Thursday, January 31, 2013

The Night Circus, in book and yarn forms

Twisted Fiber Art is not just an excellent source of delightful yarns, but also, book recommendations.  A few months ago Meg mentioned in her Ravelry group she was thinking of dyeing colourways to go with Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, about which I had not heard, so (as you may recall) I looked it up and bought the audiobook.

Most people seemed to love The Night Circus and the few who didn't all said the same thing: it's a bit slow.  Having finished at long last I think that what they really meant is:

a/ it's a really long book

b/ the action spans a very long period of time.

Most (all?) chapters begin helpfully with a date but with an audiobook it's difficult to flip back to see what the last chapter's date was, and I found it hard to keep track.  Also, the story seemed to jump around a bit.  One reviewer had complained that 'nothing happens' which I found a bit strange since something is happening all the time... but the time does stretch out so that the things that are happening look rather small in the big picture, and perhaps that's what he was getting at.

In any case, it's an entertaining story and the descriptions of the circus itself are nothing short of delicious, which is good because there are a lot of them, what with the circus being the core of the plot and of all the events that unfold within it.

One conceit about the circus' style is that it is presented entirely in black and white and all the shades between.  So it's not a surprise that one of Meg's colourways - the one I had to have - is black and white and grey.


I do remember ordering this, but not why I ordered one skein in Playful


and another in Yummy.

It might have been because I wanted black and white striped socks and a hat to go with.  I suspect that because also in Playful, I ordered the coordinating 'Night':


which is, as you can see, straight black. It's not quite common to find black yarn, have you noticed?  and it goes so well with so many things and in so many roles, such as heels and toes and sock cuffs.

I suspect my having intended the Yummy for a hat because it's got cashmere in it and who doesn't want that on his or her forehead?  But also because...


... this colourway does do an awfully good job of matching the magical cowl.

Now, of course, I'm wondering why on earth I didn't order some in the velvety soft and fiscally conservative Duchess.  So I am probably going to have to get on that, and fast.

Speaking of the magical cowl:  I've worked up some informal instructions for how to make one of your own, and with luck and time to type them up, I'll post them tomorrow.  Have a great day and I'll see you then!

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