Australian PM Julia Gillard takes a break from politics by posing for a major women's magazine. Her photo on the cover of Australian Women's Weekly shows her knitting with her beloved dog, Reuben. This is a welcome diversion for federal Labor who is currently battling a leadership crisis.

PM Gillard says she agreed to do the photo shoot because it shows another side of her that the public rarely sees. The Prime Minister can't imagine Senior Press Gallery journalist Laurie Oakes asking her for knitting patterns.

In the video interview with Australian Women's Weekly, she reveals she enjoys knitting small projects for children. She finds it easier to fit knitting as a hobby despite the demands of running the government.

In the photo, the public would see her knitting a small toy kangaroo for the royal baby of Prince William and expectant wife Katherine. Gillard thought the kangaroo was cute.

Senior Liberal Christopher Pyne couldn't help but comment about the PM Gillard's knitting. Pyne said to reporters on Tuesday that they know the PM Gillard was good at yarn spinning and the photo proves it. Labor's Graham Perrett also commented he didn't know if knitting is a polarizing hobby for the prime minister. Perrett added the prime minister knits during her spare time. Even so, Perrett adds PM Gillard's knitting would not send her to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

Sarah Hanson-Young of the Australian Greens questioned if the cover photo would appeal to female voters. Hanson-Young says the people may be sick of Gillard's personal politics. She said the people only cares about what politicians and political parties represent.

PM Julia Gillard is facing her toughest week yet with plummeting polls and the unstoppable rise of the opposition. The latest issue of Australian Women's Weekly with the prime minister as cover will be on sale tomorrow at newsstands.

The magazine said the image of Gillard knitting a toy kangaroo was not management's idea. The concept of the photo shoot came from the staff of the prime minister. Chief press officer John McTernan receives the credit for the idea.