More Dino Shorts

I got this t-shirt fabric from Fabricana in 2023, at the same time as my lurex for the bell bottoms. I thought Big Sis needed a t-shirt, but she decided it was too pyjama-like and so she would like some sleep shorts.

I went back to Sew Over It's Poppy Playsuit pattern, my favourite elastic-waist shorts pattern. I've been making the shorts in size 10/12 here and here but, in this fabric, they came out absolutely huge! Maybe it is because it is a stretch. This is ironic because I struggled to fit all the pattern pieces on the right way up. The back pieces were in danger of being cut upside down. Instead, I re-traced the pattern to remove 1cm from each seam allowance so that I could get everything on the right way up. I was planning to overlock the seams, so I only needed 5mm.

They were a very straightforward sew, side seams, crotch seam, waistband fold and hems.

Costs:

Fabric: Fabricana, $16.78

Pattern: Sew Over It, $0.00 (used previously)

Thread: eBay, $1.00

Notions: Waistband elastic $0.00 (upcycled)

Total: $17.78

Dino Shorts

I had 1.15m of dinosaur poplin left after the Dino Overalls, so the obvious garment to make was a pair of shorts. In fact, I think shorts are more practical and wearable than the overalls, although these do look somewhat like pyjamas.

I used the shorts pattern from the Sew Over It Poppy Playsuit, which I had used for myself a few years ago. It was great to have these to check the fit (no changes) and remind myself of the construction. I did flat felled seams for the legs and a french seam for the crotch. The waistband was elastic from an old pair of boxers, just folded over at the top of the pattern pieces. No additional waistband piece.

I didn't stitch down the cuffs at the top, just the bottom. For which I needed to do two rows, because I missed some parts on the first row. I also secured the cuffs at each side seam.

I cut pocket bags, but I forgot to put them in. I didn't want to re-do flat felled seams. I'll have to keep those pockets for another garment.

This really is the perfect elastic waist shorts pattern. I got some stretch dino fabric recently. I was thinking of a t-shirt, but she says she needs shorts more.

Supplies:

  Fabric: $0.00 (used previously)

  Pattern: $0.00 (used previously)

  Notions: $0.00 (stash thread, upcycled elastic)

Total: $0

Daydream PJ Shorts

I am lucky enough to know Suzy Taylor in real life, and she does folk art beautifully. Cute but not cutesy, her work looks very contemporary. She is known for her papercuts, and also work in ink and clay, and now fabric! This fabric is from Suzy's first collection, called Daydream, and as soon as I saw it, I had to get some.

Stocked in the UK by Cotton Patch, I was really drawn to this print. I love these soft greens, in three different shades, with pops of pink, magenta and yellow. It makes me happy every time I look at it. Plus, I love the cute touch of putting dragonflies, instead of circles, in the selvedge where they match up the colours for printing. So adorable!

Now, let's think for a moment. I bought a metre of quilting cotton, in a cute print, I have children. What should I make? Something for me to wear, of course!

With only one metre, I set out to make some pyjama shorts. I went back to the Poppy Playsuit pattern, for the second time in two months, and decided to adapt that to shorts. I knew the top was really roomy, so I was counting on the shorts to be the same, and the elastic waist is the right style for PJs.

Because of the directional nature of the print, in order to fit the pieces in, I had to shorten the shorts to remove all the cuff allowance, and the elastic casing allowance at the waist. It turns out to be fine. The Poppy shorts come up very high on the waist, and the cuffs are very low on the leg. (I like my pyjama shorts to be quite skimpy!) 

I wanted to do light green piping, but I had this pink to hand, and it was a perfect match. So, in the spirit of "use what you have, and stop buying new", I used it. I did buy webbing for the waist tie though. It turned out to be too bright of a green (pistachio, not sage), so I didn't use it in the end.

I could have pieced cuffs or a waistband from the offcuts, but in the end, I did neither. The total length was much longer than my other favourite PJ shorts, so I made cuffs and the elastic casing without attaching any more fabric. 

Here's what I did instead of cuffs: 

1. Finish raw edge of leg cuffs (by overlocking)

2. Attach piping, to right side, one inch above raw edge. Piped edge faces raw edge (down) and raw edge of piping faces up.

3. Fold overlocked edge down (wrong sides together), fold piping edge up (wrong sides together), the inch between the piping and the raw edge becomes the visible cuff. You now have three thicknesses of fabric, with the raw edge tucked away and the piping sticking up out of the top. Pin. 

4. Stitch two rows of topstitching, one at edge of cuff to secure the edges and the other underneath the piping to secure the piping and the top of the cuff in place.

The topstitching is a bit of a shame, but this fabric is not soft or drapey and the cuffs are not uncomfortable.

Did you notice my beautiful flat felled seams for the outside seams? I couldn't do the same for the rest, but I did manage to do French seams.

The elastic waist is overlocked, turned and topstitched down. 

I stitched the casing down, with the elastic and webbing inside. Not the easiest way to thread an elastic waist, but necessary if you want to use the cast off waistband from your husband's worn out underwear. Literally fished out of the bin. 

So now I have a complete pair of pyjamas, it's just that they comprise my thickest, warmest winter top and my summery-est summer bottoms!

Supplies: 

 Fabric: 1m + postage, £16.80
 Pattern: used previously, £0.00
 Thread: used previously, £0.00
 Notions:
  140cm bias binding, stash, £0.00
  2/3 x 70cm piping cord (thinned to 1mm), £0.44
  1m x 11mm cotton webbing tape, (not used) £1.87
Total: £19.11