Downtown DIY Sewing Book

The day has finally arrived! The lovely and multi-talented Karen Ball, from Did You Make That?, who also recently began writing for The Guardian Fashion Blogger’s Network, is hosting a Pyjama Party and we are all invited!Also this month, two very gregarious and skilled sewing bloggers, Kat from Modern Vintage Cupcakes teamed up with Mel from The Curious Kiwi to host Indie Pattern Month, so I have also invited a few Independent Pattern Designers to join the Party!

Sewaholic Tofino Pants Pattern

Colette Sorbetto Top Pattern

Downtown DIY Sewing Book PJ Bottoms Pattern

Downtown DIY Sewing Book Lazy Morning PJ Bottoms Pattern

For the pajama bottoms, I used the Sewaholic Tofino Pants Pattern, and ‘frankenpatterned’ them by adding elements from the Lazy Morning PJ Bottoms pattern found in the book Downtown DIY Sewing by Alice Chadwick. I also added a pajama top to the mix and decided on Colette Patterns Sorbetto top. This is actually a free pattern and you can download the PDF for it by clicking here, then print it out onto letter sized paper and tape together.I love the wide legs, shaped front and back and piping design element of the Tofino pattern, but also wanted to add the ridiculously adorable heart-shaped pockets and contrasting hem and waistband from the Lazy Morning PJ Pattern. Both the body and the contrast fabric for the pajamas are 100% cotton. I used ivory coloured lingerie piping, which is made of satin, (instead of the ready-made cotton piping), and the sheen really made the pajama bottoms look elegant. This type of piping would look great with silk or satin fabric.

I had just enough fabric for a small matching top, so downloaded the Colette Sorbetto, as it only used approximately 3/4 of a metre of fabric for the entire top. This was my first time making this pattern and I just love it! So simple, but the result is very polished. I used an ivory 1/4″ pre-made bias binding (although the pattern calls for 1/2″) as I wanted it to emulate the thin piping on the pants. An alternative would have been to make bias binding out of the contrast fabric from the pajama bottoms hem and waistband. Ultimately, I decided this would have been too ‘busy’ as the main fabric’s paisley pattern was already quite elaborate.And now, you are wondering to yourself, “What is she going to do with two little heart-shaped pockets on the pajamas? What will she carry in there?” Well, I can answer that…