Skip to main content

More new PJs


You may wonder why, after making a set of pjs recently (at the end of the post) I am making another set so quickly. I usually only have one set on the go... we have sunshine year round and it can sometimes take only minutes for them to dry and with so many things I want to sew, I usually make them out of need.  Anyway, if you notice on the other set, I had made them out of a remnant of a dress I had made years ago. I had enough fabric because I cut the top on the cross grain. Now I learned at TAFE for Fashion Design and Apparel Production that I did vocationally in the '90's that natural fibres possibly only woven, will shrink up... meaning in the length, not the width. I had pre-washed this fabric years ago, but when I made these last pjs, after a few washed, the fabric shrunk but being cut on the cross, they shrunk width wise. They still fit well, but being SO hot at night, they are just too close to my body. Plus they were a  shirting cotton weight and I usually like something more voile weight, hence the new pjs. Using the workhorse Burda 2711 pattern.


On a side note, anyone used this little bobble things? I tried putting them on that pair of shorts for my friend, but I just could not get the bobbles to stay in one place and would run all over them. I gave up, but today I tried again. First go I though "what if I zig zag over them".. no, it was ok but looked sloppy (again - buy me dinner if you are getting that close!), but I would know and it would bug me. Then I looked into the Bernina feet I got with this machine and tested the No 5 foot... didn't even look up what it is, I just ran the little guide into the edge of the bobble, and guided it through ... YAY! I was thrilled as I bought a few colours of this up the coast a couple of years ago and was disappointed when I couldn't sew them on well.


See how it just sits next to the bobble and I had to get my needle one stop to the left of centre, and I just eased it through. So glad.


Ok so these are the pjs. Any Spoolette recognise the fabric? I picked it up at one of the High Teas, maybe 2 years ago. I immediately knew it would become pjs, but with the last set, I was on my remnant kick so this didn't get a look in.  It's a lovely Japanese cotton lawn (? voile?) and it's lovely and soft but I felt the monochrome needed a little lift. I would have put it around the leg hems but I'm short about 10cm; isn't that always the way.  I'll be wearing these tonight!


Close up of the bobbles. I did a double deep hem and put the bobbles over the seam. Random overlocker thread. I overlocked in black because that's what was in the machine.


I did my usual adjustment which is shortening the dart by half and I use the same location but just angle the dart down a bit. Lazy, yes.. but they are just pjs and it really works well. I also didn't cut the slight points up at the back where the straps sit and cut across and put a light elastic there, turned over and sewed down. I also realised I don't have to have those silly straps simply over the shoulder. I have very small, sloping shoulders and they due to injury one slopes even more making my straps keep sliding off which drives me spare, so I just made them meet in the middle and that problem is solved! (not sure why blogger has put these photos upside down?)


Made my own bias. I can't find my bias making tooly things so I just folded it myself and ironed down. I made it about 4cm wide to get a wider strap. Nothing to say re the shorts; they're pretty basic but do the job and are a quick sew.

I'm really happy with these and look forward to a non clingy sleep tonight ... well as far as the pjs help anyway. Thanks for reading. (still I cannot find a way to post comments... it is really frustrating)

Comments

Janine said…
Great job. The bobble trim looks very effective against the black and white circles. Thanks for the warning about cutting fabric on the cross grain. I have done this before but had never considered the potential problems of shrinkage affecting the width. Personally I can't wait for summer to be over but thank goodness the 43 degree day only lasted for the day.
Vanessa said…
Your PJs are darling! I love the bobble you added, and think it is great that you already had the tool you needed. I also like PJS that keep me cooler and less constricted. Very nice work.
Patricia said…
Love your new PJs, beautifully sewn as always. I am a sucker for bobble trim but have not tried that little cute one - now we know how to sew it on nicely. Well done!
Oh, well I have the bobble but not the foot. Let me send you mine coz it drove me nuts trying to sew it on. You can enjoy it with your fancy foot :-D

Yeah I think cotton poplin is the coolest nightie material coz it sits away from the body a bit. But a nice buttery-soft voile is delicious too because it's too light to be hot, but doesn't really cling. I made myself a silk charmeause nightie, white on white on white. Lacey and frothy, and delicate and oh so pretty! But I really only like wearing it when I have the aircon on at night (which I rarely do, don't like it, only do it in desperation some nights of our 'build up' to the wet.)

Anyway, I love the cute little bobble trim on that black and white voile :-D
McVal said…
What a great job! I have my go to patterns too and really need to get more done...

Popular posts from this blog

The saddest dress, then a few more.

Well hello. It's been a while. It was 8 months from the last post to the previous one to that and it's a bit longer this time. The last day I wrote was 10 Jul 2021. On 12 July my son and I were finally seeing Tim Minchin  after booking it before we went to Europe at the end of 2019. It was going to be April 2020, but changed a few times and although it was a school night (year 12 for Alex) we went for dinner and sat in the show. My Mum had gone to hospital that morning and my sister was still at the hospital with her. Just after interval I got a message on my phone, "get to the hospital now". So we raced out and to the hospital where. although it was a lockdown and no visitors allowed, all 10 of us were allowed to see Mum as she was end of life. I won't go into the whole thing but Mum didn't die that night, but because of lockdown, we were not allowed to go and see her until a week and a half later when we were allowed just to discuss palliative care. By the n

Bubble O'Bill: take 2; bikinis

With some time at home, I've been sewing a bit lately and I finally had time to make the bikinis for my son's girlfriend for her birthday. I cut them out in February from some scrap fabric my friend gave me. I made my son some swimmers   and I see someone has some for sale if you feel you are missing out 😆.   I had to piece together the bikinis as I had nearly nothing left over. I made the top back and the briefs from the free Madelynne Noelle pattern and the front top from another Madelynne pattern I can't find a link for it but was Mallory Lane. It's a basic top with scrappy back. If anyone wants it I have the download. Looks like it's not available any more.  All this piecing and mixing was purely from fabric limitations. The other fabric I mixed it with was ombre from aqua blue to purple and matched well. I asked Liv if she wanted a frill down the centre front to break up the print as I wasn't sure she would, but she loved the idea, so on the went. She tr

Emergency Rashie KS2600

I go to aqua aerobics 3 or 4 times a week and I like to wear a rashie as it's outdoor and it's a bit warmer in the (not very cold usually but really warm this) winter, and I can't reach the spots for sunscreen. In Brisbane you must wear sunscreen every day even in winter as we have the highest skin cancer rates in the world and I don't want to be any more wrinkly than I am! Anyway, I went to the Gold Coast to see my friend for a few days and I left my rashie at her place and I she wouldn't get to Brisbane for a few days so I pulled out KS 2600. I saw this pattern listed on a pattern site and then became obsessed with it till I got it but this is my first chance to try it. Isn't it lovely! I wanted to test it to see how the fit was. I've made McCall's 7417 a few times but it's long between the shoulder and the arm for me and even though I have made a few it wasn't ever a great fit but it is a quick sew. The pants on the McCall's is a good fit