adams, 33, of Phoenix. Three of us are pregnant, so we talk a lot about that. But then, one of our members is a guy, so we try to tone that topic down when he is around. At our last meeting, there was a girl talking about the John Kerry campaign she was on. It wasn't so much about a big political discussion but more of what was going on in all of our lives. We hear dating stories, work stories and, of course, knitting stories, especially from a few seniors in the group that tell us about how they used to knit in college.

Currently, Adams is toiling away on a poncho that is almost more trouble than it's worth. If it weren't for the fact that it's a gift for a friend, she would have nothing to do with it. She brings it to the meetings because the company helps her work through the complicated stitches.

Another local knitting group, the Blanket Boosters, was formed at Beth El Congregation of Phoenix. The ladies create blankets to donate to the Phoenix Police Department, which passes them out to kids in emergency situations. Deborah Lavinsky, 47, of Phoenix, is a card-carrying member of the group, although she considers herself a so-so knitter who can make really great, large rectangles and triangles.

This group has turned into a really warm friendship with a bunch of people I wouldn't get to know otherwise, she says. We meet every other Sunday morning. It's so much fun to see what other people have made and have them teach you, or vice versa.

Dallas couldn't agree more. To her, knitting is the path to personal peace, and she encourages inquiring minds to give it a trial stitch.

Knitting groups are for everyone, she says. We have moms, seniors, college students, teachers and executives. They come to release stress and have a great time. I enjoy it all because it not only makes me feel good that I can help touch people's lives but also because I'm a high-energy person who is pregnant. Knitting helps me sit down and relax. It forces you to clear your mind to stop and think about what you are doing via The Arizona Republic