Pajamamania!

Pajamas. Jammies. PJ's. Who doesn't like to be comfy and cosy for bed?

I've sewn plenty of pj's for Phin, but none for me aside from a robe, which I have worn non-stop since it was completed.  I've  spent many, many hours in pajamas during the first year or two of Taco's life - so many hours that by the end of this summer all of my pajamas were simultaneously showing signs of wear and tear. It was high time for some me-made jammies for myself.

I had bought several pairs of the same DKNY knit modal pajama bottoms post-partum because I found them so comfy in every way. They are hands down my favorites. So, I dismantled one of the more worn bottoms and carefully traced off a pattern, transferring all the important info to a paper pattern and then truing up the front and back. 

For the top, I used my trusty rusty True Bias Ogden Cami with a few modifications. I sized down since I was sewing this woven pattern in a knit fabric. I also eliminated the facings and instead used picot trim elastic to finish the neckline.

Test version

I sewed my first, test version of the pjs in a black modal jersey from my stash.  I didn't have quite enough fabric for the top, so I had to economize by shortening the cami by about two to three inches and adding a center seam on the back. I am giddy about how the neckline came out with the picot trim elastic.

For this first version of the bottoms, I didn't worry about making button holes and adding a drawstring. I just made a simple elastic waist. The fit and comfort was spot on.

Since my first set of pj's came out so well, I immediately made a second pair. This time I used a black and white striped rayon jersey that I picked up when Craftsy had a big fabric sale. The fabric is luxuriously soft.

Still smitten for the picot elastic, I decided to finish the striped tip with it too. It's a great finish for a knit top since it is decorative, functional and easy to sew.  Simply pin your picot trim to the neckline with the right sides facing. The elastic should be in the seam allowance and the picot part should be on the other side of the seam line. Sew along the seam line.

Trim back the seam allowance of the fabric. Then turn the elastic to the inside and press.  Finally, add a row of top stitching, making sure to catch the elastic. I used orange thread for fun because that's how I roll.

Voila! Neckline done. 

I added a few little details to this version like looped straps...

And I finished the waist with button holes and a drawstring.

I've been wearing these two pj sets non-stop since finishing them.  And I am so pleased with how comfy they are that I think it would be safe to say that it will be some time before I buy RTW pajamas again, if ever.

Also, this was the perfect project for the end of summer when I wasn't really ready to start sewing autumn projects, but also didn't want to keep on sewing summer clothes. I generally have a few weeks of not knowing what to sew when the seasons change; my mojo deserts me. But my happiness with this project makes me think I've hit on something. The next time I feel my mojo slipping into a between seasons rut, I will sew more pjs and the other projects - like bras and panties - that I never prioritize because I'm too busy trying to sew for the current season. 

I really do learn new things about myself all the time as a sewist.  That is half the fun. For today, though, the lesson is custom pj's are the best.

Using my TNT Trouser Pattern Again Or You Know How I Love a Jumpsuit

September and October were a blur of long hours and work travel, Taco giving up his nap and fun projects like judging the Pattern Review Sewing Bee that kept me off the blog. So, it seems like a good moment to catch up on summer projects and reflect on what I've been up to, especially what I've been doing with my TNT trousers.

What good is a TNT pattern if you don't really work it? Since I first sewed what became my TNT trousers just about a year ago, I've used the pattern seven times to make a variety of trousers or make pattern changes to other trouser patterns.

One version that you haven't seen is this jumpsuit. You know that I love a good jumpsuit.

To make this rayon challis jumpsuit, I eliminated the waist darts of my trouser pattern, like I had done in my easy summer pants version.

For the top, I used Vogue 9116.  I had sewn up the other view earlier in the summer and was pretty happy with it.  So I decided to give the strapless version a try.  Since I was sewing this jumpsuit up in a woven fabric and the pattern is designed for a knit, I was careful to make sure that the smallest part of the top was still large enough to fit over my hips. Happily, this also made the top and the bottom match up just about perfectly at the waist, saving me from having to do any sort of frankenpattern fixing.

The only other sewing details worth mentioning is that I did a little bit of print matching between the top and bottom pieces.  Aside from that, this was a tremendously easy to sew all-in-one outfit. I wore it styled like this for brunches, MPB day and relaxed occasions, and dressed it up with heels and bold jewelry for evening. This was definitely my most worn outfit for social occasions this summer because of how versatile it is.

The only other version of my TNT trousers that you haven't seen yet is one I sewed up this summer in off-white pinstriped linen and failed to photograph. It was part of my epic fabric cutting spree.

On that version I moved the zipper to the side seam, extended the front and back rise in order to eliminate the need for a separate waistband, and instead faced the waist with grosgrain ribbon. I also eliminated the hip pockets. They are packed away for the winter now.

BurdaStyle 9/2010 #115

I'd add some final thoughts on my TNT here, but I'm very far from finished working with this pattern. So what I will say for now is that having a really great fitting trouser pattern has made sewing pants a sure thing rather than a fitting crucible. Dare I say that a well fitting crotch is a thing of beauty? There. I said it. Anyway, I've barely scratched the surface with all the things I can do with my TNT trousers, so do expect to see more of it in the future.

In closing, here are the five versions you have already seen....  Three sewn basically according to the pattern, one as a summer pull on pant and one jumpsuit, where I used my TNT to alter the crotch of the jumpsuit pattern. So, seven uses so far for my TNT.

Links for details are: Black TNT Trousers
                                  Gold Wool Trousers
                                  Crazy Jumpsuit
                                  Moms Wear White Trousers
                                  Pull on Summer Pants


PS - Yaaaaaaay Jumpsuits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone Else's Pants: A Little Lace, A Little Shirring

As I think back about all the sewing and all the fun of this summer I have a confession to make: I wore someone else's pants all summer long.

You see, years ago, my very excellent friend Magenta had this pair of awesome summer pants - they fit her perfectly, were light and airy and had some fun details. As they started to wear out, we had plans to recreate them for her. This was so long ago that there weren't any tutorials or info about doing a rub-off floating around the blogosphere, and I was a much less experienced sewist. Between not finding suitable fabric and not knowing how to create a pattern, our plans fizzled.

Fast forward to early in the summer when I realized that I needed more pool and patio clothing. Life at that moment involved long weekends full of fun at our town's wonderful community pool, shopping at the farmers marked and grilling in the backyard. Sewing something fun to wear around town, at the pool and in the yard was a must. A rummage thru my stash yielded some black gauze. I also found some black crocheted lace and elastic thread. Perfect, I thought to myself.

I was about half way through this project when I realized that I was finally sewing those pants; the ones we had talked about so long ago. But for me. Oops! Sorry Magenta.

And they were one of the easiest things I've sewn recently. They are my TNT trouser pattern sewn up as a pull on pant in an airy gauze. They look as different as could be from my other trousers from this pattern, which makes me love them even more. As a reminder, my TNT pattern is BurdaStyle 9/2010 #115 - Slacks with Notched Waistband - which is a talls sized pattern.

To make them a pull on style, I simply left the darts open, eliminated the pockets and straightened out from the hip to the waist a bit, so they would fit over my hips. I also added a few inches to the rise so that they would sit at the waist without a waistband.

I've had elastic thread in my stash for years. So, it seemed like a good time to experiment with a shirred waist. It's far from perfect and somehow I neglected to take photos of it, but I feel like I know what I'm doing with shirring now, and may use it again in the future as a design detail.  It's fun and summery.

The last detail is the two rows of crocheted lace I added to the calf and hem.  It was a feature of the original pants and I think is the thing that makes this a fun summer make.

Anyway, I couldn't let summer end without mentioning these pants, which I wore non-stop.

Next spring, Magenta, we will have to have a pants making party and make one in every color for us both. These are not the last pair of these pants that I will own, and I already have some enhancements in mind like a simple pocket, slightly different placement of the lace and a waistband with a drawstring, among other things. Anyway, until next summer...  

Swimwear: Part Mermaid on my Mom's Side

You may remember that I sewed a hacked Bombshell when I was pregnant. At the time I predicted that the top would probably fit post-pregnancy but that I would need to sew new bottoms. Turns out I was right.

Original version with prego belly included

At the time, I must have had the forethought to buy enough of the fabric to make more pieces after pregnancy because I found two yards of the stuff when I was rummaging in my stash this summer hoping for a scrap of swimsuit fabric. Clever past me. 

As this project was completely unplanned, I somehow forgot I was going to make a Bombshell bottom and pulled out Vogue 9192 instead.

I ended up sewing the bikini bottom (View D) and the cover up skirt (View F). There is not much to tell except that I learned that rubber swimsuit elastic is firmer and less stretchy than other elastics and - more important - you should avoid any un-sewing of the stuff.

Oops. 

I didn't make any changes to either the bottom or skirt except that I added a little bit of length (2") to the skirt. It probably wasn't necessary. They both fit very well out of the envelope. The only change I'd make in the future is perhaps taking the waist in a bit and using slightly wider elastic.

The skirt is a win I think; I love the style. This is a piece that I have been wearing as a cover up and for splashy days. Really, you could take a dip in it, but I think I would reserve it for wading rather than swimming.  I'm very happy with it paired with my bombshell hacked top.

I like that the length is adjustable. The construction was really simple - you press the seam allowances open and sew them down to create a casing for the pull ties.

The bottoms - sorry for the lack of picture of me wearing them, but I just didn't feel up to taking pictures of my bum and thighs - is a very modest cut. It's exactly what I would pick out for my mom, who is a modest lady. For myself, I would choose something with a lower rise and perhaps cut a little higher on the sides. That said, I'm happy for the full bum coverage. One thing that I will add is that when I sewed swimwear in the past I just self-lined anything that needed lining.  This time I used swimsuit lining fabric and the difference is worth it. It's thinner, lighter and very soft and comfy against the skin. The sandwich method of sewing the bottoms made for a really cleanly finished inside.

There's not really anything else to say because both pieces were easy to sew, are well drafted and fit the bill. Sometimes there is just no need to over-complicate things.

Swimwear: For My Little Fish

In the Craft Lounge, I'm already transitioning to autumn by putting away the light fabrics and plotting out my projects for the cooler weather ahead. However, I'm still trying to catch up on posting all of the summer clothing that I sewed. And I've had a very productive summer.  Instead of taking a big vacation, I decided this summer to make every weekend a long weekend by taking Mondays off.

So today it's more swimwear. This time for Taco.

At his cousin's pool party

At the snack bar at our community pool (with ice cream)

Two of my favorite makes for Taco that have been getting non-stop use are these little, one piece rash guard swimmies. The pattern is an altered version of KwikSew 3730, which I sewed last summer (here) in seersucker.

The pattern is designed for woven fabrics. Sewing it in a knit and getting the more trim fit of a rash guard required slimming the whole thing down - side seams, armscyes and sleeves.

Wow, washed out color in this shot.

And in swimsuit fabric

To give the pattern a more rash guard/wet suit-like look, I altered the center front from a button closure to an exposed zipper and altered the collar to a rounded mandarin-style.

The proto-type - the blue version - was sewn with a poly knit remnant that I had in my stash.  You probably don't remember waaaaaaay back when I sewed a top in this fabric for myself (here). It's  not 100% perfect as swimwear, but Taco likes it. The zipper is a closed-end, plastic tooth number I picked up at Panda Zippers, a store I often overlook.  Closed end plastic zippers are somewhat challenging to come by, even in the NY Garment District.

Anyway, I futzed around with the pattern a bit more based on the changes I had to make as I sewed the proto-type version. This second version is in actual swimwear fabric. It's a bit of an eye popping fabric.

It's a bit of a bummer that photography is not allowed at our community pool. Taco has taken to the water with such delight. You'll have to make do with snack bar photos.

We are planning on starting swim lessons in the fall. Taco really discovered his inner little fish. So, our need for swimwear will outlast the summer.

Two and a half is a charming little age; our days are punctuated by squeals of delight, peels of laughter, and moments of surprise. Not that there aren't struggles, but there are far more happy moments and there is much to be grateful for when I think of life in Clio-and-Phinland these days. More time at home was a great call for this summer!

Swimwear: For Those Splashy Days

I had no plans to sew any swimwear this summer.

That's the funny thing about sewing plans, isn't it? They can change on a whim or for a need. In this case, both. Inspired by whim and need I ended up sewing five items of swimwear this summer.

Here's the first. It's a not-a-swimsuit.

You see, when you spend time at the community pool with a toddler, you don't actually get to do much actual swimming. Most days I don't get deeper into the water than my knees, which is as deep as the toddler pool gets. But I still get wet from Taco running over to me for a big wet hug or from playing with him in the fountains or at the water's edge or just sitting on the wet ledge with my feet in the pool watching him play. The same is true for days we play at home in the sprinkler. I always end up running thru the sprinkler at least once.

Parenting a little kid means that some days are just splashy. And I don't always have the will to slather us both from horn to tail in sunscreen nor do I always feel like prancing around in a swimsuit in the yard or at the pool when I'm not going to actually swim. What's a gal to do?

Chalk this up as another why sewing is awesome moment. This is a sundress sewn up in swimsuit fabric. So, it's quick drying, comfy and appropriate for poolside and sprinkler, but isn't a bathing suit. Really I could wear it anywhere - to the beach bar, on a boat or for water-sports like paddle boarding. Now I'm sort of wondering how I ever got along without something like this in my wardrobe.

Anyway, when I wear it to the pool, I do wear bikini bottoms underneath. Wet underwear feels gross. Ewwwwwwww

The fabric is from Spandex World and the pattern is OOP Simplicity 3503, which I sewed once before in 2009 (here).

I made a few changes and enhancements. As drafted, the skirt is gathered at the center front and back. I trimmed down the skirt so that it wouldn't have the gathers, thinking that less fabric to get wet would probably be a good thing.  Also, since I planned to wear it without a bra, I sewed bra cups in between the fabric and lining at the bust. If I had thought of it I would have sewn an elastic band into the seam at the underbust to create a built in shelf bra. Next time. This is enough for poolside.

Photo taking is still a challenge. I've been trying to just get Phin to snap a few pictures whenever we can fit it in when I am actually wearing whatever it is we're photographing, rather than trying for a photo shoot.

These were taken on our way out to the pool. After a minute or two, Taco got bored of waiting with his bucket of trains (which goes with him everywhere, btw.)

A Halloween pail repurposed as a train carrier

So we actually got a few unanticipated "action shots."

Leg hugs

And with that we were off to the pool for splashy fun!

Two more swimwear posts to follow! Stay tuned!

Romping Around!

It seems like the list is endless, but another thing that irks me about RTW clothing for tots is that retailers seem to have collectively decided that 2 years is the age/size when little ones stop wearing rompers. For a slim tot like Taco, whose shorts/pants are always sliding down, rompers are the ideal summer outfit.

Taco with my sister's beagle

I'm not going to rehash this pattern - Butterick B5625 - since I sewed and reviewed it last summer (here).  At the time I commented that it was so quick and easy that I would sew many more versions if summer was longer.  This year I got to execute that plan. The only change I've made besides adding a little length at the lengthen/shorten line is that I've eliminated the snaps at the crotch/inseam. Phin and I found it just as easy to undo the shoulder buttons for diaper changes. So, snaps became irrelevant.

An additional nice thing about this pattern is that it doesn't take very much fabric.  All three of these rompers were sewn from remnants that were hanging around in my stash and that I cut during my epic May cut-a-thon. Sewing for toddlers has some distinct benefits that way.

The red is linen left over from trousers I made for myself a few years ago. The seersucker was left over from a different romper I made for Taco last summer. And the off white pinstriped linen blend, well, that was from a large cut of fabric that you will see the rest of at some future point, since it has been sewn but not photographed.  I'm really delighted with the buttons I chose for it.

I haven't been able to snap any photos of the red and white, but they're getting a lot of wear. I really would put Taco in a romper every day all summer long if I had sewn even more of them.

Anyway, I shall leave you with this picture of Taco enjoying the blue frosting off a cupcake at his cousin's Minion themed birthday party. The blue seersucker actually hid the evidence of the frosting that ended up everywhere later on.