You know those films where the first one in the series totally rocks but then the sequel sucks? I’m looking at you Godzilla vs All Monsters… That is how my pyjama set has turned out. The shorts: rocking out with imaginary fierce air guitar. The top: crying in the corner and eating alfalfa sprouts after being cut from the jammies team.
But Amanda, surely not! You’re PJ top can not be that hideous… Brace yourselves, gentle reader, while it looks okay in the distance I will take you closer to see the horror in detail. Look, even Button T. Wuzzle Esq. (aka Bimble) has been judging my efforts on this project. Can you sense her disdain?
I mean, it started off innocuously enough… I fly out for the States on Saturday morning *fret* and have not much organised besides my iPad, audio books and copious amounts of valium to help quell any panic attacks (side note: me on a plane scarily resembles a cat mid shampoo with more hysterics and hyperventilation but surprisingly less hissing). One thing I had not was a pair of decent jammies. So off to my local House o’ Cheap Fabric to scavenge a pattern and some fabric. Enter: Simplicity 2116. Five bucks well spent, I say. Though their choice to wear flip flops with their jammies on the packet is somewhat concerning…
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Now, I must admit, this pattern made me feel all nostalgic. I swear I made a pair of “boxer shorts” just like these pants in Year 8 Home Ec where I scored a kick butt B+ for my efforts. Almost 20 years later (WTF?!), I went for a lovely repro retro print cotton for the bottoms and a soft nursery cotton jersey for the top. And a lovely glass of red to help with the fabric cutting process.
So let’s talk success.
I’m going to say that my new jammie shorts are pretty darn rad. They are comfy and soft and went together so easily it’s almost criminal (mayhaps a new tag line, Simplicity?). I hacked off a goodly portion of the leg length and serged everything for extra hold. This may seem over kill to some but I twist and turn in my sleep a lot, somewhat akin to a ninja trained octopus, and can actually stretch night wear to a pointwhere it tears in places. So, without further ado, here is my rocking jammie pants in a fancy artsy shot. So Frenchy, so chic!
And a proper view of the length in a sightly out of focus picture…
Check out how gorgeous this patten is!
One small bone of contention: nowhere on the notions list did it indicate elastic. Really, Simplicity?! I honestly thought these were drawstring or some such but grabbed some elastic just in case. Well played, Prudent Amanda. Well played.
So let’s get into hot mess territory. I’m going to psych y’all first. I mean- how bad does this look at a distance? A little wrinkled but nothing too Quasimodo.
I mean, I was so organised. I had a pattern, I measured things carefully and I even bought myself a twin needle.
THIS WAS A MISTAKE! 20-something year old Janome is not interested in mixing things up. There is to never be any change. Twin needles? Janome mocks your attempts at progress and new techniques. There are to be no neat and tiny flat edges for you. Only crunchy, foldy puckered fabric that looks like your dogs have tried to blanket stitch something with their lack of opposable thumbs…
I look at other blogs and I see twin needle finished jersey items and I think “Perhaps mine is not that bad and it has flattened out since I saw it last”. And then I look closer…
You can see where the tension and stitch type was all wonky and has made things bunch. C’est la vie! While the finished product is puckered and rolls up at the edges it is ridiculously comfortable. I’m adding twin needle sewing to my list of things to conquer when I return home and there shall be an epic rematch on a Renfrew pattern, I do believe.
So, gentle readers, I have two pairs of Iris shorts to hem and a Hazel dress to sew together by Saturday morning as well as a pair of cray-cray leggings for the plane to show you. Can I do it? Who knows! But it’ll be a rocking adventure either way…
The shorts are adorable. I can’t believe it has been that long since Grade 8. Gulp.
Also, you will have a kick-ass time in America. I’d tell you to stop fretting if I thought it would do any good xxx
Love the fabric for the shorts and the first priority for PJs is comfort not technique so I would give the top a pass too!
I too am perturbed by the shoe choice for couple on the pattern – I would have thought slippers would be the go.
I love the shorts. Don’t give up on the twin needle. My machine is very picky when I use one – I have to use Coates thread (it’s fine with Gutermann for normal sewing but hates it when I use a twin needle on any type of stretch fabric). Also, some fabrics just don’t like being sewn with a twin needle. Nine out of ten are just fine and then I’ll get one that just will not sew properly. One tip – if your machine has adjustable presser foot pressure, then a much lower pressure will help stop the edges stretching out when you sew them.
Thanks, Miss Bess! The similarities between these and that Home Ec class are staggering. Mayhaps we need to have a crafternoon of remembrance 😛
Sarah- I am so glad someone else is all “What the heck is with the flip flops?!?!” You make a valid point- the top is comfortable, so perhaps a pass conceded is the way to go?
RTS- you are always full of awesome tips and are like my own sewing google. Thank you! I might try mixing up the thread I use and playing with the tension. And doing more research then skim reading the manual’s one paragraph explanation…