I've had this post about celebrity knitting on the back-burner for awhile now, but after I saw the headline "Julia Roberts to Star in Movie About Knitting" I decided it's time has come. The film, The Friday Night Knitting Club, is based on an upcoming Kate Jacobs novel of the same name and features Roberts as a single mom-cum-knitshop-owner. Seems the knitting star is also slated to co-produce the film. But hold your horses, it won't be out 'til '08. So what are we to do 'til then?Not to fear; now that knitting celebs are as common as Robert Downey Jr. arrests, everyone's getting in on the action. Seems that everywhere I look, it's Hilary Swank knits this, and Sarah Jessica Parker knitting that. Steven Tyler's daughter's doing it, as is Uma and Madonna. (I looked and looked and couldn't find a photo of Julia knitting, hence Ingrid here. She's cooler anyway. But I did find this: Roberts knit a turtleneck sweater published in McCalls in 2001 - the pattern is available at LearnToKnit, and a kit is available at Worldknit.
But now here's a celebrity sighting I'm interested in: I want to get my hands on a copy of Tracy Ullman's new book, Knit2Together. She teamed up with Mel Clark of Wildfiber fame; this upscale Santa Monica, CA. yarnstore donates a quarter to charity every time a customer refuses a plastic shopping bag. I read that Tracy is worried they'll confiscate her WIP at the airport. And I just love that her daugher Mabel (what a wonderful name! Very Velma) knits and sells cashmere "nose warmers," which mum characterizes as "like SARS masks"; I'm thinking ala Knitty nosewarmers. Tracey's NPR interview is here, and there's a great video of her appearance on the Today Show here, wherein she tells Matt Lauer she wants to knit him a blue toupee (careful, it's at the Huffington Post, so watch out for hate-commenters and other nonesense). Can't wait to get your hands on a copy? Here's a preview from the book: Mohair Apron pattern, courtesy of NPR. (Every knitter worth their sticks needs one of those, right?)
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i'm totally wanting the tracy ullman book!!!
ReplyDeleteyeah, she's weird. i like weird.
ReplyDeleteYes, celebrity knitters are everywhere. Last spring I sold three skeins (including my Homage to Ed Wood) to Lisa Loeb. I was sure it was THE Lisa Loeb, celebrity knitter/singer, but when I asked she said no, it wasn't that Lisa Loeb. I don't know though. I've always wondered! If you ever see Lisa Loeb wearing a hat with glow-in-the-dark aliens and UFOs made out of washers let me know!!
ReplyDeletethat is a great story lynn! i run into lisa loeb *all* the time, you know. ;)
ReplyDeleteok, everyone, start keepin' your eye out for ll in that hat!
lynn, i think she lied! funny!
ReplyDeletevelma, i wonder if julia really knows how to knit...you know how sometimes on a show they will have someone knitting but you can tell that they don't REALLY know how?
n, everything i've read about julia is that she's been a knitter for years, that she knits on the set, etc. i've heard interviews where's she discussed it, too. but i'm sure there are others where they're just acting.
ReplyDeleteI loved the book and I'm so excited there will be a movie! Thanks for the pattern from the learn to knit site. I'm new to knitting and am always on the lookout for websites to help me. I wanted to pass along a site I found that has a few basic how to videos with great tips on beginning knitting. I'm not sure if you're interested in watching videos, but I learned how to knit from these and highly recommend them!
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