It's the accent.

Today's Flight of the Conchords moment.

I was on the bus knitting while trying to balance myself in the bendy bit (the new bendy buses don't have seats in the bendy bit, just a place to rest your back) and noticed this guy completely intrigued with what I was doing, so I smiled politely ('cause really he was just staring and I didn't know what else to do).

Bus guy: 'What're you making?'

Me: 'A neckwarmer'

Bus guy: 'A.....?'

Me: 'Oh, a neckwarmer' (more polite smiles)

Bus guy: 'A nick...a what?"

Me: 'A neckwarmer'

Bus guy: 'What's a nickwarmer?"

Me: 'Oh, no...a neckwarmer' (I point to my neck and try to sound a bit Canadian)

Bus guy: 'Ohhhhh, a neckwarmer!'

Me: 'Ha, yep. It's the accent' (apologetic laugh).

Awkward silence until we get to our stop.