You might not think of knitting and roller derby as having anything in common -- and maybe they don't -- but plenty of the women involved in the hard-knock sport are also accomplished crafters.
Toni Carr, also known as Joan of Dark, combines her passions for knitting and derby in her book Knockdown Knits: 30 Projects from the Roller Derby Track, which is a tribute to the craft she loves, her sport and the women who play it.
Not So Practical for Mortals
This is admittedly a book with a very small niche, If you don't derby, or don't know anyone who does, you may never need a knit arm sling or padding for crutches. Injuries, however, are very common in roller derby, so these projects will come in handy for people who do take part.
But even if you're not involved in the sport, you will probably find this look into the roller derby subculture interesting. You'll learn about how the sport goes down, get a glimpse of the players on Joan of Dark's team, the Naptown Roller Girls, and gain a little insight into why otherwise normal seeming women would subject themselves to the pain and injuries associated with their sport of choice.
The patterns are cleverly ranked by skill level on the rink -- fresh meat, rookie and pro -- and despite some of the patterns being completely inappropriate for mere mortals, they're fun to look at and are really perfect projects for those who derby (or know people who do).
The Patterns
As the subtitle notes, this book includes 30 patterns, divided into chapters based on their use, including:
- Projects for injuries
- Projects to wear while skating
- Knits that help you take care of your skating gear
- Designs for the refs
- Patterns for the after party
- Things to knit for charity or as gifts for your fellow girls
Because these patterns are so focused on roller derby, there are some very specific patterns, such as a butt pillow for when you crack your tailbone on the rink; a mouth guard box cover knit to look like a pair of boys' underwear; and a striped tank top for a ref to wear during a game.
There are hats for jammers and pivots, arm bands to indicate players' numbers, and a knit crown for the winner of the training game "Queen of the Rink."
There are also patterns that people who aren't into derby (at least as an athlete) could use, such as a couple of sweaters, a pillow for your sprained ankle, a cute skirt for a girl who loves her backside, and a belly warmer that's reminiscent of a corset.
Most of the projects are pretty straightforward and would be good projects for knitting while waiting for practice to start. Many could be worn in games or while practicing outside, and some offer cool features, such as legwarmers that can be taken off without removing your skates, that are sure to be useful to skaters.
If you're not into derby, you probably won't like this book, but if you're a roller girl who knits, it's required reading.
Publication date: July 2008.
