Pajamapalooza 2015

I took over 100 pictures. And that was the best one...

It seems like every year my kids all need PJs at once. You'd think I could manage to plan for this better, but every year it seems like I am making 12 or so sets of PJs. At least this year it was just the boys.

Sort of. Myra has a collection of nightgowns that I made her several months ago. They all still fit and she loves them, but a friend of hers gave her these fleece pants, and she needed a top to go with them.

It turns out to be sort of fortuitous actually. I've been wanting to make this pattern (Ottobre 06/2010-18) for her since the magazine came out. In 2010. I even bought this fabric with this very pattern in mind. In 2010. I was so on the ball about it in fact, that this is the largest size the pattern is drafted in. And when I got the magazine she was too small for the smallest size. Seriously, how does that even happen?!

Since I had waited until the last possible moment to make this, I decided to go all out with the topstitching. I did a line of stitching on either side of each seam, with the thread color contrasting the fabric. Myra loves it. And it wasn't as hard to do as it looks. I just threaded my coverstitch with the two colors in either needle. This pic also show the cool fabric. It is a knit double cloth. The pink layer is an athletic mesh which is bonded to the green jersey layer. The green shows through the holes in the mesh, and the pink bonding stitches show on the green side. It's a very neat effect.

Duncan's PJs are extremely basic. The pants are one piece pants adapted from Sewing for Boys. The shirt is long sleeve, cuffed sleeve from Ottobre. I honestly can't remember which one it is, but there is one in nearly every issue.

He likes them, and I made 3 sets, so I busted a ton of stashed flannel and knit scraps on these. Total win.

And last but not least we have Logan. Logan decided recently that he wanted to change PJ styles. His past pajamas have been long sleeve and long pants, both made of flannel. He told me a few weeks ago that these were too hot (note: It was snowing at the time.) and that he wanted short sleeve tee shirts and shorts for sleeping. So, here we go. This is set #1, made with Ottobre 03/2013-23/39 and 06/2011-37. 

I've made him two sets so far, and he's very happy with both. You can see the second set in the top picture. Those two sets were random stashbusted fabrics, but I find that the stash is very low on older boy friendly knits, so I ordered a few, and then I'll make more. You can never have too many comfy PJs.

Ottobre 03/2013-22 jeans

Now that cooler weather is upon us, Duncan is in need of some long pants. I prefer an elastic waist pant, just for ease of diaper changes, but a sturdy pair of jeans is a wardrobe essential!

Fortunately, they summer issue of Ottobre this year included a pair of slim fit jeans with an elastic waist! As you can see, we are thrilled!

The pattern is #22 from the 03/2013 issue, which Ottobre made up in fun colored denim. I decided to go with a more traditional jean for this pair.

I added a teeny tiny coin pocket, but all the other jeans details were already there, including topstitching instructions and rivet placement.

In back, a shaped yoke and big back pockets, ready for you to embellish and make your own. How awesome is that skull jersey?? You'll be seeing it again soon...

For the topstitching, I went with a dark grey color, to coordinate with the purple skulls. Regular jeans gold didn't go as well. I really like the effect and how well it coordinates with the bright silver rivets.

I did make two alterations for fit. Since the pattern was made to be cuffed, and my guy is not tall, I shortened the legs a total of 3 inches. I like the length as it is, but I didn't leave much room to grow. Live and learn.

The other alteration I made was to provide some diaper room. This pattern is in the "Big Kids" size range, so it doesn't include that. I just added 1/2 inch to the top of the back at the yoke seam, tapering to nothing at the side seams. This gives more curve over the back, which provides coverage and allows the pant to hug the back waist nicely.

I'm pleased with the fit in back. My addition gave him the room he needed, without making the pant baggy.

Functioning pockets are a must in any boys clothing! I'm pretty sure he's collecting gravel in this one. I lined the pockets with some Echino helicopters I had a few small scraps of.

The main fabric of the jeans is stretch denim left over from a pair of my jeans. I'm thrilled that this project was such a great stashbuster! All of the fabrics were left over from other projects! Free jeans!

He wore them all day, and played hard. This pattern is definitely a winner! And it is graded in all three of my kids' sizes! You'll definitely be seeing it again.

Ottobre 03/2013-17 polka dot dress

On Myra's last day home with me before she started Kindergarten last week, I asked her what she wanted to do. She choose fabric shopping at IKEA! I love that kid. Anyway, she picked out a home dec weight cotton in red with large polka dots and told me she wanted a dress.

I think it was the perfect choice. It couldn't have turned out any sweeter.

The pattern I used is from the 03/2013 issue of Ottobre, design #17. The only change I made to the dress was to leave it unlined. The fabric is quite heavy and I thought another layer, even of Bemburg, would have been insufferably hot. Instead, I bound the neckline with bias.

I generally find that Ottobre dresses run a little short for Myra, so I lengthened this one to the next size line just in the skirt. That's a typical alteration for her. I like the length it is, but I also think the length as drafted would have been fine, so it looks like this style is a little longer than usual.

In back, there is an invisible zip, which lined up quite nicely at the waist. I also put a small button and loop at the top, concealed under the collar. I like the way the collar squares off at the back - a nice detail that is different from most peter pan style collars. I'm also pretty pleased with the way the polka dots lined up throughout the dress. In a print that large, a mismatch would have been pretty obvious, so I'm glad they behaved.

My favorite detail of this sweet little dress is the front "placket". It is actually a pair of pintucks pressed away from center front with decorative buttons down the center. Pretty sneaky, eh? The front is cut on the fold, which made aligning the dots super easy there. And I didn't have to sew a full placket, which made this dress pretty quick to sew.

Myra loves it! And it's great for dancing. Just don't tell her she looks like a Dalek... ;)

Ottobre 03/2013-10: Sporty Pocket Shorts

Now that the weather has changed, Logan has begrudgingly given up his wardrobe of knit pants and a tee shirt for his summer wardrobe of knit shorts and a tee shirt. I know, he's taking some fashion risks here... Of course, last summer's shorts are all ridiculously too small, so it's time for a few new pair.

I'm trying to add some new elements to his wardrobe, so instead of the boring one-seam shorts he's outgrown, we're going for some more interesting details. Not too interesting, of course or he won't wear them, but a contrast pocket and some side seam trim might be acceptable...

And he actually loves them, so I'm thrilled! I love it when I take a risk and it works out.

The pattern is from the latest issue of Ottobre, and is model # 10, the Sporty Pocket shorts. In the magazine, they are modeled by a toddler and made up of four different fabrics, but the line drawing convinced me that these could be toned down for my Kindergartener. My favorite thing about the design is the front pockets. They look like complicated welt pockets, but they aren't. They are embellished side seam pockets and they were actually pretty easy to do.

On the back, there is a single patch pocket that is rounded on one side and inserts into the side seam on the other. The side seam is embellished with a contrast panel. The shorts themselves are knit (french terry from Mood), but the back pocket and side seam panel are woven fabric, in this case a broadcloth. I like how nicely the side panel breathes. It's like a little air conditioning.

The waistband is made of rib knit with elastic inserted like a casing. I had a little trouble with this part. You are supposed to stitch on the rib knit right sides together in just one layer, fold it over then topstitch it down with a decorative or flatlock stitch. I'd planned to coverstitch from the reverse side so that the looper side would show (which is what I did to attach the front pockets), but I couldn't keep my stitching straight from the wrong side, and it was so bad looking. I ripped out all the coverstitching and just sewed the outside edge of the rib knit to the seam allowance on the inside, so it made a regular casing. It's a little rough looking on the inside, but it looks good on the outside.

They passed the worn all day and got really dirty test, so I think they're a success. I'm not sure if I should go forward with another pair in the same pattern or try something else new...