Feather PJ Top

Ahh, family jammies... We should all have dreams in life. 

The full set of matching family jammies is still quite a distant dream. I have started with a top. 

Just a top. Not even a proper set of pyjamas. I'm calling it a finished project, because I have not got enough fabric for the bottoms and I'll have to wait until I am lucky enough to go to Spotlight in Australia again, and hope that they still have this fabric. If not, I have another set of jammies waiting in the wings; and I will make bottoms with one half this fabric, and the other half from the other set. Matching!

But back to the top.

Simplicity 1504 jumped into my online basket when Minerva were having a sale in 2014. I couldn't resist the idea of making Christmas PJs. Again: distant dream.

This feather fabric was on sale at Spotlight, for an astonishing $3 per metre. That's A$ ! Unfortunately, I thought I needed 3m and I actually needed 4m. But 3m has been enough to make a top and cut out half the bottoms. Actually, the sizing on this pattern is so GINORMOUS that I might have been able to make the set with 3m.

Adjustments

Based on my measurements, I cut the size Adult Small. Next time, I will most definitely make an XS. I didn't bother with my usual waist shortening and sway back adjustments, because I knew it was a loose design with lots of ease.

• Reduced collar width by removing 1/2 inch from the outside edges.
• Added piping to the notched collar
• Back facing added and stitched down across back.
• Smaller cuff on sleeves: Added 1/2 inch to length of main sleeve, reduce cuff by 1.5cm
• Reduced sleeve with. Took off 1/2 inch from width of sleeves at cuff. Graded out to meet original sleeve head.
• Cuff dimensions 14 inches x 5 inches. Should have interfaced cuffs.
• Reduced total length by 2 inches. 1.5 inch hem allowance.

Piping

I was planning to use a solid pink cotton that I bought at the Knitting and Sitching Show. But, it turned out to be not quite the right shade. There are three shades of pink in this fabric and I felt that the piping should match one of them. Instead, I discovered that I had saved a knit toddler dress, intending it for a refashion, and it was exactly the shade I was looking for. Making piping out of knit fabric was a bit of a pain. Of course it stretched out of shape during the making, and I had to hand baste it to the edges.

The piping widths do vary. I had a length of No2 (2.5mm), which I used for one front, before I ran out. My replacement was not the same. It was actually 3mm wide and twisted from three strands. Instead of returning it, I found that if I untwisted them two of the strands were 2.5mm thickness. I tried this along the other front edge. I didn't like it that much because you can see lumps and bumps through the knit fabric. For the collar, I used just one of the twists and I liked that finish much better. Total requirement for piping is about 2.7m. (Collar = 70cm, front facing x2 = 60cm, notched collar x2 = 3cm, sleeve cuffs x2 = 78cm). The pattern envelope very helpfully calls for "two pkgs. of piping".

While we are talking about baffling, why doesn't the pattern instruct you to add piping to the top edge of the front lapel? They have quite carefully hidden it in the photos, but it definitely isn't there. I added a small section of piping to this edge, about 2.5cm. I didn't join it to the main edge, just stitched it down with the seams. I don't think the joins show too badly. If I made a rounded edge to the lapel, I could make one continuous strip of piping.

I skipped the front pocket. If I had made it, I would not have made it with the piped edges. Who has ever seen a pocket like that? A more traditional pyjama pocket has the piping across the top of the pocket, set about 2cm from the top. I am still open minded about adding a pocket. Having a monogram would be fun, but making it would not be. I would have to do it by hand since my machine does not do embroidery. I'll decide after I have made the pants, in case I need every last scrap just to get them completed.

Finishing

I finished the inside edges of the facings with a hem that I also zig zagged into place. These will get a lot of wear and I want them to be durable. I also added a back facing. The finish at the collar on the pattern instructions is quite nice, but the front facing shoulder edges are just left dangling which I didn't like. I had a look at my RTW pyjamas and they have facings. They are stitched down with stitching that is visible from the outside, but I was completely surprised that I had never even noticed them before. I drafted mine from the back pattern piece and matched up the width of shoulder seam at the front facings. I am also happy to have the reinforcement in this area, which gets a lot of heavy wear, plus it will give extra warmth. 

I should have done flat felled seams at the shoulder seams. Instead I overlocked them. I did do flat felled seams for the side seams. I used a contrast thread for the outside, partly because I had almost run out of the main thread. (Bought by my Mum to make me curtains for my very first solo bedroom - when I was 13! I still remember those curtains, and I have found the light silvery grey blue an incredibly useful thread colour.)

I hemmed by turning up twice. Nothing fancy. 1.5 inches hem allowance was fine.

Thoughts

As I went along, and tried on the finished pieces, I could see how large it was. The shoulder seams fall about 10cm from my actual shoulder. I knew the pattern was large, but this was ridiculous! Who wants an overcoat instead of a pyjama top? Double breasted, not less. There was that much space. I would not go to a great deal of fiddling around with the pattern to make it smaller. I'll just go down to the XS size. I could even go into the children's sizes, they may not be cut for a different body shape, since the adult size is for men too. When I eventually get around to making the kids PJs, I might size down for them too. Especially if they actually need them to wear in the same winter. I'm all for children growing into things, but there is no point wearing things out before they have grown into them.

Materials
 Fabric: 3m (Spotlight) £5.46
 Pattern: (Minerva) £4.65
 Interfacing: medium weight (Spotlight) £2.20
 Piping fabric: upcycled £0
 Piping cord: (£2.20 + £0.44) £2.64
 Thread: silver £0, pink £0, overlocker (new light grey spools x4) £7.57
 Buttons: 5, up cycled from school uniforms
Total: £22.52

But... I have counted all the fabric, all the pattern, new overlocking thread, and all the piping, some of which went on my Peony dress. True total is more like £12.75 with £1 bottoms to follow.