I bought this Betsy Liberty fabric before I got married, always with the intention to make pajamas with. I recently bought a bunch of different Entredeux (fagot) trim and was not able to use as much as I was hoping to – after discovering that the trim did perfectly match this fabric, these pyjamas skipped right to the front of the sewing queue!
I’d made the Carolyn Pajamas once before – in the most divinely soft cotton gauze from Nani Iro. With a matching bias silk cami to boot! But I finished these as I was pregnant the second time, and I’ve not ever been that size since so they remain as yet unworn. Perhaps they’ll go to one of my daughters when they grow into them.
I sized up of course – previously I made the 14 top and 12 shorts, this time I made the size 16 top (with a 3/4 inch FBA) and the size 14 shorts. The only other adjustment I made was to raise the height of the shorts – these days I’m more into a higher waist than a lower one.
I managed to get quite a bit of the trim into the mix – on the sleeves and legs between the Liberty and the hem cuffs, as well as on the pocket, and a diagonal piece in the collar.
There’s very little not to like about this pattern – they photograph beautifully, there is lots of options to use co-ordinating and fun fabrics, and the trim details are just a delight.
There is some organza interfacing in the collar and along the button placket as well. I used iron on interfacing on my previous Liberty shirt dress and I already regret it – sew in interface all the way! Buttons are 14mm (size 22) from Spotlight in yellow, elastic for the shorts waistband is from my stash.
This project is a satisfying sew – takes a while to cut out and a wee bit of extra fussing to get the trim into as many locations as I got it – but otherwise is really very quick to sew together pattern.
poppykettle 