Recessions and Knitting

I listened to "Marketplace" on NPR today on my way home from work.  I really like this program because it gives a relatable approach to financial, economic, and investment topics that are difficult to understand.  There was a segment on how several knitting shops are closing around the country because yarn and other knitting material is being increasingly purchased on the Internet.  This isn't surprising, as this has been a trend for the past few years with other hobbies and products like movies, music, and books.  The interesting part of the knitting shops closing is the analysis of when and why the hobby boomed in order for numerous shops to open.  The program stated that after 9/11 and the recession in 2001 became a reality, people started knitting more to calm nerves, worries, etc.  It was also said that there has been a trend with people spending on hobbies during recessions, which is the interesting sociological perspective I enjoyed about this story.  I like finding out why people do the things they do... and, I'm a knitter!

Here is the link to the story in case you're interested in taking a listen'