They are doing it on the beach, on trains and are even squeezing in a session during lunch breaks. And it's guaranteed to get people staring.

Once viewed as a pastime for grannies, celebrities Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Kate Moss and Geri Halliwell have all been spotted dropping a stitch or two on their needles.

Now knitting is set to sweep Brighton and Hove as the latest trendy hobby, if keen knitter Joy Gosney has anything to do with it.

Joy is a member of London-based Cast Off, a club for hip young knitters set up to spread the word.

She is now hoping to set up a Brighton branch.

The club, which has more than 300 members, meets every couple of weeks for some group knitting and held an open-air "knit-in" on Brighton Beach during the Brighton Festival.

Joy, 26, of White Street, Brighton, said their public exploits had got them into trouble.

She said: "I started doing it because I thought it sounded like a nice and homely thing to do which also helps you meet people.

"It brings people together and gives them something to talk about, and it's mostly young people who do it - it's not a grannies knitting group, although everyone is welcome.

"The group was once chucked out of the Savoy Hotel in London for doing it.

"The head waiter said we shouldn't be doing that sort of thing in public and said it was a really weird thing to be doing."

She added people's perception of the pastime were changing.

She said: "People might find it weird to start off with but they often end up joining in.

It's not just women doing it either, men are also taking to the streets armed with a couple of needles and a ball of wool.

Toby Champion, 33, who has been knitting for a year, said: "So far I've knitted a scarf but I want to be able to do more.

"I've just learnt how to do the purl stitch, so I'll be branching out a bit. It's no more just for girls than cooking or cleaning."

He said although people could be mocking, the lure of a stitch often proved too hard to resist.

He said: "Some people take the mickey, especially when I'm in pubs but I stand my ground."

Despite its new-found trendy image, Joy reckons knitting isn't just a fad.

She said: "We see all the stuff in magazines about it but we'll carry on doing it whether it's in fashion or not."

For details of the first meeting of Cast Off Brighton, email joygosney@excite.com