In days gone by, "knitting clubs" were the purview of older women who sat chatting as they made afghans and booties. And while today's knitting groups may still seat grandmothers, they are just as likely to have younger women -- and even a few men -- making purses, scarves and hats.

In an era when materials to create handmade items can cost as much or more than buying the items ready-made, hobbies such as knitting and crocheting still prosper. And there is no shortage of opportunities to meet fellow enthusiasts.

One group meeting in the North Hills is Knit Lit at Northern Tier Library in Richland, where the talk can focus on recently read books -- or not.

The group meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month and, according to Diane Illis, library communications specialist, about a dozen knitters and crocheters usually attend.

"We started it a couple of years ago after we had expanded our summer reading program to include adults. We had a group that read cooking mysteries and someone wanted one with craft themes," she said.

The weekly focus on books soon faded. "People wanted to talk about knitting more and bring their projects, so we decided to focus on that," Mrs. Illis said.

The group still discusses books, but they also discuss patterns and yarns and help each other master the art. More experienced knitters help beginners.

Abigail Huber, 25, an assistant at the library, joined to learn how to knit. "I always thought I wanted to learn, but no one in my family knits," she said. She started out with scarves and dish cloths and then tackled a baby afghan for a friend. She's now working on a full-size afghan. "This is my biggest project yet," she said.

Ms. Huber, of Adams, often relies on the help of more experienced members, "if I am stuck on a pattern," she said. But she also enjoys the fellowship.

"It's nice to sit and talk about books while we work on our projects," she said.

While no children attend the group regularly, they would be welcomed. In the past, a Girl Scout troop visited one night to learn how to knit, Ms. Huber said.

Dustin Shilling, 27, is the lone male in the group. A Northern Tier librarian, it doesn't bother him that he is the only male. "I work in a library, which is predominately a women's career field, so I am used to that environment," he said. Although he often works on the night the group meets, he pops in for a quick visit.

It was curiosity of "what was happening in that room," he said, that got him started knitting. "They looked like they were having so much fun. So one day, I decided to try my hand at it." He has made smaller projects, including a baby blanket for his fiancee's sister. "We were going to the baby shower and I was sitting in the airport, still working on it. A woman came up to me and said she was so happy to see a man knit," he said.

Mary Ann Reynolds of Richland belongs not only to The Knit Lit group but also to Cranknitters, which meets at Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Cranberry, and to an informal group that meets in a local restaurant. Mrs. Reynolds learned to knit when she was 4 years old. "I like the company of other knitters. Plus, if we run into a problem, there is always someone to help out," she said.

A retired school teacher, she also likes the fact that the groups help younger knitters learn. "By teaching new knitters, we are continuing the craft," she said.

Nora Rezzetano, 47, of Evans City, also belongs to Cranknitter and to an informal group called the "Knit Wits," who meet once a month at a coffee shop in Ellwood City. A knitter since 1988, she is vice president of the Three Rivers Knitting Guild. She learned the craft during a long illness and prefers to knit with a group. "It is a nice way for adult women to make friends. Then it became important to me to help preserve the craft, so I joined the guild," she said.

Mrs. Rezzetano also teaches an occasional class at Knit One, a shop in Squirrel Hill. "I have a lot of nervous energy," she said.

Both Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Rezzetano attended the recent Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival held in Cranberry. Now in its sixth year, Barbara Grossman, organizer of the event, was delighted with this year's attendance. "With all of the snow, I was a nervous wreck, but we had nearly 2,000 attend," she said.

Mrs. Grossman, who lives in Fox Chapel, said that knitters and vendors come from not only the Greater Pittsburgh area but from other regions. "We had a woman last year come from Albuquerque. She met a friend who came in from New England," she said.

Mrs. Grossman also has started retreats that allow knitters to go away for a weekend with other knitters. Her first retreat was held last year and hosted 40 knitters. While she hasn't gone to the formal retreat offered by Mrs. Grossman, Mrs. Reynolds goes away with six good friends for their own knitting weekend. "You can say I'm addicted," she joked, "but I have something to show for it."

Knit Lit will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Northern Tier Library on Dickey Road in Richland. New members welcomed.

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