Here's what I edited from the pattern in the book:

Yarn color. I went for a fresh pea color (but it's called guacamole) instead of darker frozen peas color. And the length of the holding strap. I am a big girl and know a lot of big girls, so instead of stopping at 17 1/2 inches, I knitted until I thought it was longer, and I think it's about 25" to give ample room for larger legs and for tying, instead of clipping.

What I thought about it:

True, it's a rookie project. Garter Stitch mixed with knitting and purling. Very simple to do. But my first time making any kind of special stitches (the peas) and making parts and sewing them together to make something other than a square or scarf. It was fun to do, and I love it now that it's done.

What happened while I knitted it: ALOT!

I had suspended my membership with FCDG, while I worked on my knee more, and while I thought about my current state of the union/roller derby, and I wanted to get a car. Practices were hard to get to, cold, I was tired of being hurt (6th time in 4 years I was bruised, limping, or on crutches. Twice in 2009 since coming to London), and I was a little dejected about it. What to do? I'm only 35, I am not ready to quit, but face it, I've never been an all-star and am unlikely to ever be able to compete with pro speed skaters, like Atomatrix of Oly, or naturals like Iron Wrench of Montreal, any of the Hamilton Harlots, or even the lowest ranked rookie of the TXRD. But a roller girl still, I digress, I was not able to latch onto any other thing that I loved enough, that would be mine, not for family, not for career, not work, not ever boring, not easy and most personally fulfilling. Roller Derby is it.

I met with a friend, Vansterdamn, who was on pregnancy leave from FCDG and we were chatting. I told her I was on suspension, and that I really wanted to do derby, but didn't want to continue pushing my body past its' limits. I told her my husband had advised me to go start doing casual pick-up games with rollergirls in the area, and just relax about roller derby. But I was conflicted. There would be inherent issues with pick up roller derby, and I didn't think anoyone would be interested.

She told me about an article she had just read about Derby Lite (http://www.derbylite.org) We thought the concept was just a great one. All the fun of roller derby, and what roller derby had been to us and meant to us since we both started in 2006, and what it started it out like in 2006-2007 when I was in Montreal, but without the push to be full-time athletes. With no pressure to become WFTDA or even to play competitively. Modify the blocking rules and take out the hitting, and play strategic instead. Recreation it, and reduce injuries. Allow all those women we tried to recruit that were just too afraid to get hit, or injured, and all those retired skaters that were moms now, or had been injured too much, and those women that can't afford to risk losing mobility from injury for their livelihood, to learn to roller skate, learn to love and play roller derby, and play in a fun and safe environment. And for those that then become full contact roller girls the never set out to be, we can direct them to the local WFTDA or WFTDA-style league and off they go!

How your competitive full-contact derby league can benefit from the presence of a low-contact derby league on your turf:

1. Increased pool of volunteers to help promote and run bout

2. A built-in group of fans at every game

3. Increased visibility and participation of derby girls in your community

4. More word of mouth

5. Developing the love of derby in more women

6. A pool of newbies, or a “farm team,” where those interested in trying derby can start out before moving on to a full-contact league

7.  Less burden of low-skill skaters that may hold back advanced skaters in practice

8. A larger group of derby lovers to socialize with and hold co-fundraisers

9. Extra skate time for ladies in your league outside of regular practices

10. A place for retired skaters to stay in touch with the sport, and with all the friends they made during their full-contact days

So tell me, what do you think? I'll tell you more about LOCO as we go forward, I'll write the next post right now and let you know where we stand. You can see more at http://www.locorollerderby.com And if you are a board member of a contact derby league, let me know if you are interested in starting a low contact league in your area to complement your existing league. There's no charge, I may sponsor your website, and I can help you work it out!