At this Mariners game, yarn is a requirement

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By Brian Calvert

Summary

It's the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded. "All of it is stressful," says fan Beryl Hiatt as she bites her nails. "You know, we are pitching great, but then you think 'oh should we really take him out?'"

Story Published: Aug 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 25, 2009 at 12:16 PM PDT

At this Mariners game, yarn is a requirement
It's the bottom of the 9th, bases loaded.

"All of it is stressful," says fan Beryl Hiatt as she bites her nails. "You know, we are pitching great, but then you think 'oh should we really take him out?'"

Not even the dog can handle the pressure. He's barking in the background.

How will this die hard fan cope? Four magic words: "In, around, under, and off," she says, then repeats.

Hiatt is a knitter. She and her business partner run a yarn shop called Tricoter in Madison Valley. Every day while at work, they make it a point to catch the Mariners game. And once the game is under way, the yarn comes out.

"I think most women don't like sports that much because we need a couple of things to occupy us at the same time," Hiatt tells KOMO News.

And if you think knitting will take your attention from the ballgame, think again...

"It's a proven fact that when you are knitting, and you're in a meeting, your mind is not wandering."

She says knitting is fun, and it's easy. (Check out her basic stich lesson below.)

To express their love for both knitting and knuckleballs, Beryl and several other baseball fans are headed for the next Stitch N' Pitch event at Safeco Field. It will be Thursday as the Mariners take-on Kansas City.

Tickets to sit in the "knitters" section are still available and, just like the beer and hot dog vendors, there will be several yarn shops at the ballpark to keep you supplied with everything you need for knitting.

The first Stitch N' Pitch event five years ago was small. "We just had the most wonderful experience watching our boys of summer, and making things like hats, quilts, and scarves," Hiatt says.

Last year's Stitch N Pitch drew in almost 3,000 fans who knit, including baseball mom Karen Somerville.

"I took both of my boys," Somerville said. "One of my boys actually did start knitting there."

Be warned: Just like baseball, this is addictive.

"Once you start knitting, you will always, always have a project," Hiatt says with a smile.

And your baseball game will never be the same again.