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A stitch in time >> Take a tip from famed goalie Jacques Plante: knitting is the best way to pull the wool over your eyes by SARAH MUSGRAVE
When he was off the ice, former Montreal Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante was known to while away the hours by creating his own scarves, hats and undergarments. Unashamed, he simply said it helped him unwind in between games, silencing the snickering when the results of his diligent needlework kept him warm and oh-so-stylish through the long cold winters. I admire Plante for popularizing the goalie mask and thus planting the seed for Halloween movies. And, of course, I admire him for backing the Habs through five consecutive Stanley Cup victories in the 1950s. But mostly I admire him because, unlike me, he actually finished the knitting projects he started. Better than yoga? 
The best thing about knitting, and its kissing cousin crocheting, is that it gives you something to do with your hands while you watch TV, leaving you with something to show for the all time spent tuned in to, say, the American election saga on CNN. In fact, the craft is experiencing something of a renaissance these days, according to Jeannine Gervais, owner of a Plateau wool shop called À La Tricoteuse. She attributes this to several factors, in addition to knitting being the greatest pastime ever. "The current fashions favour big needles and higher-gauge wool," she points out. "And that makes it faster to knit, so it's very rewarding. "This year, we are getting more and more people saying, 'I haven't knitted in 10 or 15 years. I thought I'd take it up again,'" she continues. And it ain't just the blue-hairs, either. "A lot of young people are taking it up because their lives are so crazy. It's a great way to relax." Of course, I wanted to know if there were any Canadiens goalies frequenting the shop, no names mentioned of course. Sadly, no, although Jeannine did say she has quite a few male clients. "They're more fanatical than the women about it. They tend to go for needlepoint and take on really demanding projects." Close-knit groupies Jeannine recommends that the self-taught begin with a scarf, for obvious reasons. For a basic start-up kit, you'll need a pair of needles, a beginner's pattern book and at least three balls of wool, whether they be soft mohair or your basic Beehive Shetland chunky. Expect to shell out an initial investment of about $30 in your hobby. Crocheting, which is as easy as knitting, simply uses different stitches and a hooked needle. While À La Tricoteuse (779 Rachel E., 527-2451), does offer courses on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings ($85/12 hours), Jeannine warns that they are filled to capacity these days since the run on woolens. Further afield, The Wool Shop (295B St-Jean in Pointe-Claire, 694-6268) will be starting weekly lessons in mid-January (about $70). Another supply store, Jeannette's Needlecraft Shop (5492 Queen-Mary, 486-2800), doesn't give classes but will guide you through your knitting projects. The city of Montreal also offers knitting and crocheting courses at the Centre du Plateau (2275 St-Joseph E., 872-6830) on Tuesday evenings ($50/8 weeks) and at the Comité Social Centre-Sud (1710 Beaudry, 596-7092) on Tuesday afternoons ($25). Winter registration is the second and third weeks of January. If you're already on the needle, there's always the option of a knitting vacation. Knautical Knitters (800-544-2469) offers cruises for wool-minded folk. Last July, a boatload of 60 needleheads (including Montrealers) went to Alaska, and next up is a cruise in Northern Europe slated for the summer of 2001. Just think of the yarns you'll be able to spin after that!
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