From Amazon.com,
Knock Down Knits: 30 Projects from the Roller Derby Track
, by Toni Carr, scheduled release date July 21, 2008. Sez the book description:
Roller derby is experiencing a humungous resurgence, and roller derby–inspired patterns are popping up all over the coolest crafting sites, the hottest knitting magazines, and popular knitting and crafting television shows. This will be the only book to feature knitting patterns designed, knit, and modeled by a roller derby team.
Sadly, I was unable to locate any press photos as of this writing.
Wow....
ReplyDeleteAdd to the list of books I won't be buying. Apparently I'm a not cool knitter.
Oh well, I've lived with worse .
Holy Crap, no one could make that up. I must search for a cool site to catch up on Roller derby knits.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Yarn Harlot will be lacing on the skates anytime soon? :-}
Wow....and they even spelled "Humongous" wrong....
ReplyDeleteIt took me a while, but I found her blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://tonigirl.blogdrive.com/
She is also a member of a group called Lacy Libertines that have had projects featured twice on the DIY network. She is a punk music singer as well as a ....here it comes... roller derby queen.
I will say I did see a lot of knits at a roller derby bout I went to last year (my friend is a ref). On the sale table and being worn.
ReplyDeleteWell, there is this movie coming out soon-ish:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cinematical.com/2008/01/14/drew-barrymore-and-ellen-page-circling-whip-it/
And I guess the book was a big enough seller for them to want to make a movie about it, so maybe roller derby is coming back. Scary.
I once knit at a roller derby bout. It was part of a knitting friend's birthday party. Shedir in royal blue yarn in the dark was perhaps not the best choice of project, but I managed a few rounds. That, however, is the extent of my interest in combining the knit and the roller derby.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I have absolutely no interest in the roller derby. Perhaps an unfortunate viewing of "Rollerball" at a young age? Just statin, not hatin.
ReplyDeleteOoh, we could pre-order it on Amazon! (NOT!)
ReplyDeleteIt occurred to me that Roller Derby is NASCAR without the big budget. VBG!
Hmpf. And they turned down my book proposal "Undies With Attitude"
ReplyDelete"Designed for today's new woman. Just because women are dressed in Carhart and Nomex on the jobsite, doesn't mean they have to forget their feminine side. Whip a pair of Lacey Crotchless Longies off your needles for that construction worker in your life. The Rear Flap Petti Pants with intarsia hearts on the flap are sure to please. And of course there is the ever sexy double breasted under vest in pointelle knit. All done in natural fibres for that high fire risk environment."
HMPF!
Barb B.
The derby is indeed back in a big way in east coast cities--Philly and NY both have a fairly large, regular circuit. And yes, many of the woman participating are of teh crafty, groovy, hipster nerd types. I think it is nice that young people are doing different stuff and bringing the craft along with it. While I myself am unlikely to buy the book, I think it is as valid as yet another knit for baby book (really another hat, sweater, stuffed toy, blanket, etc.).
ReplyDeleteI am kind of sick of all the blog talk about is it needed--no, none of what we do is NEEDed. Everyone of us has enough books to meet every knitting need for a long long time (not to mention what you can get at your local library). Knitting is not NEEDed. I love it, I don't want to live without it, I go to Stitches, My stash is too big, I covet BBF stuff, I covet Anne (my favorite yarn), etc., etc. This is just another part of consumer culture in the US--go roller girls, have some fun while you can.
I've heard a lot about roller derby in Boston but never seen any. Must say I'm slightly intrigued over their knits but not enough to buy the book.
ReplyDeleteSomehow this doesn't surprise me. Roller derby is the new fad.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that they decide to leave the 100% silk yarns out of the book...I'm thinking machine wash and Fixation -- need to move freely and have it spring back but also need to be able to get blood stains out...
ReplyDeleteIt's even big here in FL. Not me, I don't fancy broken bones.
ReplyDeleteThere is a large roller derby league in the Poconos as well. A few women from my Weight Watchers group participate and we (teachers all) thought it might be kind of fun, but then we tried the old sling shot move down the hallway and it was horrible without the skates. I'll stick to the knitting, thanks.
ReplyDeleteCarol, today on my blog I gave you a "You Make My Day Award". I love everything you bring to the knitting community.
ReplyDeletePlay along only if it suits you!
I dunno, my friend does roller derby and I wish I were in even half the shape she's in, and she's 10 years older than I am. She also asked another mutual friend to knit her a pair of legwarmers because, well, she actually needed some legwarmers.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little, my older sister was obsessed with roller derby. She had dibs on the TV on Saturday afternoons, and would watch it while eating massive amounts of Hostess Cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'd rather see a book like this than one of those types recently published on how to knit to keep your man or whatever it was. Ew.
[delivered in Lucky Charms leprechaun accent] Ah, Bridget, me love, not ev'ry lass has a man as fine as ye, now...
ReplyDelete"It occurred to me that Roller Derby is NASCAR without the big budget. VBG!"
ReplyDeleteAnd arguably more environmentally friendly? Because it's only food-calories, and not gas, being burnt?
(Okay, maybe that's hatin' a little on NASCAR)
I don't care if they come out with a roller-derby knitting book. Just as long as no "hipness police" start showing up at the front doors of unhip people like me and taking our knitting needles and yarn away because we're not cool enough for it any more. (And yes, I secretly live in fear of that.)
"It occurred to me that Roller Derby is NASCAR without the big budget. VBG!"
ReplyDeleteSo is being so ignorant something you practice or are you just so close minded naturally?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHA! Edited. I love it.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about not being hip. Censorship is alway the cat's pajamas!
Yes, it's very real. I think anything that gets people (young and old) interested in knitting and hand-knit items is great!
ReplyDeleteThe diversity of the knitting community is almost as fascinating as knitting itself (in my opinion, at least).
Don't worry, the cool kid knitters don't like hanging out with people who hate on things they aren't part of. We won't be taking away your needles any time soon.
ReplyDeleteAll of you need to get over yourselves and actually go to a roller derby bout and learn what it's actually about. You have these preconceived notions about roller derby based on what roller derby used to be, or some movie (rollerball, seriously?).
ReplyDeleteRoller derby is nothing like that. The new roller derby is much more of a sport than it ever was in the past. It's not like pro wrestling by any means (though you often hear that comparison based on the roller derby of years past).
It's seriously one of the most exciting sports out there now, and it is definitely seeing a huge resurgence, whether you like it or not.