Literary Sewing Circle: Pattern Inspiration

This week let's look at inspiration drawn from the story and the characters.

An obvious theme here is ballet! If you want to go that route, there are many choices.

You could use one of Jalie's many athletic patterns, say their collection of ballet skirts

Which you'd have to pair with a ballet leotard of course!

Or, you might want to try the Nettie bodysuit from Closet Case Patterns, and add a tutu from this new McCalls pattern.

I Am patterns has a cute warm up top, the Apollon, that would go perfectly with leggings like, say, the Virginia leggings from Megan Neilsen. 

Or you might want to think about the characters a little more closely.

Degas' painting might be the direction you'll go in - if you like to do messy creative work like that you might want to try out an artist's smock like this vintage pattern, Simplicity 5201

Or if you want more pockets and storage options, try out this Artist's Apron from So Sew Easy

Meanwhile Marie's mother, and eventually Antoinette, end working in the laundry. The key to their work is wearing clothes that are loose, cool, and adaptable. Roll up their sleeves, loosen their necklines, and off they go. If you're stuck with hot weather you could start with something similarly useful.

A drawstring blouse seems just the trick here, and here's one you can play around with to change up the looks, from The Maker's Atelier.

Or a nice cotton peasant blouse for those hot days: one from Style Arc, or a refined version from Hot Patterns, perhaps. You can find these nearly anywhere -- from True Bias, Rebecca Page, or even Butterick, Burda or McCalls.

Style Arc's Anita peasant top

You could also just pick up a sewing pattern or something ready made by Shelli Segal & her "Laundry" line! Here is one I've made:

Mine, shortened and with added patch pockets 

Perhaps you'll find your inspiration in some of the colours in the book, like Antoinette's fancy mauve silk that she enters and leaves her prison sentence in; or Colette's dress "velvet, orange red, like the breast of a robin, and edged with black lace". Maybe your imagination is sparked by the rich purpley-red of cassis or the green of absinthe; maybe by Marie's noticing on her walk up Montmarte at the end of the book, when she's restored to herself, the "colors -- oil had leaked from the battered old lantern lying there -- floating on the pavement... those colors, how they were shining and drifting."

Whatever you choose, I hope you are getting closer to your project and are also enjoying your reading. Feel free to weigh in with any other ideas for others, or share your own plans! Remember that you can leave your thoughts on any post in the series, and if you've missed our dedicated book talk post or the interview with author Cathy Marie Buchanan, be sure to go back and catch up when you're ready. I think it adds to your reading experience. Next week we'll be posting our final roundup -- already! -- and making our project linkup live for you to add your creations. It'll be live until the end of March so you still have lots of time to ponder.

Happy Sewing!