Pyjama Drama!

I have (as you may know) just got back from a couple of days  visiting my DD. It wasn’t until I looked at the pj’s I was packing to take with me that I realised just how shabby the trousers were looking – I think I must wriggle a lot in bed or something. No time to do anything about it, so I just had to hope there were no fire alarms or such that would require a night-time evacuation (although the management can tell a funny tale about a night fire alarm evacuation at a corporate event he was at….).

Anyway, shamed by the lack of attention to my own wardrobe (all elements – must try harder) I made a new pair of pj trousers yesterday to go with a top that still had lots of life and is unbelievably comfortable. I didn’t even look for a ‘real’ pattern. I took a pattern I was happy with and put the pieces side by side on the fabric with the grain lines parallel and enough of a gap at the hip to give ‘wiggle’ room. I treated the two pieces as one big piece so I get trousers that have only an inside leg seam, and the body seam. I narrowed the width of the ‘leg’ from thigh to hem, so the bottoms wouldn’t be enormous, and cut a large enough seam allowance on the waist edge to use as an elastic casing. Much more complicated to write than to do. (Picture below)

PJ Instruction diagram

I used some really nice poly/cotton stripe from my Material Lady stock and these were cut out, sewn (french seams as I couldn’t be bothered to change the thread in my overlocker – lazy cat!), and pressed ready to wear within a ridiculously short time. The only detail on this garment was a tag in the centre back (so I can find which way to wear them easily) and a line of edgestitching around the top of the elastic casing. I know this isn’t done on RTW pj’s (or not the ones I checked) but it is something I do around all elastic casings as I think it just looks ‘crisper’.

Back tagged, and top edgestitched

 

Easy PJs

  I was pretty pleased with these but remembered a fabulous vintage pattern that Rhonda Buss was making for a trip. They were really glamorous PJ’s (for wear in a boudoir not bedroom) and I thought they were just fabulous. She had challenged readers to identify where they may be worn for the first time – and offered the right person a copy of the pattern. I commented – but didn’t expect to hear any more. Just to confirm what an absolute darling she is Rhonda is going to make a copy of the pattern for each of the five (yes, FIVE copies!) of us who commented. Thank you so much Rhonda!

 

The next PJ’s to grace this screen could well be very glamorous!

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