My First Pajama Set

Alright, so the assignment was to do a pajama set complete with top that has pockets and pants with an elastic waistband.  I picked out my pattern and hunkered down.  Again, I’m working with Jersey Knit, which is incredibly difficult to work with.  Albeit, the comfort level when you’re done is soooo worth it.

This is the pattern I chose to work with.  I wanted the full-length floor length gown, but for the purposes of the class I made the pants as well.

The next pictures are where I laid out the fabric and cut out the pieces.

Then I started piecing them together. First, I put together the shoulder bits; then the collar.  Next, I did the pockets.  The pockets were easier than I expected.  The collar, however, was much much harder.  I sewed it.  It was crooked.  I ripped it out.  I sewed it.  It was still crooked.  I ripped it out.  I decided, I’d move on and then just add a super stellar hood to it later.  Cause what’s cooler than a floor length nightgown/hoodie?  (I wouldn’t know til finishing the whole thing that I should’ve just stuck it out and made this collar work.) Alas, I moved on.

I did the sleeves.  Holy Toledo, I underestimated the complication of getting that sleeve attached. Imagine, soft stretchy fabric that must form a 3-dimensional shape with nothing to hold onto but fabric pins and hope. I finally just decided to pin it about every half a centimeter.  Just to make sure that it stayed in place throughout the sewing process.  Yay! Success!  Two arms, shaped properly, and right across from each other, too.

Next up were all the side seams.  Whew, I get to sew straight lines again.  After the sleeves, this step was a breeze.

Then it was time to do the pants. Again, hurray for straight lines.  Ha ha ha. I feared these a week ago.  Now I am one with the machine.  For it is I and I am it.  Until, I got to the crotch.  This pattern has you put the pants together in a way I had never seen before.  (I haven’t sewn much but I grew up watching my mom make all of my clothes, so I’ve seen some things and stuff but not everything.)  This pattern wanted me to put the legs together, then put one leg inside the other leg, and then sew the crotch up.  It only took me 45 minutes to figure out which way the fabric needed to go so that when done, the inside would be the inside and the outside would be the outside.  

BAM! Success.  I did hold my breath a minute though when I turned them right side out.  Whew, that 45 minutes of contemplation was time well spent.   Finally, I sewed the waistband appropriately to add the elastic, no problems there and hemmed up the pant legs.

Voila! The final products.  They are the epitome of comfort.  As for the collar on the shirt; I did try a few DIY hood patterns, about 7 to be exact.  After that much sewing and ripping seams, I’ve resolved to call this one completed and I’ll just always wear a tank top underneath of it.  Lesson learned, though.  The reason the collar is step two is because once you have all the other seams in place adding any kind of a collar causes buckles and folds and all around yuckiness.  Did I mention how comfy they are?  I’m so excited to plan a lounge around the house day so I can hang out in them! Probably should wash all the chalk off of them first, though.