a marked reduction in numbers. However, home knitting still had a strong and loyal following. The growth of craft fairs, release of well researched books on many aspects of knitting and the continued support among those who had learnt the skill in the heyday of the 60s and 70s kept a considerable amount of interest in knitting alive. One of the most influential changes was the spread of the internet, which enabled knitters to share advice, patterns and experience, but also it meant that home knitters had direct access to supplies rather being reliant on local sources. These trends have continued. Early 21st century revival The 21st century has seen a resurgence of knitting. This resurgence coincided with the growth of the internet, as well as the general "Handmade Revolution" and interest in DIY crafts. Natural fibers from animals, such as alpaca, angora and merino and plant fibres, chiefly cotton, have become easier and less costly to collect and process and therefore more widely available. Exotic fibres, such as silk, bamboo, yak and qiviut are growing in popularity as well. The yarn industry has started to make novelty yarns, which produce stunning results without years of knitting experience. Designers have begun to create patterns which work up quickly on large needles, a phenomenon known as instant-gratification knitting. Celebrities including Julia Roberts, Winona Ryder, Dakota Fanning, and Cameron Diaz have been seen knitting and have helped to popularize the revival of the craft. There has also been a return by men to the art of knitting — one illustration being the role models in the designer partnership of Arne Nerjordet & Carlos Zachrison, and another the publication of books aimed at a male readership. As time and technology change, so does the art of knitting. The internet allows knitters to connect, share interests and learn from each other, whether across the street or across the globe. Among the first internet knitting phenomena was the popular KnitList, with thousands of members. In 1998, the first online knitting magazine, KnitNet, began publishing. (It suspended publication with its 54th edition in 2009.) Blogging later added fuel to the development of an international knitting community. Patterns from both print and online sources have inspired groups (known as knit-a-longs, or KALs) centered on knitting a specific pattern. Knitting podcasts have also emerged, with much cross-pollination of ideas from blogs, 'zines, and knitting books. Traditional designs and