The Carnival Rose Dress

I have just barely made my own deadline for posting my Literary Sewing Circle project! I sewed all through this rainy weekend to finish off my design, which I'd laid out and cut last week.

This dress has many inspiration points from Something Wicked This Way Comes. I decided to go with one of the quotes I shared in one of the earlier inspo posts:

"In a chair by the fire mother knitted and hummed like a teakettle...His mother's fingers twitched, her mouth counted, the happiest woman he had ever seen. He remembered a greenhouse on a winter day, pushing aside thick jungle leaves to find a creamy pink hothouse rose alone in the wilderness. That was mother, smelling like fresh milk, happy, to herself, in this room."

I have had a length of vintage rose print cotton in my stash for quite a while -- pink and red roses on a black background seemed to fit this book & this quote well. But I know it's vintage as it was only about 36" wide. Thankfully I had nearly 3 metres of it so after trialing a couple of designs I found one that would fit onto this narrow fabric -- nearly. I would have to make the neckband and linings out of a coordinating fabric.

I chose Simplicity 2927, a 60s influenced style -- also suitable since Something Wicked This Way Comes was first published in 1962. I got this pattern in the pattern swap at PatternReview Weekend in Chicago so thank you to the anonymous sewist who donated it!

Then I espied a 1/4 yard of black and white polka dot cotton in my stash & thought it would be perfect to use for the neckband. It adds a fun Carnival flair!

I also used the polka dot cotton for the pocket and sleeve linings, but had to use a plain black cotton for the underside of the neckline, as I ran out of dots. I used up quite a lot of my stash making this dress! 

I'm pretty happy with it -- vintage roses and dots, on a black ground, with a 60's feel -- says Something Wicked to me! 

The only thing I'm not happy with is that somehow I missed the extra inch I needed to take out of the bodice length when measuring everything -- if it was one inch shorter above the waist, it would sit more comfortably and have less extra fabric pooling at the small of my back. Oh well, it's good enough to wear and I know to adjust the next time I make it.

I think it's a fun and easily made pattern with some neat details, like the pockets and the two piece sleeves (love those). The pattern construction was easy and straightforward, though I had thought on first look that the pockets were inseam ones. They're actually topstitched patch pockets (though I think it would be pretty easy to make them inseam ones if you wanted to). The buttoned neckband is cute, and comfortable. This pattern is a winner for me.

Really recommended -- I think it would make a fun winter tunic in a softer fabric as well.

Literary Sewing Circle Link Up!

It's time to share! Sorry for the delay in getting this link-up posted -- please share a link to your Literary Sewing Circle inspired creation below. We'll keep this link-up open until Oct 31, so you have lots of time to finish up your inspired make and share it.

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Literary Sewing Circle: Final Book Discussion

 

You've made it! We've turned the last pages and digested the story, and hopefully you have an idea of what you are going to make from the inspiration you found here.

Today we'll discuss our overall thoughts about the book, drawing out what we liked or didn't about it, and maybe even hint at our stitching plans?

See some questions below to get us going... most are thanks to some reading guides online, with a couple of my own additions at the end. Always, add your own thoughts and questions in your comments so we can all talk about our reading experience. 

Would you like to go for a spin on the Merry-go-Round? Which direction would you go? Would you risk it?

I'm not sure I'd risk it... although I did spend an evening this week going through a lot of old photos, and that did make me feel a little nostalgic about my youth, and how young and lively I looked in some of those old pictures. But I wouldn't really want to give up what I have now for another run through. I don't think.

Why do you think so many townspeople were drawn to the carnival? What are they seeking?

I feel like there were so many things that attracted people to the carnival -- everyone had their own reasons for regret and hope for a do-over. Mr. C feeling nostalgic for a long-gone cotton candy scented childhood; Miss Foley for youth and romance; even Mr. Holloway wants restored youth and vigour like that of his very young son. It was how Mr. Dark could twist these desires that was so interesting.

Bradbury’s book is nostalgic, but can we still connect to that nostalgia? Do we experience the book as earlier generations of readers did?

Even though I love this book I do feel there is a certain innocent nostalgia that our more cynical selves might find a bit quaint these days, at least to some extent. The glorious boyishness and innocence of Jim and Will's desire to be grown up, to be their interest in adult relations etc. seems very young to the modern eye. I'm not sure we have the same kind of response as original readers might have, but I think that this book still holds up and that there are many concepts that still provoke thought, contemplation and curiosity.

The male characters of the book, in the beginning at least, are all looking forward or back to a narrow sliver of time as the prime of their life. Why, in Bradbury’s nostalgic America, is maleness ripe for so short a span?

I liked this question, found in a reading guide, because I think it captures the essence of this book. It's really about nostalgia for boyhood and being that ideal young man. I think it's probably Bradbury's own fascination with it that shows; in Dandelion Summer, another book in the loose "Green Town" series that this book is part of, the heavy scent of nostalgia for boyhood is the entire theme. I'm not sure why the golden age for these boys and men is so short though.


There are a couple of moments in this book that can be uncomfortable for a modern female reader -- Lori commented in our last halfway-through discussion about "Will's Dad and his thoughts about that time of day ("..a living death...), the immortality of women through their children and what is perceived as a carefree existence because they don't have to worry about having any other accomplishments in life. It's a very provocative concept." In another section, Will's Dad seems to conflate gossip with the source of the Pandemonium Shadow Show's darkness as well as with "women" in general. How did you read these comments? Were they something that bothered you or did you read them as part of Mr. Halloway's character, or of the era?

Of course, I disagree with both of Mr. Halloway's ideas about women's immortality through their children and their predilection to gossip. They both reflect the maleness of Bradbury's world, and especially the era in which this was written. The dismissal of women as people with an equally rich inner world to those of the Halloway men, father and son -- the depiction of them as entirely focused on home and relationship -- I think that it's obvious there is a lot more to life than that. I found Mr. Halloway not entirely sympathetic both for these comments and for his self-pity about being "old". This element didn't ruin the story for me, but it was a little nudge and reminder to watch for these things and to be conscious of the author's perspective in a story.

And Sara asked in our last discussion: "Did anybody expect that the actions of Mr Dark would ever be reversed? For example, Miss Foley. Did anybody expect she would ultimately be rescued in some way?"

I have to agree, I had thought that Miss Foley would be rescued by the boys near the end. She had been so developed as a character I couldn't picture her just disappearing forever. It does give a sense of finality to one's poor decisions when everything isn't magically fixed, even if the ringmaster is taken down. Kind of a terrifying thought these days, really.


What about you? What did you think of this book? You can answer these questions in the comments, or just talk about what you want to about your reading. 
 

Literary Sewing Circle: Inspiration of a different kind

Now a little bit of inspiration for this book from a different angle: some video viewing to give you a sense of how others have interpreted this book.

First off, let's take a look at how Something Wicked This Way Comes inspired a new musical just written and debuted:



Then you might want to listen to Ray Bradbury himself speak about the original 1983 film, and how he wrote the screenplay for his own novel, and his reaction to the initial viewing. Quite fascinating.




And then if you wish, you can watch the 1983 movie right here:




And if you're all full up of delight after all this you can still watch an hour long lecture Ray Bradbury gave on the art of writing. If you're thinking of doing NaNoWriMo this year, this is good prep!




I also hope you are all thinking about your reading. Be ready to share next Friday on our final discussion day for this novel! Our link up post for our projects will go live shortly after that final discussion post. Keep reading!
 

Literary Sewing Circle Project Plans

How are you coming along with your sewing plans for our readalong/sewalong to Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes?

I've been having some difficulties narrowing down my inspiration to decide on a project. There are so many colourful, evocative images in this book that I could go almost any direction. I'm leaning toward an outfit echoing some of the library imagery in this book, with a vast world of places and ideas just pouring out of the stacks.

Like this vintage Gaulthier dress on Etsy

Or this library print from Modcloth

But then again, one small throwaway line near the beginning has somehow snuck into my consciousness and won't let go. When Jim and Will first see the handbill for Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show, and run home in the wind and the dark, Will enters his house to find normality:

"In a chair by the fire mother knitted and hummed like a teakettle...His mother's fingers twitched, her mouth counted, the happiest woman he had ever seen. He remembered a greenhouse on a winter day, pushing aside thick jungle leaves to find a creamy pink hothouse rose alone in the wilderness. That was mother, smelling like fresh milk, happy, to herself, in this room."

His mother is the antithesis to the longing and darkness in the rest of the book; she isn't tempted by Cooger & Dark's carousel. This small image of contentment with knitting and domestic comfort all rolled in is quite appealing. A rose printed shirtdress perhaps? A cozy warm cardi? Lots to imagine.

Like this Kate Spade rose print shirtdress perhaps?

And how about you? Do you have any solid plans? Any inspiration posts you'd like to share? If so, drop them in the comments and we can all take a look. Happy Reading - and Planning!

Literary Sewing Circle: Discussion Day

Are you halfway through Something Wicked This Way Comes yet? Do you have opinions? Today is the day to start talking about our responses to the book.

Here are a few questions to ponder today and for the next week or so -- and please feel free to leave your thoughts whenever you can.

I'll add some of my own thoughts and you can riff off of them or add your own impressions. If you want to hear other takes on a part of the book that you found either wonderful or annoying leave your own questions in your comment, too. I hope you are all enjoying it!

1.What did you think of the writing style?  Did it take any effort to get used to it? Do you like it?
 

I love Ray Bradbury's writing style; his excessive use of adjectives, wildly creative and sometimes opaque metaphor, the snap and spirit in his stories as they rush along. I know it can seem melodramatic or over-the-top to people who prefer more clean, sedate writing, but I think it suits his themes so well. This novel is less baroque than some of his stories, though -- a little tighter. I generally read through the doorways of character and style though, so perhaps that is why I like it so much! (if you don't know the four doorways of reading, as outlined by Nancy Pearl, check it out here: I think this is the easiest way to determine what it is you like in your reading experiences, & I use them every day in my library work!)

2.How do Will and Jim’s surnames and birth dates provide insights into their character? Do you think this was evocative, clever, too obvious...?

I like the way the two boys are so similar and yet slightly differentiated by their day of birth -- Halloween for one -- and by their names. Jim is a darker character and his name, physical description and fascination for the more adult things in life are all tied together. It could be considered a bit obvious, but it seems the whole book is a bit heightened when it comes to character description and development, so I think it works. You may disagree, though!

3.What do you think of Mr. Halloway's relationship with Will? What role do you think his occupation plays in the story? Or, a related question, what is the significance of the library in this story? Of Mr. Halloway being a janitor there?

Big surprise, I love the way the library acts as a beacon and a safe haven for the boys in the midst of their adventure. I love Bradbury's respect for libraries overall, and his imaginative, idealized depiction of this library and its dusty stacks full of travel, adventure, dinosaurs, pirates and more. It's also great that Mr. Holloway's response to this existential threat is... research ;) I think his role as janitor shows his dedication to the ideals of the library even while like everything else in his life, he feels like he is not 'enough' in some way. Not a good enough father; not a librarian, just a janitor in the library -- showing his weakness.

4.What did you think of the opening of the story? Did Tom Fury and his lighting rods set a mood or get you ready for what was going to happen?

I find the opening paragraphs (literally) atmospheric, even if the storm never quite arrives in the way Tom Fury predicts it. I can almost hear Fury, with his clanking lightning rods, appear amidst the wind and the dusk. It starts us off with a shiver.

5.From the outset, the sudden appearance of Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show is a cause for concern. Did you sense from the beginning that the carnival is sinister?

Bradbury does give us many clues that this is a sinister group; the music playing without anyone playing it, the steaming old-fashioned train pulling in in the middle of the night, the tents made of clouds and shadow... I think it's evident early on that Cooger & Dark are Up To No Good.

6.Ray Bradbury utilizes smells and sounds in Something Wicked This Way Comes in order to provoke profound sensory memories and emotions from his characters. What smells and sounds have a profound emotional effect on you?

I find that throughout the story, the senses are evoked in many ways. The tactile feel of his descriptions of the boys climbing the roof to nail up a lighting rod, the experience of being a child at night in your room and hearing your parents talking in the distance, the smell and feel of a night wind, the music of the carnival, the scent of cotton candy on the wind and the power of nostalgia -- all of it makes this a sensory whirlwind, at least for me. 

7.What weakness would Mr. Dark seek to exploit in you? What would your tattoo be?

Hmm, this one is tough. I'm not sure how my tattoo would appear on the Illustrated Man if I had succumbed to the Pandemonium Shadow Show's temptations. I'll have to ponder it! 

 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on your reading!

Literary Sewing Circle: Inspiration Post Part II

Well, the Literary Sewing Circle has taken off this week! I am so happy to share this podcast interview with you -- one of my favourite things to listen to while sewing are all the great sewing podcasts, but I never imagined I'd be a guest on one of them 😀

Luckily, Lori and Helena at the Clothes Making Mavens wanted to chat about this project, so please do listen in and you'll hear about the original impetus to get this going, as well as more chat about other books and how sewing inspiration can be found in nearly any great book!

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And now for a different kind of inspiration -- after you've finished listening the conversation over at The Clothes Making Mavens, take a look at these runway fashions for some ideas for the fabulous things you could make once you draw your inspiration out of these pages. 

Continuing on with the circus theme, take a look at Dior Fall 2011 for some colourful and carnivalesque designs, including this classic Pierrot (as modelled by Karlie Kloss)

You might also find that you want to play with oversize circus tent stripes, like Gabriela Hearst seems to have done in her most recent collection 

Or take a look at this Victoria's Secret show from 2012, if you'd like to make something for "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World" (ice block not included)

Turning to Mr. Dark himself, the Illustrated Man, take tattoos as your jumping off point and try using some tattoo inspired applique in your project, like Temperley London did in Fall 2016

Maybe you'll try a lace applique reminiscent of a black & white inked tattoo, as with this stunning Ralph Lauren piece from 2011 and try out your own Girl With A Dragon Tattoo look

You could wear an entire tattoo-sleeve-styled topper like Maison Martin Margiela's Spring 2014 "Artisanal Couture" line did

Or for a change, focus on the night sky, with added razzle dazzle from the Pandemonium Shadow Show, with one of these starry sequinned numbers from Jenny Packham's new collection

Stormy weather, lightning, wind and stormclouds might just mean a shimmering dress which recalls clouds in the moonlight, like something from Marchesa

And don't forget, if you ever need to hide from an ominous carnival's tattooed man and his dust witch sidekick in the library stacks, something like this Tommy Hilfiger dress might be just the thing for camouflage...

Do any of these spark a project idea? Do you have a favourite designer in mind to inspire you?

Keep reading...next Friday we'll have our first book discussion, right here on the blog, discussing things up to about half way through with an attempt not to post too many spoilers! 

Some Wicked Inspiration for the Literary Sewing Circle

 Are you thinking of reading along with the Literary Sewing Circle as we tackle our first group read, Something Wicked This Way Comes?

If so, here are a few ideas to get you thinking about what you might want to make -- while I'm mainly showing sewing inspiration here, remember that you can create anything you wish -- sewing, knitting, embroidery, quilting, whatever you love most.

One of the strongest images in this book is that of the magical carousel that lures Will and Jim into Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Sideshow.

You might want to stitch up a carousel skirt with a cute print -- like this one.

Found Here

 You could use a pretty print like this one found at Spoonflower:

Or this luscious Liberty Tana Lawn

Or be inspired by this celebrity version

Or this one... although I do hope you won't take things quite as literally as Manish Arora did with this dress worn by Katy Perry!

You might also find the cast photo from the new Hugh Jackman musical, The Greatest Showman, inspiring for big top fashion.

And after you've ridden Cooger & Dark's magical carousel, you might think about making this Carousel Dress from Oliver & S for yourself...

Find it here

The opening pages of the book are thick with an oncoming storm and a lightning rod salesman named Tom Fury approaching the boys. Taking in mind the frequent appearance of night and dark and storms in this book, perhaps something that evokes that feeling would do the trick.

A simple dress like the Emery or the Orla would highlight the fantastic print of this Aimee Wilder "Rainbolts" fabric, available in 6 different colourways.

 

Or for something more dramatic try this stormy design by AndreaAliceNZ on Spoonflower

Of course, there are many other elements of the book you may want to pull out: the 60's date of publication, the library which plays a key part, the varied sideshow inhabitants, a small mention of one of the minor characters... we will be talking about more ideas as we go. I hope you are starting to read, and starting to formulate some ideas of what your make is going to look like...

Literary Sewing Circle: Something Wicked This Way Comes

     Drumroll please....

        I'm pleased to announce the title of the first group read for our Literary Sewing Circle...

     Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

What if someone discovers your secret dream, that one great wish you would give anything for? And what if that person makes your dream come true—before you learn the price you have to pay? Something Wicked This Way Comes is the story of two boys who encounter the sinister wonders of Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show. They will soon discover the show's awful mystery—a mystery that will change the life of every person it touches—in this stunning masterwork of dark fantasy by Ray Bradbury

(from Goodreads)

Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. His more than five hundred published works -- short stories, novels, plays, screenplays, television scripts, and verse -- exemplify the American imagination at its most creative......

READ MORE AT RAYBRADBURY.COM

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I'm a huge Ray Bradbury fan. His short stories are as numerous as the stars, and as brilliant. I first read his story "All Summer in a Day" in junior high school, and have never forgotten it...every time it rains I think of Ray. Then I discovered "The Pedestrian", and "There Will Come Soft Rains", and "A Sound of Thunder", and "Zero Hour"... well, those are just a few of my favourites.

I'm excited about sharing this longer book with you all as our first group read. Bradbury's style, if you haven't read him before, is elaborate, with multiple metaphors and images tumbling over each other, with characters larger than life, with stories of great imagination, swimming in a nostalgic vision of a lost childhood. This book explores what happens to Jim Nightshade & Will Holloway, who are just reaching toward 14, the year that Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show rolls into town under cover of darkness.

I enjoyed my reread of this novel in preparation for this book club, and I hope you'll also enjoy whether it's also a reread for you or you are encountering it for the first time. It is a perfect book for this time of year, as autumn approaches. I'm looking forward to talking about it with everyone who jumps in on this readalong/sewalong.

There is so much density of detail in this book; visual, almost tactile. I think it will give us lots to tackle in both conversation, and in inspiration to sew! Or to knit, or embroider, or whichever way you decide to go in your inspired making.

This book is still in print, and is also available in ebook format. Don't forget to check your local library for a copy. Since it was originally published in 1962, and has had many editions, you might also be lucky at a secondhand bookshop.

Please share any preliminary thoughts about the choice of this book or Ray Bradbury in the comments!


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Literary Sewing Circle Schedule 

Today, Friday, September 1st, is our introduction to our title. I hope you will be excited about getting a copy and finding out more about it.

Every Friday for the next six weeks, there will be a Literary Sewing Circle post - inspiration, informative articles, book talk, and more.

Next Friday, September 8, look for a post sharing designers and/or patterns to get you thinking about what you might sew.

September 15 will bring some information and inspiration from a different angle...

September 22, our halfway point, will be the time to start our book club discussion proper. By this week I hope that most of you will be at least halfway through the book. We'll talk about our first impressions, any ideas we might want to share, and general thoughts about the book so far, without any major spoilers by those of us who may have already finished reading! This discussion will be held here, in the comments, for now and we'll see how that works out for everyone. But if you do want to share on IG or Twitter we can use the following hashtags:  #LiterarySewingCircle #LSC

September 29 will be more idea sharing -- if you've created an inspiration post of your own, on your blog or Insta or Twitter, send me a link before this date and I'll share everyone's plans and ideas (including my own) in this post

October 6 will look at Ray Bradbury more deeply, and some of the themes in his work

Friday October 13 is our final book discussion, suitably enough for this book! By this time I hope you will all be bursting with the need to talk about the book and the meaning of everything that happens to our characters

The following day I'll post a linkup so that we can start sharing our makes inspired by our reading. The link up will be live for about 3 weeks, to give you time to finish your project and share it. I'll finish up this edition of the Literary Sewing Circle with a roundup post after the link up closes.

The Literary Sewing Circle will run about 10 weeks for every book we choose, to give us time to read and ponder, and start to make. I'd like to encourage everyone to join in and to share this event with others -- it's open to anyone interested in reading and making, and I'd like to restate that it is not a competition, but a relaxed community book club & sewing circle. If you're an expert sewist who wants to make a stunning bit of costume, go ahead! If you're a beginner and you want to try a new technique out for the first time, do it! We'll all be glad to help.

Whatever you choose to make is perfect. As long as you can share what it was about the read that inspired your project, no matter how small the detail, add it to the link-up.

I've been surprised and pleased by the interest in this new project, and I hope that all my readers will feel comfortable sharing their ideas for this sewing circle too. Let the reading begin!