Timey-wimey pyjamas!
I've made more three more pairs of Sewaholic Tofinos. I finally made the blue plaid flannel pair made at the end of June, just in time for the heat to ramp up, naturally, but I'm going to hold off on blogging them until I finish the DC's matching pair. Noteworthy: the print-matching, the satin piping along the seams, and using a poly satin for the belt.
Pyjama pants are kind of a boring idea in that nobody sees them except for your fiancé and cat (and anyone running into you in the halls of your hotel as you wander down to the shared bathroom). But using loud quilting cotton that I, ahem, acquired from Aged P makes them rather fun. Especially since the Tofino is designed for colour-blocking.
Case in point: I had just enough of these garish yellow prints to make a pair of shorts in time to wear in Montreal two weeks ago. Loud, no?
I think this is my first piping effort, and I did not too badly if I do say so, although I have since learned that I should have trimmed out the rope part when doing the hem. Actually, the piping is really too thick for lying down in comfort, so I should have taken the rope out altogether. The belt's not great: it's a bit too short and the cotton is too thick; I have some thin grey cotton kicking around somewhere, so I might redo it. Or not. That might be a bit too much effort for a pair of pyjama shorts.
I also needed a pair of longer summer pjs in time to wear to E's cottage on Lake Huron, so I used these peacock prints. I had enough, barely, to make an entire ensemble, so the top was made using the free Teach Me Fashion Two-tone Singlet (and I'm sorry, but my North American sensibilities always make make giggle when I see that word because I always think of wrestlers). I learned my lesson from the yellow shorts and got some navy satin bias binding to use as flat piping.
More quilting cotton. The side panel print was not quite long enough so I had to piece it together by adding a four-inch piece to the bottom. I made sure to match the print up that you can't really tell. I also had to piece together the belt, but it's also too stiff. I might have enough navy poly satin left over to make a second belt. No cotton quilting belts, ever!
The rise is a bit short on these, just as with my flannel sheet pair. Since I made sure the elastic was the right size, I'm not sure what the problem is. The weird thing is that the rise doesn't bother me on the flannel pair. Either pair. As in, it has stopped bothering me on the ecru pair and I don't notice a problem with the blue. So maybe the fabric needs to relax and I should just give the peacocks a chance?
I liked the Two-tone Singlet for this pyjama top because a) it let me use both peacock fabrics and 2) I thought the billowy back would be nice and cool for summer. Too bad this heavy quilting cotton completely negates that design feature. I cut a straight XS to fit my bust because it's loose enough to not worry about that extra inch at the waist.
HUGE PATTERN ISSUE: The pattern is missing the somewhat vital instruction that the lower back piece should be "Cut One ALONG FOLD." Of course I didn't notice this mistake until I went to sew it on and had literally scraps left to work with.
About the construction (and to explain the wonkiness of the piping). Despite having enough fabric, every piece except for the sides was pieced together and to hell with print-matching. Because of the pattern error, the bottom back is actually pieced together from six pieces of fabric from both prints; fortunately it's a rectangle, so I used the original piece in the middle and cobbled together the sides from scraps of the other print. The top is busy enough you don't really notice. Plus, pyjamas, so whatever. BTW, that's also why I didn't bother trying to fix the mucked up squares.
I only managed to fit the side pieces onto the fabric by seriously compromising the vertical seam allowances. I built them up using the piping. It looks really even from the wrong side, but wonkiness seems to have ensued when I sewed the squares. I really should have marked the stopping points. Next time.
By the way, there's a very helpful video because sometimes you just have to see what those instructions for the square corners mean. And it did help me, because I did a really good job on... one of them, at least. One of the back ones isn't too bad, either. 50% is a pass, right?
So, a weird thing happened on the way to finishing the neckline. Before using the bias tape, I tried it on and while it was a snug fit getting over my head, it did fit and I thought "that's fine, when I finish it the opening will be even bigger." Except it got smaller. Could not get it over my head at all. Explain this to me, please, because the physics doesn't make sense. Fortunately, I had an unintended back centre seam that I ripped open a few inches.
I could put some kind of loop & button closure on this, but eh, pyjamas. The only thing I can think of is that the opening could stretch wider before it was finished. I'll have to sort this out, but that's kind of a problem with the pattern because it's not like I have a really big head to begin with.
I'd like to try this pattern again in a drapier fabric. A nice cotton voile would be lovely for summer.
So now I can lounge at home, suitably clad. The cat is most appreciative.
I've made more three more pairs of Sewaholic Tofinos. I finally made the blue plaid flannel pair made at the end of June, just in time for the heat to ramp up, naturally, but I'm going to hold off on blogging them until I finish the DC's matching pair. Noteworthy: the print-matching, the satin piping along the seams, and using a poly satin for the belt.
Pyjama pants are kind of a boring idea in that nobody sees them except for your fiancé and cat (and anyone running into you in the halls of your hotel as you wander down to the shared bathroom). But using loud quilting cotton that I, ahem, acquired from Aged P makes them rather fun. Especially since the Tofino is designed for colour-blocking.
Case in point: I had just enough of these garish yellow prints to make a pair of shorts in time to wear in Montreal two weeks ago. Loud, no?
I think this is my first piping effort, and I did not too badly if I do say so, although I have since learned that I should have trimmed out the rope part when doing the hem. Actually, the piping is really too thick for lying down in comfort, so I should have taken the rope out altogether. The belt's not great: it's a bit too short and the cotton is too thick; I have some thin grey cotton kicking around somewhere, so I might redo it. Or not. That might be a bit too much effort for a pair of pyjama shorts.
I also needed a pair of longer summer pjs in time to wear to E's cottage on Lake Huron, so I used these peacock prints. I had enough, barely, to make an entire ensemble, so the top was made using the free Teach Me Fashion Two-tone Singlet (and I'm sorry, but my North American sensibilities always make make giggle when I see that word because I always think of wrestlers). I learned my lesson from the yellow shorts and got some navy satin bias binding to use as flat piping.
More quilting cotton. The side panel print was not quite long enough so I had to piece it together by adding a four-inch piece to the bottom. I made sure to match the print up that you can't really tell. I also had to piece together the belt, but it's also too stiff. I might have enough navy poly satin left over to make a second belt. No cotton quilting belts, ever!
The rise is a bit short on these, just as with my flannel sheet pair. Since I made sure the elastic was the right size, I'm not sure what the problem is. The weird thing is that the rise doesn't bother me on the flannel pair. Either pair. As in, it has stopped bothering me on the ecru pair and I don't notice a problem with the blue. So maybe the fabric needs to relax and I should just give the peacocks a chance?
I liked the Two-tone Singlet for this pyjama top because a) it let me use both peacock fabrics and 2) I thought the billowy back would be nice and cool for summer. Too bad this heavy quilting cotton completely negates that design feature. I cut a straight XS to fit my bust because it's loose enough to not worry about that extra inch at the waist.
HUGE PATTERN ISSUE: The pattern is missing the somewhat vital instruction that the lower back piece should be "Cut One ALONG FOLD." Of course I didn't notice this mistake until I went to sew it on and had literally scraps left to work with.
About the construction (and to explain the wonkiness of the piping). Despite having enough fabric, every piece except for the sides was pieced together and to hell with print-matching. Because of the pattern error, the bottom back is actually pieced together from six pieces of fabric from both prints; fortunately it's a rectangle, so I used the original piece in the middle and cobbled together the sides from scraps of the other print. The top is busy enough you don't really notice. Plus, pyjamas, so whatever. BTW, that's also why I didn't bother trying to fix the mucked up squares.
I only managed to fit the side pieces onto the fabric by seriously compromising the vertical seam allowances. I built them up using the piping. It looks really even from the wrong side, but wonkiness seems to have ensued when I sewed the squares. I really should have marked the stopping points. Next time.
By the way, there's a very helpful video because sometimes you just have to see what those instructions for the square corners mean. And it did help me, because I did a really good job on... one of them, at least. One of the back ones isn't too bad, either. 50% is a pass, right?
So, a weird thing happened on the way to finishing the neckline. Before using the bias tape, I tried it on and while it was a snug fit getting over my head, it did fit and I thought "that's fine, when I finish it the opening will be even bigger." Except it got smaller. Could not get it over my head at all. Explain this to me, please, because the physics doesn't make sense. Fortunately, I had an unintended back centre seam that I ripped open a few inches.
I could put some kind of loop & button closure on this, but eh, pyjamas. The only thing I can think of is that the opening could stretch wider before it was finished. I'll have to sort this out, but that's kind of a problem with the pattern because it's not like I have a really big head to begin with.
I'd like to try this pattern again in a drapier fabric. A nice cotton voile would be lovely for summer.
So now I can lounge at home, suitably clad. The cat is most appreciative.
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