Monday, March 18, 2013

From Beastly to Beautiful

Tale as old as time, true as it could be
 Can you guess my very, very loose inspiration for my new favorite shirt? I had this icky greeny brown colored knit in my stash that felt Oh so soft and squishy it had to be made into a warm something. Digging around in my knit scraps had me rediscovering a bit of one of my most favorite knits! This lightweight grey with pale pink roses was outlined in almost the same shade of browny green as the main knit. There was only a bit of it left especially when I decided to fussy cut the rose for the bottom. But by that point I was sure this was the perfect, everyday, wearable tribute to one of my favorite stories.
I used a lightweight double sided fusible and carefully topstitched
close to the edge. The fusible added just enough stability to
the knit to make the sewing a breeze.
This was on my stashbusting list and used two pieces from the stash as well as some "ugly" buttons that happened to be a perfect match and not so ugly after all.
I love all the little details! One of my best attempts at topstitching yet. I love when a bunch of random stuff
comes together to create something beautiful!
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories in ALL of its many written and filmed versions. I think what has drawn me to it through the years, is how it captures the transformative power of love. While the love of books and longing for adventure have me solidly identifying with Beauty there's also a part of me that recognizes without the unconditional love I have been given I would be a pretty wretched beastly creature myself.

So who's with me? What is your favorite version of Beauty and the Beast? What makes you love that story so?

10 comments:

thequirkypeach said...

Love this! What a great idea :)

kbenco said...

Your lovely top has no beast about it, but the rose link is perfect for your story. Have you read Robin McKinley's novel length version? I love fairy stories.

Re the Burda Style top, thanks for your kind comment, usually there are individual pattern releases a month or two after the magazine comes out, this one is from the Feb 2013 issue, so I don't think there are any of the download patterns out yet.

Diana said...

Very creative and a great top! Love the story behind it.

EmSewCrazy said...

Thanks! I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.

EmSewCrazy said...

I just read Robin McKinley's novel and really enjoyed it! I thought the the main shirt fabric was pretty ugly until I figured out the gray would match it.

Thanks for the Burda info. I'll keep my eyes open for it.

EmSewCrazy said...

Thanks! I thought it was fun.

Anonymous said...

I got to play one of the Silly Girls in the stage musical, not on Broadway or anything--don't get excited :) But it was great fun!

This top is quite lovely. I really like the yoke with the gathered sleeves.

EmSewCrazy said...

Ooh it is exciting! I just got to see my first Broadway play this December and it was Beauty and the Beast. I think it would be so fun to be in any kind of stage production!

Thanks, I really like how the top turned out too! I'll definitely be trying this look again.

Christina Gilman said...

Love that story. I have this really fuzzy memory of seeing it as a kid and there being a pair of red eyes shining from the stage curtains, maybe at the end of act one, when the curtains closed for intermission but before the house lights came up. It's the only thing I remember of the production!

Love Robin McKinley's versions (but then I pretty much love all her books). There's Beauty and Rose Daughter, but Sunshine (a personal fave) has strong Beauty and the Beast elements as well (plus cinnamon rolls as big as your head). My daughter has a version with some lovely quiet illustrations, a nice balance to Disney's colorful, musical version.

EmSewCrazy said...

Fun memory! I kept wishing there was a way I could go back and hear some of the songs over again. There was a beautiful one sung by the Beast that I wish I could have heard again.

I just discovered Robin and have enjoyed most of the books I have been able to read, except for Sunshine, (the food was great but some parts I found a bit disturbing, curse of the vivid imagination.) :) I'm hoping to get a copy of Rose Daughter soon! What version does your Daughter have? It sounds lovely. I find most versions outside Disney's have much more detail and depth.