Closet Case Carolyn Pyjamas

I love pyjamas! Especially ones that are long enough in the arms and legs and are made of cosy brushed cotton. Like these new ones are! I spent about a day and a half cutting out the pyjama pieces so the pattern would match. The pattern pieces for the sleeve cuff and leg cuff are cut on the straight grain, unlike the other pyjama pattern I sometimes use. Next time I'll cut on the bias and save myself some time and the inevitable 'pattern un-matching' during the sewing process, Exhibit 1:

I added piping, using No.1 piping cord and purchased satin green bias binding. I also bought some green fish eye buttons. There wasn't anything suitable in my button tin. The fabric was bought last summer from Minerva fabrics. All other notions were from Edinburgh Fabrics. 

I've tried this pattern before and hated the pyjamas so much I 'disposed' of them. I followed the instructions for the collar and just didn't get it right at all. This time I went my own way and the collar is good. It took a couple of goes to get the piping to meet exactly at the join between the facing and collar but it's worth taking the time over this detail. You'll be looking at it in the mirror every time you wear these and only you can judge how much that will annoy you! Or not. This collar is a weird beast. When you're wearing it, it sits beautifully. When you're ironing it, it doesn't behave. 

I added length to the legs and cut the cuffs as per the pattern. They're deep cuffs but in proportion to my height. I used my sewing machine for the piping and sewing the cuffs to the sleeves and legs and overlocker for everything else. Pattern unmatching Exhibit 2:

I like the waistband casing being a separate pattern piece you sew on. I sewed two channels in the waistband and added two narrower pieces of elastic, maybe 10mm wide. It's just what I had at hand. I didn't add the pockets and quite frankly I was probably fed up of cutting out fabric and just wanted to get on with sewing them together!   

This was a far more successful 'go' at making this pattern and I'll be using it again in the future. I'm glad I gave it another try, I like using a pattern more than once. I've actually got a length of brushed cotton and another length of cotton/viscose so there will be two more pairs of pyjamas coming in the future, that's for sure!

Pyjamas pyjamas

Well the big day is getting ever closer and I think I'm sorted for Christmas and the holiday season. Even more so now I've made *drum roll* new pyjamas! Well, two pairs of them although they were made weeks apart. They were both made using Kwik Sew 2811 which has become my go-to-pattern for PJs. The first pair I made in October and I'm only just getting round to blogging them now. I have worn and washed them though. I bought the fabric, 100% brushed cotton, from John Lewis but can't remember how much it was a metre. Confession time. I just cut the pattern and literally threw these pyjamas through the sewing machine and overlocker. Apart from the fronts, absolutely no time was wasted agonising over pattern matching. And I didn't do any piping which saved a lot of time too.

I didn't bother with the sleeve cuffs and just added extra length at the cutting stage. I had 4 suitable buttons in my tartan button box, so that's what I used. Admittedly, it could probably do with 5 buttons but these 4 will do. The major thing I did wrong was sew the buttonholes on the wrong side! Ah well! As I said, it took me a surprisingly short amount of time to make these...

For all their flaws, I really like these. It was also a lesson in how much more time it takes to add the extra bits to PJs and I really did need this pair to be sewn up ASAP. So that's what I got!

The next pair also happened quite quickly too. Same pattern but I bought the 100% brushed cotton fabric in  the summer form Minerva fabrics. I cut them out on a Friday evening after work and sewed the major part of them up over the weekend. I took more care over these because I didn't need them in such a hurry. I added sleeve cuffs, flat piping and pattern matching. It was the first time I've tried flat piping and I think I've made it a bit wide. Anyway, have a look and see what you think.

Again, I found five (!) suitable buttons from the tartan button tin so used them. I even managed to sew the buttonholes on the correct side. I didn't add leg cuffs just because I couldn't be bothered. Construction-wise I overlocked as much as I could, using the sewing machine for more accurate sewing of the collar, pocket and anything with the flat piping.

So, that's my PJ wardrobe replenished for winter but you'll be seeing more versions in springtime. I love this pattern! I have altered the collar though. The pattern has a grown-on facing on the front pattern pieces but I cut this off along the fold line and added seam allowances. By doing this I can add piping all around the collar and down the seam where the facing joins the front piece. I've also rounded the facing edge to make piping easier. The blue/black checked pyjamas above are true to the original pattern.