Slashdot Mirror
Mark Newport's Knitted Heroes
Blaise Faint writes "Mark Newport's knitted comic book covers and superhero costumes are on display and have sold for as much as $5,500.00 (US). Online displays are currently available at Lyons Wier Gallery and Greg Kucera Gallery -- images include Batman, Captain America, Daredevil, The Escapist, Mr. Fantastic, and others."
Agreed, lol.
How is this "News for Nerds"?
Another 'artist' who is getting attention for doing nothing special. "The yarn speaks so much about a young mans life!"
Shut up.
News for crocheters, sewing that matters.
...that stuff is sooo ugly. Seriously: Knitting may be interesting, but I have real issues categorizing it as "geeky"...
Sadly, my mother will use this to point out to me how knitting is making a come back, and how many young eligible women are knitters, and by picking it up myself, I would find a nice selection.
-- Who is the bigger fool? The fool or the fool who follows him? --
That the Flash swung both ways... http://www.lyonswiergallery.com/html/4.the-flash%2 0copy.jpg
The thee-ess-ess thtyling for thith knitting article should be pink not green!
If you "get" pointers add me as a friend (116)!
It's just lots of red.
The simple truth is that interstellar distances will not fit into the human imagination
- Douglas Adams
We're all going home now.
Last one to leave please turn off the lights.
You can't talk about Wikipedia's flaws on Wikipedia
Come on, i know knitting takes it time and skill, but 5k? Isn't it a bit much? I mean, my grandma would probably do it for the price of the raw materials. And i'm sure it'd look better.
Well at least reading /. can't be considered the worst way to waste time anymore!
Is this news or an advertisment?
I'm a major knitter, but frankly, I think this site says it all with respect to this story.
ok this is an all time low. I formally give back my super low UID.
Talking about the dynamic duo, one of these bad boys on a real doll... time to call in the White Shirts.
Aye, the horror
How soon will it be before SF conventions are overrun with people in knitted superhero and supervillain costumes?
Stefan "Not that there's anything wrong with that" Jones
Mark Newport --
No, seriously...What the hell is wrong with you?
This is pretty punch, or whatever the generic name for it is.
I agree with your general sentiment. However, I think it's wrong to group this lame ass with all homosexuals. This stupid bullshit goes so far beyond gay. No self respecting gay man would ever do anything like this. This "artist" must rape one-week-old kittens or something.
Why is this on slashdot? For that matter, why do I read slashdot anymore anyway? The amount of lame shit on this site has nearly gone off the scale. Perhaps taco should change the name to shitdot.
I've got a girlfriend (no joke) that knits, and while I can't understand the appeal behind it, I've just write it off as one of her quirks.
Can someone explain to me what the appeal is? Does clothes REALLY matter that much to some people that they'd spend the hours and hours on end to knit a pair of socks, or a sweater, or ? I understand the appeal of "see if I can do it", but to me it seems like a big repetition of moves, nothing more.
* It can't be to save money, b/c the material is ungodly expensive - well, the nicer yarns anyway.
* I have a hard time believing it's because of the "custom" nature of it, because most people follow standard patterns out of pattern books.
* I don't know how much of a challenge it can be, since knitters seems to be able to multi-task fairly well, which suggests that it doesn't require a lot of mental concentration.
So, $100 (or more) of yarn and a month or so later you'd have a sweater that you'd have to hand wash and pretty much treat like a museum piece. And possibly grow out of fairly quickly.
I'm not tryin to diss anybody, just want to hear what makes that hobby so appealing.
-SK
Alright, we've hit the true rock bottom here.
Where can I find a REAL site that discusses geek-style news?
cheap labor conservatives - they want to keep you hungry enough to be thankful for minimum wage.
Some engineers already looked into the problem: they invented the dishwasher. :-) So after dinner, you can fill up the dishwasher and the fill up your girl *evil grin*
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
Does this stuff just creep you out too?
Kreeeeepy man. Kreepy.
INSERT INTO comment VALUE('Doh!') WHERE user='you';
When did the vacuum icon appear. I can't remember having seen it before, but then I realized, "Oh yeah, this story sucks."
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
Who is stupid enough to buy a knitted superhero outfit for $5500 even if they were well done they wouldn't be work $5500, and none of there were anywhere near well done. My grandmother could do twice the job in a few hours!
It's sort of hard to explain, but the appeal is like that of most crafts:
:)
* You make something that's unique (even if you start from a pattern, you can vary it, the materials you use, techniques, etc.)
* You've made something with your own hands that provides a basic human necessity.
* You can make something that fits perfectly, far better than clothes off the rack, and that fits the wearer's personality.
* The physical sensation of knitting can be pleasurable (with good yarn), although there are repetitive stress issues.
* It can be very challenging or it can be something for multitasking, depending on what you like.
* (But you're right that it's expensive.)
Gee, reading the above, you could substitute recreational coding for 'knitting' and make many of the same points.
I suppose it's similar to some folks hacking hardware. You can buy something that does it, but you go through it for the love of the art.
And honestly, the knitted sweater is way way nicer than anything you can buy in the store. Really, having had several, I can say for certain of this. Feels nicer, wears better, is more durable (assuming you wash it correctly), is warmer.
-- Who is the bigger fool? The fool or the fool who follows him? --
Kaptain Kitsch, the artistic scoundrel, strikes again. This time he's relieving New Yorkers of $5000 for a bunch of wool! Only Captain America can save the world by wrapping the Weasel of Wool in his own twine and sticking those needles where it hurts!
Besides, a woolly Bat suit can make a chap darn wiffy in high summer, er, Robin.
Next episode: Captain America hunts down the Wool Bandit who leaves innocent sheep to freeze in winter!
Las qué passoun
tournoun pas maï
If you crochet Super Hero suits in your spare time... ... you might just be a nerd.
INSERT INTO comment VALUE('Doh!') WHERE user='you';
My mom knits. I asked her last time we were together, and she said it's relaxing. YMMV.
Watch for Penguins, they eat Apples and throw rocks at Windows.
This is better, right....NOT!
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
I don't knit, but I quilt, sew, and do a lot of other needlework.
Sewing of clothes is done partly so I can get things that fit right in colours that suit me even when pastel pink is the "in" colour. This is particularly true since I tend to like a gothic look and I have a fairly ...hmm.... hourglassy figure and most clothes out there these days is designed for sticks. Of course as an engineer I usually where whatever is in the closet - but I'd like to have nice clothes that fit! And I prefer sewing to shopping. It isn't cheaper though.
Other needlework is often done just for amusement, it keeps me occupied while watching the idiot box. (I'd really like to find a way to surf the 'net and sew at the same time). It generally relaxes me (except for when things go wrong - then it isn't relaxing :^) ). And simply because I can. Do you have any hobbies? It is no different than building models or furniture, art or anything else really.
May I suggest though that if she gives you a sweater - treat it as gold. She will love you forever for it.
ZKTime flies like an arrow Fruit flies like a banana
This is what happens when bunch of geeks hear about comic stuff......... instant bandwidth quoata exceeded.... This domain name has been temporarily suspended for exceeding the daily bandwidth quota. The site will be automatically turned on again at 12:00AM PST (unless the site's allocated monthly limit is reached). If you are the owner of this website, you can order more bandwidth here.
Same reason people roll their own distros or build their own systems.
Do-it-yourself is neat. I brew my own beer, build (assemble) my own computer systems, cook my own food. I've made a quilt or two in my time, as well. I've found it's always more satisfying to enjoy one's own labors. Additionally, it's a good contrast to the daily grind.
I'd grow my own fruits/vegetables if had enough space (or lived in a non-desert climate)
I'm not saying you should self-knit every sweater you ever wear, but knit one or two and you've got something you made for you. Just the way you wanted it. You're wholly (well, to a point) responsible for the outcome. If it sucks, it's because you sucked at it, if it's great, you did a good job.
Be thankful. It gives her something to do with her hands, rather than slapping her boyfriend upside the head. Seriously! Take her knitting supplies away from her for a couple weeks, and see how many bruises you get! Can't say I didn't warn you...
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Spinning a yarn ....for fun and profit, of course.
That is incredably lame
I'm suprised he hasn't yet knitted the costumes of these guys
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
This is *not* what we meant by multi-threading!
Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
From Greg Kucera Gallery's page:
Wrong and wrong. Men created knitting.
Who's your user, program?
for both parents of this post... Hookers and a mispronunciation/misreading of crocheters (think "Crotch-a-teers") is going to lead to some really weird and frightening mental images.
T F-8&oe=UTF-8
Also, have you people seen what the top entries on Google is when you look up "crotch"?
http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=crotch&ie=U
Slashdot
Knitting for Nerds. Static-shock that matters.
~S
A stream of complaints as to this site's orientation, taste, relevance, point etc, but this site appears to have been slashdotted nonetheless.
C'mon fess up to your secret slashdot knitting parties: "hey look I've made retro green on black screen. remeber them?", "yeah? well I'm designing a slick new UI with 4,294,967,296 different colours." etc.
At 8:30 EST it reads:
This domain name has been temporarily suspended for exceeding the daily bandwidth quota. The site will be automatically turned on again at 12:00AM PST (unless the site's allocated monthly limit is reached).
Good job slashdot. I won't even bother bringing up stuff such as coral or mirrordot, it just isnt worth bringing up since the editors just don't care.
I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
I learned to knit as a kid while bored at my grandmas house, and while there are other hobbies that I prefer to do instead, I understand how knitting can be enjoyable.
First repetitive task are soothing. They aren't challenging or mind tasking or exciting, but when you have spent all day at work, that isn't always what you want.
It is also something to keep your hands busy, and can be done while doing something else. This fact appeals differently to different people: It is a justification for gossip gatherings. It lets you have a hobby without taking much time from other activities. If you are sitting around it might as well be productive and relaxing at the same time.
And of course there is always that sense of accomplishment gained from doing something by hand.
No, this is not a quickies story. this is a quickies story.
Abandoning the quickies was bad enough, but now to bring back the icon just to tease us is even worse.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
I asked her last time we were together
MILF
cheap labor conservatives - they want to keep you hungry enough to be thankful for minimum wage.
Sew what.
I hope he gave them some of the money that he made when he sold the artwork.
It's bad to make money off grannies working in a sweatshop especially when one of the grannies is your mom.
http://www.gregkucera.com/marknewport.htm
"Using embroidery and knitting, Mark Newport has his needlework address the stereotyped facade of the he-man, the tough guy, and the superhero. In a series of framed samplers, the artist underscores key elements from the covers of comic books, using the satin, the stem, and the ubiquitous backstitch to embroider over them. One would be hard pressed to ascertain which costume was made by Mark's mother Pat from among the 2 dozen which her knitting club produced if you didn't know that Mark swims for at least an hour every day. http://www.gregkucera.com/images/newpo_aquaman.jp
Knit one, perl two....
(rag rug weaver myself - looms were the original computers, after all).
Clearly we need more history-of-computing classes. Knitting, weaving, all that sort of stuff, are closely bound to modern computing. Behold:
The Jacquard Loom, precursor to computer programming itself (you may find the punch cards oddly familiar...)
"Knitting was one of the first applications of computer programming"
Ever notice how needlepoint is very pixely?
And finally, on more general principles:
Geek: A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream. This could be due to the intensity, depth, or subject of their interest.
Meaning, you can be a geek about anything. Even knitting.
Loosen up those buttoned-down minds, folks.
"A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
(I'd really like to find a way to surf the 'net and sew at the same time) ZK- http://www-306.ibm.com/software/voice/viavoice/ http://www.footmouse.com/
"What the masochist doesn't know can't hurt him."
"I got your 'fiber' right here!" said Spiderman through knitted teeth.
The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
From Wikipedia: Characteristics of art 1. Requires creative perception both by the artist and by the audience 2. Elusive (as in "tending to evade cut-and-dried definitions or being fixedly grasped") 3. Communicates on many levels and is open to many interpretations 4. Connotes a sense of ability 5. Interplay between the conscious and unconscious part of our being, between what is real and what is an illusion 6. Any human creation which contains an idea other than its utilitarian purpose. 7. That which is created with intention to be experienced as art 8. Search of different forms of beauty Trying to be charitable, I suppose the superhero suits fulfil Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7. That being said my overall reaction is, jeeze, get a life!
A coworker with a troubled teen said, "What I like about knitting is that I can do it wherever I am. The hospital. The probation office. The police station."
Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
I, for one, welco- ... WAIT!
Defining Statistics and Social Research
Looks like in the majority of the covers the heroes are getting buttsecks.
You have a girlfriend who finds joy in handling small things for long lengths of time.
--- I wish I could hear the soundtrack to my life. That way I'd know when to duck.
So this is supposed to be a statement against stereotypes, but instead of learning how to knit, manly Mark Newport "outsourced" the actual work to his mother's knitting club, which I'm sure is not a manifestation of old traditional gender roles... Stupid.
The Joker realy pulled the wool over our eyes!
/* everyone looking around or down at their fingers with the tiny cuts from sharp-edged motherboards, crickets */
/.! Why dont you try on the sweater she's knitting for you.
You're asking us? Seriously, you're in the wrong forum.
I've got a girlfriend
Now get the fuck out of
WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
An excellent question, actually, and one I probably won't be able to answer adequately. For me:
1) I like creating stuff (it's the same reason I code, cook, etc). It's quit satisfying to create things with ones own hands.
2) It's relaxing (as other posters have mentioned).
3) It can be challenging when I want it to be (ie, a tricky cable pattern, etc).
4) It gives me a productive way to spend time on the bus, in front of the TV, traveling, etc.
5) Great for gifts, so I don't have to go shopping! Moreover, it's the kind of gift people really appreciate, which is cool.
Incidentally, while you can certainly follow a pattern to create an object, most things follow a basic pattern from which there are infinite variations (you can create cable patterns and other embellishments, use Fair Isle or Intarsia for custom color patterns, etc). So there's most certainly the opportunity for great creativity.
Yes, because we "gays" DO all thpeak with a lisp and love pink! Just like how black people only eat watermelons, and all jews are cheap. You sad jackass.
/.? Everyone knows CROCHET is the tool of the truly 1337 hax0r.
PS. what's with articles about knitting on
Wow. You're all so right.
Knitters would never be geeky or sexy or pretty or fun or sexually active.
And they're certainly not attractive or witty or sensual.
No, no, no. No worth in knitters at all. Pfft.
You don't have to be the person you've become.
My roots in the web started with HTML coding, now I am an IA/Interface-Designer etc.
To me knitting reminds me of the days when I first learned to code HTML. If you truley get into knitting, it is just as technical. Lots of different ways to do the same thing, styles of knitting etc.
There is a huge knitting sub-culture on the internet. Knitters against bush who had "knit outs" in front of the white house durring the election, lesbian knitters who also had political protests via knitting. Lots of men who knit.
It's pretty wild, and interesting, if you like studying growing communities on the internet. To me peersonally, buying yarn is like buying a cute pair of shoes. Sometimes you want it, even if you may never wear it. It's like crack! lol
Lots of 20 somethings who knit, you might be suprised who is knitting.
mediadiva
Comic books have always had a little homoerotic stuff behind them - with the tigh, open legged costumes, but man , that pose - ewwwwwwww! Poor Flash - it looks like that prolly hurts!