The PJ project went on the back burner while I got to grips with my machine and had some fun with the Christmas decorations. Yesterday while reading a borrowed copy of Stitches, I had another surge of enthusiasm and got the sewing machine out again. It had been boxed away for the silly season as our kitchen table had started to look like a disaster zone.
The book I borrowed from the library (Sewing for Dummies) had a PJ tutorial in it but I had to return the book before I got to that part...boo...so it was back to the internet for inspiration. I found this website: CraftAndFabricLinks.com offering free sewing and craft lessons, free sewing and craft patterns and discount fabrics. The Pyjama pattern is listed under the free sewing patterns.
Note that PJs are commonly referred to as lounge pants - it has something to do with mandatory fire hazard labelling that must be displayed on pyjamas. So let's call them lounge pants then...
I immediately had trouble with the pattern because I didn't know how to draw it. I know that sounds idiotic. I'm not an idiot - honest- I just didn't know how to line it up or how much curvature to put on the curvy parts etc. So I got a pair of my knackered old PJs and unpicked them. Seriously. It took ages.The unpicked legs became my template. So I cut out two front panels and two back panels and stitched them together following the tutorial.
The tutorial doesn't say anything about overlocking the seams once they have been stitched together and that step needs to be added to stop the raw edges of the seams from fraying (says she - the expert!). It does say that the raw top edge at the waist and the raw edges of the legs should be overlocked but I think the seams should be first as they end up being flattened by overlocking the raw hem edges of the waist and legs. Awkward. Unfortunately I didn't think of this until after I'd overlocked the raw hem edges...I should point out that I don't have an overlocker or serger - I used an overlock stitch and foot that came with the machine but I understand that a zig-zag stitch would work just as well. Otherwise the tutorial was excellent, very suitable for beginners and here is the finished article:
I'm having a day off today and it's raining. I think that's what they call a Pyjama Day or is that now a Lounge Pant Day? Doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Tee Hee.
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