Knitting in the News: Knitting as Punishment, Charity Knits and Tiny Stitches

A woman in Germany who was arrested for damaging people's tires in her neighborhood has been ordered to knit jumpers for the victims instead of paying a fine. Heidi Kohl is 89 and said she was tired of all the people parking in her neighborhood, so she started slashing tires. She was to be fined for her crime but said she couldn't afford to pay it, so authorities said she could knit sweaters instead. She's also since been moved to a nursing home.

Some Australian knitters have been keeping their needles busy lately to the tune of 10,375 knit items produced for charity in the last 18 months. The items are being distributed to people in need through the Saddleworth Salvation Army Thrift Shop. They're going to homeless and needy people as well as those who have left troubled situations.

Finally, one woman's obsession with tiny knitting is being heralded for her efforts. Althea Crome Merback was part of a knitting exhibit at New York's Museum of Arts and Design and her work will be featured in the next "Ripley's Believe it or Not" book. She says she started knitting wee garments when she was working on a dollhouse for her children. The house never got done, but the tiny clothes are gorgeous works of art.