Knitting Prince strings along thousands of women

Mitsuharu Hirose

TOKYO, Japan -- Though many people may like to knit, they probably never thought it would be the talk of the town.

That may all change, thanks to Japan's Knitting Prince.

Mitsuharu Hirose, who is in his early 40s, has become a heartthrob for Japanese women who tune in to watch his knitting show or buy his how-to-knit videos and books.

In a scene more suggestive of pop stardom, hundreds of women stand in line for hours to get Hirose's autograph or to shake his hand.

VIDEO CNN's Karuna Shinsho shows the swooning over Hirose Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Hirose knit his first sweater in high school and was captivated by the idea of making clothes out of a single piece of string. Now his sweaters are full of intricate designs using not only yarn but also ribbons, beads and even fake fur.

But for many fans, his knitting skills are rivaled by his lanky looks.

"When I knit, I concentrate and watch my hands. But when I see him on TV or on video, I get too involved watching him and drop stitches," said one woman in line at a recent department store appearance.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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