Sewing pyjama addiction

I have noticed that this blog is becoming remarkably monotonous. I seem to be posting a lot of pyjamas. I was reading the yarn harlot this morning, and I think that a sewing jag is just as likely to happen as the knitting jag she describes. I think I am in the middle of a pyjama jag.
Here is another lot.

These are for my son, made from old business shirts, worn out at the collar. The sleeve placket turned into a external buttoning fly front never ceases to amuse me. I think fly fronts on elastic/drawstring waisted small boy pyjamas are very silly. I have made them anyway.


This may be the last summer I will be able to make pyjama bottoms for my son from old shirts. Maybe I could fatten up my husband or put a brick on my son's head? There will be no buttoning fly front or welt back pockets on my son's pyjamas if I have to make them from scratch.
Materials cost; Thread, about 1/2 a 100m reel -$1.50. Sometimes sewing is very inexpensive.

Craft diversion

When Sharon saw the dress I made from the Japanese fabric she gave me, she asked me if she could have the scraps. She wanted to make a knitting bag from them. I had already made her this pursible, as I could see that she really fancied the fabric for herself, although sewing is not really her thing.

I would have a stab at a knitting bag as well. I was very vague about the scraps and managed to put her off.
Fortunately I knew the style she wanted. My mother made a small padded bag for embroidery notions, and Sharon had said previously that a larger version would make a fabulous knitting port.

I love how this turned out. The bag is just the right length for 35cm knitting pins. It is essentially a rectangle of fabric, machine quilted over wadding, then pleated at each side. The handle is a strip of fabric over wadding, applied as a binding. I want to keep this bag for myself.
I am reminding myself that a sacrificial gift is a real one. I know she will like it. Covet, covet.

More pyjamas, and answers to questions

Thank you for the kind comments about the pyjamas and gifts I have been sewing. I am amazed by the gift sewing some other people are doing - Carol tells me she is making shirts for all the blokes in her family, and other things for the women. I hope you are planning to post about these Carol. I will have a hard time making one shirt, which is on my list for my husband. His shirts take me forever!
Pyjamas and pillowcases are much quicker, provided I am not attempting any new techniques. Elizabeth, it is not your instructions that are the problem with my rolled hem, it is my fumblefingers. I am not good at just sewing samples until I get something right, this is much too structured and sensible a behaviour for developing a new skill for me. I much prefer to make half hearted attempts on non-public items, such as children's pyjamas, but I am in full production mode at the moment, so might practice again later. Much later :).
Here are the last two sets for the Melbourne clan. I have parcelled them up for posting today, which is a very pleasant feeling. I am enjoying the gift sewing, particularly all the fabric mix and matching, but it is good to have some things fully off my list.




Materials cost. I seem to have stopped using stash fabrics, which always happens as I just don't have enough fabric (he, he), and these latest sets are all new cotton fabrics from Stitch Bliss, between $14.95 and $22 per metre. 2 sets takes about 1.5 metres. I made some other items from these fabrics, so I cannot be exact. The piping/trim is self fabric, and the elastic in the back of the drawstrings is from my scrap pile. About $28 for the two sets. The singlets were purchased from Target.

I have developed Christmas craziness and somehow also knit this little cardigan for my 3 year old niece in the last week, and want to make her a dress from the background fabric.


Naturally this means I will need 2 more cardigans and dresses to give her sisters. These are not really Christmas presents, as I always give my nieces a new dress or outfit when I see them (once or twice a year), but I would like to have them ready in time for our visit down south - for in-law Christmas. This may not be possible.

Sewing elle asked me a few questions about the Burda style 11-2009 pyjama set. I agree, it is very kind of Burda to include summer pyjama sets in their winter magazine issues, for we Antipodeans (and maybe some South Americans). This is two years in a row! German heating must be very good.
I did not include the side gather, as I wanted the pyjamas 12/14 year old suitable. I did cut the lower bodice on the bias, as instructed in the magazine, but I don't think this is necessary, as there seemed plenty of ease. I am making another set, with the bodice cut on the straight, and will let you know if there are problems. Although I traced out the lower bodice back and front separately, as shown in the magazine, these pieces are very similar, and for the second top (pink and grey) I used the front lower bodice piece for both the front and back so that I could cut out as a double layer. I also traced out the 11-2009 shorts, as we n,eded to increase a size, but the pieces are indistinguishable between the two issues to me.

Pyjamas, Burda Style 11-2009-134

My daughter asked for new pyjamas about 6 weeks ago. I successfully ignored this request through 2 dresses for me and one dress for her older sister, but apparently my efforts in making pyjama shorts as gifts for several cousins passed her breaking point. She spoke to me at length about my neglect, and started coming to the breakfast table in her under wear.
We struck a deal. She would make the pants, and I would make the tops. She was not happy about this deal, but I am determined that my children will learn to sew, so I was firm.
Here is the first set.

My daughter made about 3/4 of the pants. She felt that she could not attach the leg trim, so I did it for her. I am not sufficiently firm. The pants took her about 3 hours, requiring my full attention for the entire period. It was much more difficult than sewing them myself, which I think was my daughter's intention.

The top is from BWOF 12-2008. I made this pyjama top last year for daughter the first, and thought that it would fit - after removing the small bust adjustment, but unfortunately, when there is a B cup in the top, there is also a lot of cleavage. This is not quite right at this age, so I added a modesty panel, and she is much happier with the pyjamas. I rolled the hem on the top, with my new found determination to practice this technique, but once again I needed to roll it twice for an adequate result.

Materials cost: Pattern free (previously used), fabric about $17 - cotton print from Stitch Bliss, picot elastic, $3, internal elastic $2, bra straps 25c (bulk buy from Greenfields), thread $3.
$ 25.25. After a trip to the Sunshine Coast this week, during which we visited the ling erie department at Myer, I am sure this is a very good price. Horrid short pyjama pants alone, aimed at this age group, are about $30. The tops are the same price, or more.
I wanted to try the pyjama top from the November 2009 Burda Style, as I fancy making this for myself in chiffon. So for her next set, I used this pattern (number 133(nightie version)/134 (cami version). This is a lovely pattern. I particularly like the upper bodice. Here it is before gathering. I first scaled the pattern down to a size 34. I have chosen to make it as one piece rather than have the front open fully in the centre, and have raised the neckline by just over a centimetre. I added buttonholes for the drawstring.



The pattern is the "sewing course" in the magazine. The instructions are quite detailed for Burda, but I did not like the instruction to turn under the top edge to make a casing. Instead I lined the bodice with batiste, and topstitched the edge for a more neat finish.



Bodice detail


I think this is quite soft and pretty, even in a quilting weight cotton, lined with batiste. The magazine calls for stretch chiffon, which I have never seen, but I do not think the stretch is necessary for this pattern.


You can see that I did not roll this hem. The contrasting trim was requested, so I was off the hook.
The second set of pyjama shorts took 4 hours, and the stitching is really, really bad. I had planned for a team effort for a third set of pyjamas, but could not face the supervision. I need more fortitude.
Cost of this set is $35.55 - I had to include the cost of the magazine.

Instead I made a set for my older daughter, whom is not the squeaky wheel in the family, but whose pyjama situation is quite similar. I did not insist that she make her own shorts, as she is currently making a dress for herself, and is struggling a bit. Naturally, this caused some complaining from daughter the second, but I managed to ignore this.
Unfortunately, the bodice is not at all flattering to a AA bust. As she tried on her sister's top, this was not a sewing disaster. I redrew the bodice higher, less curved (almost straight at the top) and gathered the whole bottom edge instead of just the 2 side sections, and it has turned out very nicely.


I made the shorts from sand washed silk (Greenfields $13.20 per metre)and the top is recycled from a dress she outgrew. Notions cost $4.25.
$ 10.85.
I am still sewing gifts, so this was a pleasant break. I do like trying new patterns - especially when they work like this one.

Holiday projects

This time of year seems to be full of family projects. This is a good thing, but the sewing is not very interesting, so first I will talk about cooking.

It was the children's last week at school for the year. It is usual for the younger children to give cards or small edible gifts to their classmates and teacher. We make gingerbread people. My son is the only one left in primary school, so officially this was his project, but the girls took a few for their particular friends. We had great fun dressing the people with icing.

Here is the boy sewing - for Christmas gifts. The pyjama shorts are an old Topkids pattern.

Materials cost - Plaid fabric, very old from stash, about $4 per metre, $6
Solid fabric, free fat quarter from Stitches subscription, remnant piping, remnant bias binding recycled drawstring, allow $3 for thread
$9
More Christmas gift sewing, aprons.
One for me, one for my mother in law, who says she does not want a present, and one for a girlfriend. The aprons are double sided, (reverse shown in the centre)and have an adjustable neckline.

Materials cost
The floral print was pricey fabric for me about 12 years ago, $15 per metre. I bought it in Sydney at a small fabric shop somewhere near Epping. It is a fabulous quality Rose and Hubble cotton twill that I had intended to use for little girl's overalls, but my husband called it histology fabric, and I just could not use it after that. It does not look quite so much like a diseased blood slide to me after more than a decade in the fabric wardrobe, but if he still hates it I can wear it with the checked side out. The reverse is a cotton plaid from Joanne's in Escanaba, about $2 per metre, and only a year or two younger than the print. It was a very large remnant. The buttons are recycled.
$34 ( I used the same thread as in the boy's pillowcase sets).

Pillowcases with a side of pyjamas, and a dash of rolled hem

I have sunk. I am sewing pillowcases - almost home dec, which I usually loathe sewing. What is worse, is that I am writing a blog post about it. How uninteresting can you become? I will have to change my blog header, this is definitely not aspirational sewing. My excuse is that the fabric is quite appealing, and that I could never wear it. This is a requested purchase from Japan, a cotton with a beautiful soft hand. I love the colours, but the very wide stripes are not my cup of tea for a garment. I have made 3 pillowcases from my 2m or so of fabric, and it did not even hit the stash. I feel virtuous (that is the same deep purple piping from my Japanese print dress)

Materials cost $AUS 34.60 (the piping has been included elsewhere) with free shipping from Sharon.

This little project, and this post from Angie. a that must have been lurking in my brain since nearly last Christmas, gave me this year's Christmas-present-for-nieces (and nephew) idea. Pillowcases and pyjamas or nighties to match. Now that there are 8 of these little people, and my own 3, who always want a version for themselves just like their cousins, I just cannot fit in a smocked or knitted item for everyone at Christmas. I am mostly using fabrics that have been just sitting around being remnants, or large left overs that are too distinctive to be used for a second garment whilst the first one is still in general circulation. All the fabrics are cotton.



These two nighties are made from BurdaStyle 9- 2009-141 (the girl's dress). The square inset yoke appealed to me. Shown is one nightie from the front, and the other from the back (with buttons). I have left off the sleeves, and bound the armholes with bias binding. The larger of the two nighties is the smallest size (about size 3) and I scaled down the other one to about a size 2. These are for niece the 5th, and niece the 6th. They belong to different sides of the family, and will probably never meet whilst wearing their nighties, but I made the nighties a little different from each other anyway. I have embroidered their names on the more solid coloured part of the pillowcase. I have used a machine embroidery stitch over the bias trim on the smaller nightie.

Materials cost
Floral cotton print - Spotlight, last year (before my self imposed ban) about $ 8 per metre. Previously used for skirts for other cousins, and my daughters. Why did we buy so much of this? - $12
Red shaded quilting cotton - free with Australian Stitches subscription (I wish the freebie had been garment fabric)
Piping - from a previous project, free
Pink batiste - hard to quantify - at least 12 years old, bought in USA for about $5 per yard, large pen stain to cut around, call it $3
Pattern- first pattern from this Burda magazine, so cost of magazine - $10.20
Buttons- recycled
Thread - $3

Total $28.20

I felt like a wuss ( feeble, timid and non-adventurous person)( translation as I am using slang again) after Elizabeth poo-poohed my overlocker rolled hem (in the nicest possible way of course) so I thought I would practice rolled hems on these little nighties, remembering that I put aspirational sewing in my blog header of my own volition. Here is my original rolled hem attempt


Pitiful, don't you think? I trimmed the next one with vigour and attention, starched it firmly, and still ended up with those threads sticking out. I gave up at this point, and rolled the already rolled hem, so the hems are doubled. In fact on the size 3, the hem is tripled, as I kept going in a spiral and was not sure how to stop. I am not showing you the slightly dodgy stopping point at the centre back seam. My sister in law will never notice it, as she does not even know how to sew on a button (I am not joking, my brother does it for her, I am an eye-witness! I restrained myself from offering to help, as it was rather amusing - Remember, readers, I did not say at any point that I was a kind person).
Fortunately for me, the thicker hem, combined with the bias binding trim above the hem, has given a slight fluting effect that rather appeals to me. For a minute there these little girls were getting pyjama tops and matching bloomers as I considered chopping off the hem on multiple occasions due to consecutive failures sewing samples.



These sets are for niece the first (pyjama shorts, size 10 - Top Kids shorts pattern) and niece the 3rd (nightie, size 4, self drafted), differing sides of the family again. The singlet is purchased RTW. The floral fabric at the bottom of the nightie is curved to match the curved hem. It looks a little peculiar in the photo, but seems even to me in real life.
There are two more pillowcases from these fabrics, for my daughters.

Materials cost
Floral print - more from the same Spotlight purchase, $9 per metre, originally for 5 m dress for my daughter, but she changed her mind and made a sheath requiring about 2m. - $18
Green mottled print - a USA purchased quilting cotton, baby clothes for daughter the first, would not have been more than $3 per metre - $1.5 ( I am counting this as if it were $AUS, as I was earning my income as $USA at the time, and do not fancy the maths for exchange rates 10+ years ago)
Pink cotton voile - quite small odd shaped remnant from last year's Christmas dress for daughter the first - free
Patterns- self drafted and multiple use - free
Thread - $3

Total $22.50

I have boy sewing next, for which my fabric selection is rather dull. My son has forbidden trim or embroidery of any kind on his pyjamas. He is only 7. Fortunately my nephew will not see his pyjamas before completion, so cannot complain about unmanly decoration, so I may be able to slip some in.

Laura Ashley McCall's 5039 frock #3

Thank you for the interesting replies on what makes you love a fabric. I am thinking more about this myself, and am preparing to re-order my stash and disperse some fabrics that were crushes :), or maybe other people's crushes...

Daughter the first and I are attending a mocktail party on Sunday evening for her dance awards. The dress requirement is semi-formal (awful term, what does it mean?) or cocktail.
I feel this dress requirement is a tricky request for a 14 year old girl. Last year she wore a cotton voile smocked and beaded dress that she loved, but she was a little underdressed compared to the other very young ladies. However, I do not want her to dress like a 19 year old just yet.
We hunted through the stash, and she came up with some embroidered poly chiffon that she had picked, aged 6, for a flowergirl dress to wear to my brother's wedding. (My SIL vetoed it, so it has been lurking for a while, poly chiffon not being our usual style). Daughter the first obviously still likes this fabric. I asked her what appealed, still thinking about why we love fabric, and she thinks it is the sheerness and the embroidery. I thought it might be a bit twee, and reminiscent of 6 year olds for a mocktail dress. However, as it still appealed, I made it up in the Laura Ashley McCalls 5039 with an imperial batiste underlining/underlay. We added a cotton voile green sash at the empire waist for some jazzing up.I know I said this pattern was boring to sew, but it is also quick and easy. I am liking it more and more!
I thought it looked a bit like a garden wedding dress when she came out wearing it with a pink organza hat!

However, without the hat, it looked less garden wedding. I did wonder to myself how often she would wear it until she started talking about wearing it to the ballet in a few weeks (lets me off the hook for another dress), and to Christmas lunch. It seems to be a winner. I think she should wear her hair up to the party, for a more grown-up look.

The making of this dress has confirmed my aversion to poly chiffon. Originally I planned to made a full dress in the outer, and the lining fabrics, attached only at the neckline and sleeve cuffs. After sewing french seams in the poly chiffon for the skirt, I felt that curved raglan seams in a fraying, sheer, slippery fabric were not something I fancied, so I treated the batiste and poly chiffon as one layer for the bodice. I made sash keepers at the side and front from DMC stranded cotton in a silvery grey, using buttonhole stitch.

I tried a tip by Marji that I read at Stitcher's Guild for poly chiffon - to couch a perle thread rather than gather with a long straight stitch, but after attempting this realised that I should have zig-zagged seperately over two strands of perle cotton, then used a small straight stitch just inside the seam line to set the gathers. My misinterpretation, pulling up one strand of perle cotton, gave me lumpy gathers, and as I failed to remove the perle cotton before stitching the gathers to the straight pieces, I did manage to catch the perle cotton in the seam in several places, necessitating some unpicking.
If I ever get around to sewing the rest of the poly chiffon, or its relations in the dress-up-fabric box, I will try Marji's tip properly, as it has definite possibilites. I wish I had known it when sewing dozens of tu-tus and fairy dresses!
I would like to point out to Elizabeth that the rolled hem on that poly chiffon was achieved in about 30 seconds on my overlocker. I am not sure if I can face the rolled hem foot on my conventional machine - My previous experience suggests that developing any skill at this will take me a very long time.

Materials cost
Pattern - 3rd use, free
Embroidered poly chiffon (Pizzazz Fabrics) - about $12 per metre = $16.20 (the fabric is wide,and I used 1.35 metres, rather than the 2.2 metres called for in the pattern)
Imperial cotton batiste (Stitch Bliss) $17.60 per metre - $33 (imperial batiste is pretty skinny, but I still did not require the full yardage , 1.85m only.
Cotton voile (Oh Sew, Noosaville)- remnant from earlier projects, free
Thread $3
Elastic $1

Total $50.20

Absolute bargain silver sandals, $13 (I had to put those in, they were a great find)