All you need to join is a pair of needles and a length of yarn…oh, and a few quid for a pint or two. You’re probably wondering what on Earth I’m talking about?

Well, last week I was initiated into Oxford’s newest secret society. As with the notorious Bullingdon Club, this underground outfit does like a drink, but rather than trash watering holes, this group of self-confessed nutcases prefers to adorn them with their wildly colourful handmade creations.

In fact, you may have noticed their calling cards along Cowley Road and around Radcliffe Square. So, who am I talking about? They go under the moniker of Oxford Drunken Knitwits and as you can probably already tell they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Established in May last year, this jolly bunch has been dominating a different pub around the city every Wednesday evening with their laughter, inanity and, most importantly, their wool.

The group started as a way of meeting like-minded people, but has grown rapidly into a force of more than 100 yarn-bombers.

In a time of austerity, they’re making a slight return to the Make Do And Mend mentality of post war years and in the process spearheading what’s been dubbed the Handmade Revolution. Hipsters the length and breadth of the country are taking up this productive pasttime like it’s going out of fashion (again). I’d almost go as far to say it’s the new rock ‘n’ roll, sort of!

All levels of skill are welcome and while I very much doubt I’ll ever be able to complete a complicated Fair Isle design myself, I’m sure this lot could at least knock out a decent comedy number that your Granny will love on Christmas Day… even after one too many! “Knitting isn’t just for grannies and introverts though”, says chief knitaholic Jane Messina. “We aim to defy that stereotype every week in a pub near you. Sip by sip, stitch by stitch, we pursue drunken hand-cramping Nirvana. If you want to follow us in our path, we can show you the way.”

Now the evenings have well and truly drawn in, ODK are going to be doing even more stitching…. you guessed it, in the pub! You too can join the group every Monday from 6.30pm in The Royal Blenheim on St Ebbes Street for Club In The Pub – which has been arranged in conjunction with the lovely Jo Watkins from Darn It & Stitch.

Tucked away down Blue Boar Street, this colourful and inspiring haberdashery has been supplying the craft hungry stitchers of Oxford since 2009 and now joins forces with the Knitwits to spread the word even further.

They’re also now stocking We Knit Oxford’s very silly 2014 calender. Back in August, the group roamed our streets and photographed themselves in some rather embarrassing positions all in the name of charity. But, with only 250 copies available, you’d better snap one up now if you fancy it as a stocking filler on Christmas Day.

For all details visit oxforddrunkenknitwits.com