As criminal as it would seem to ask you to relive the patternmaking oddysey that was MOnogrammed PJs, I must, I gotta, share!
Essentially, these are the precursors to the tencel pants featured here. Trousers don’t just happen of course, there’s pocket placement, width across the backside ‘n’ stuff to torture oneself with. But these beauties are worthy of public engagement – bring on the pyjama party invites folks! Fabric from Fenner’s in Mona Vale, it’s a rayon/silk blended jacquard. Not cheap for 110cm width, at $24/m but just gorgeous. Showed Mr Fenner this photo, he was quite chuffed that I did!
The problem with PJs is that when you’ve done the bottoms, then there’s the top to be getting on with – talk about a labour of love! Kwik Sew 2811 provided the shirt – with my usual list of tweaks. Unhappy about the skimpy notched collar on the Kwik Sew pattern, I reshaped that sucker.
Then there was the perfect pocket placement on the bottoms… Which I totally messed up on this whispy but gorgeous lotus print silk pair. Having eliminated the side seam so as not to interrupt the pattern, I mistook a couple of notches and ended up placing the pockets too far back to use but great for ‘the chicken dance’. Bought this silk on ebay back before I knew my mommes from my elbow! sooooo thin – booooo!
And then, because overly ample waist room created the dreaded waist bulk… I tried a shorty pair out of a $5 vintage cotton which is the cutest ever. Newly perfected and enhanced notch collar and this was the result avec ugg boots – noice!
I will bore you all with a close up of the fabric – it’s rough, it’s tough but it’s so pretty, oh and kelly green piping on these babies with vintage buttons.
Where do you stand on the old waist tie situation? A bulky but pretty bow that pops the front of your jacket out. Knotted tie that dangles awkwardly in the crotchal region and buggar me if that tie doesn’t cause wetting your pants anxiety at the nightly 2am toilet visit. Ideally at that time you want to go, sit, and leave remaining as sleepy as possible, but when the tie is all done up and I have to work out which ends to pull in the dark… well suffice to say it gets dire! Kiegels everyone – now lift!
Worth all the effort? Well at least I have a bona fide, tried and tested PJ pattern for future use.
Mwah luvs, XXX
Fabric choices are just divine, as are the photos! The cotton reminds me of a vintage cotton with a print of a Japanese garden that I have in stash. I wear men’s PJs so button fly. 🙂 I hope you are getting on well after the move. XX
Thanks mate, all unpacked! Sewing room not 100% dreamy, but workable! Hmmm, button fly – thats a kevel of complexity my brain might baulk at!! In a sleepy stupor are buttons easier than elastic though?!
Well there is elastic plus fly. 🙂
Glad to hear that you are almost settled.
Question: Do you buy or make piping?
Sorry Steph, I missed this. I almost always make my own piping because it’s so hard to find what I want.
Well Lesley those pyjama tops would be coming out from the bed covers and be worn as shirts by me. The prints are gorgeous and the style perfect for daytime with trousers or jeans.
As for the ties on pj bottoms, or joggers, and I’m pleased someone else finds them annoying, I always cut them off! After a strangely similar conversation about said ties, at work, the fourth.option that some people take is to tuck them inside the waistband…sounds like irritating dangling to me, but it is another way of dealing with them!! X
So pleased i’m not aline in this! I’m nit a fan of the bump created under the shirt either. Tucking them inside could certainly lead to sime unexpected drama i should think!!! X
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, all three sets. And love the glamour shots, too. 🙂 as for the waist tie issue…. I always leave it off….
I’m starting to lean that way too! Uneccessary embelishment!
Gorgeous jammies – I have serious pj envy. To prevent the dilemma you so eloquently describe I stick to elasticated waists. Since my waist is almost as wide as my hips it doesn’t leave too much bulk 😂.
Glad to hear you are settling in your new home.
Ooh thought if you this morning as i saw lots and lits of joggers at Sydney Park for Park run 🏃♂️ Thankfully i was not tempted to join them!! There’s a fine line between wriggling into the waist and too much bulk i’ve found – the dilemnas!!
Glorious pajamas! They almost make me want to wade through the construction process for a pair of my own… I do, however, have a go-to solution for the drawstring aggravation: I cut the drawstring in half, and insert a piece of elastic between the inside ends, thereby making it more middle-of-the-night functional.
Great solution Julie, that may have to he my go to solution!
I really like these, and especially love the lotus fabric.
Thanks so much, that fabric was one of those serendipitous finds. Put all those ‘finds’ together and we justify the stash!