Pyjama Party – Tofino style!

Julia

I had planned to use a different pattern for these (I can’t remember what it is as I lent it out and then didn’t have to ask for it back) but I ended up using the Sewaholic Tofino thanks to Tabatha, who bought it for me as a birthday present. As well as the Gertie shirtdress! How lovely is she, and how lucky am I to have her as a friend? Very. And very.

Vogue Vintage V8789. (Link in image)

Anyway, I had this beautiful yellow cotton in my stash. I bought it in Britex in September 2011 when I went on the Ridiculous Holiday. It’s the Josephine Kimberling for Robert Kaufman ‘Just Dandy’ screen print. Some of you might recognise it from this Vogue Vintage pattern, which was how I envisioned using it (even though this pattern came out after I bought it. It just proves I’m a genius. Obviously), but when I came to making it I just couldn’t see myself wearing this as a dress and being able to get away with it. I’m sure I could, but I wouldn’t have been massively comfortable in it. So, what else to use it on but pyjamas! And the best bit? I actually have enough left over to make a simple skirt, which is probably just about the right amount I would be comfortable wearing out of the house.

Anyway, here are my PJ bottoms!

You can see the piping at the top of the cuffs.

I made raspberry coloured piping to set into the seams down each leg, and what was leftover for the belt. It compliments the colour in the flowers perfectly, and I was delighted to find I had enough of the fabric to do.

I don’t know if any of the rest of you who made the binding found you had some left over, but I did, so I thought I’d try and use it.

Now, when I tried the Tofinos on they were seriously long (I ended up taking them up 4 inches) and I had a brainwave: turn ups at the front with piping in the seam! I love this little detail, although it was a bit of a nightmare to sew across all that piping. I think that the next time I make these I’ll just put binding in the seams and leave the piping cord out. Or ric rac, which was my first idea (but I was too lazy to go to the shop with a sample of the fabric to find some). I might even make the short version the next time.

I’d probably leave out the faux fly front next time as you don’t really see it and it serves no function. It might be nice to make a faux button placket and put some buttons on there. Again, for next time! Happily, I just managed to make it to the end of this make with just enough thread. Check out how much I had left over! There were a few worried moments, I can tell you.

Anyway, they were an absolute doddle to make and, as per all other Sewaholic patterns, they were well laid out and it all made sense. They’re comfortable, fit well and I LOVE THEM!

And here’s a final picture of the cat getting in on the action (rather reluctantly!)

Big thanks to Karen at Did You Make That? for the sewalong, which was the kick up the backside I needed to do a bit of sewing!

Next stop: Glastonbury, and my Batman Dress. Anyone else going?

Tabatha

The sofa end of our bedroom with my colour co-ordinated pyjamas!

Recently a good friend of mine donated a huge pile of fabric to me.  The stash included approximately 5 or 6 metres of a very simple but very pretty Laura Ashley medium weight cotton.  I say 5 or 6, because it’s so long I actually can’t be bothered to measure it properly!  The fabric is 55″ wide, too, so there’s a lot I can do with this, and I thought why not start with some lovely new pyjama bottoms.

Sewaholic head to toe!

I was excited to take part in Karen’s sewalong, because I missed out last year, and the couple of pyjama bottoms I made for myself towards the end of last year have had constant use and I’m starting to get a bit sick of them.  I didn’t technically need to order the new Sewaholic pattern, but in a reckless act of self indulgence I ordered two copies of the pattern for me and Julia, and I’m very glad I did, because I love my new pyjama bottoms!

Standing on the bed. I was going to do jumping shots, but it didn’t really work out!

I made flat piping for mine, because I sleep on my side and I didn’t like the thought of having a cord running down the length of my leg.  I made the piping and the sash from a bedsheet that had very little use as it was actually too small to fit the mattress properly (stupid!).  Luckily it just happened to be the perfect colour to tone in with the Laura Ashley fabric.

Comfortable for snuggling up!

I also made myself a Sewaholic Renfrew top to match, because I’ve had the pattern for over a year and never gotten round to making it.  I am now a convert.  It is so gratifying to be able to make something that you previously relied on shops for!  I’ve made two tshirts before using the Sew U Homestretch Boatneck tshirt pattern, but I’m glad I’ve broken into the Sewaholic Renfrew because it’s a more versatile and basic pattern.  I used my overlocker for most of it so it was quick, easy and neat looking.  I’ll be whipping up more of these fo’ sho’.  I made this one with some blue jersey I bought at Birmingham Rag Market.  The pattern calls for a ‘stable knit’, and this was not stable by any stretch of the imagination (sorry!), but the colour was almost perfect, and I’m not new to sewing with jersey so I reckoned it’d turn out fine, and it did!  Hurray!

Renfrew top and Tofino pants

I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary to customise the pyjama bottoms, but I did use blue topstitching for the false fly front because otherwise it’s pretty darn pointless – I mean, you can’t even see it!

Contrast tie and piping, topstitching around the fly and my handmade label

And I added a patch pocket, because when I have my arms full of baby I need somewhere to shove my phone.

The patch pocket – with my phone inside!

And now for a spot of bedtime reading, on a subject that is close to my heart:

WINE!

Thank you to Karen for organising the sewalong!