Project: My first pair of Pyjamas
Pattern: This 1955 Simplicity 1325 Pattern
Stash Buster? sort of...
Items From Stash: the fabric is a new addition to the stash, I think it counts!
Date Started: June 2012
Date Finished: August 2012
New Techniques Used: excessive use of piping, pattern altering and button embroidery
Wear Again? Every night forever if I can!
Hello lovely readers! So what do you think of my new PJs?! I really do love them, they make the whole process of going to bed altogether more pretty and cute! I know, what a loser, right? :)
Anyways, I first decided that I wanted to make myself some new PJs after my extensive watching of the New Girl (remember how much I love that show?). Zooey Deschanel rocks some seriously cute pyjamas in that show, super cute colours with contrast piping, so I knew I needed to get some of these in my life. And when I found the Simplicity Pattern 1325 on ebay in my size going for a song I knew that it was fate! So now all I needed was some cute fabric...
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| New Girl was once again my fashion inspiration, and check out my uber cute pattern! |
Now you may or may not recall my fabulous trip to Paris with my Sweetheart earlier this year. Whilst there I visited the amazing fabric shops in Montmartre and discovered this swoonworthy pink toile cotton. It was so whimsical and pretty that I knew that I had found the perfect PJ fabric! And the more that I looked at it the more it reminded me of the colour scheme of the incredible patisserie Laduree that I had been frequenting on my visit (seriously, how many macaroons can one girl eat?!), so I decided that these pyjamas would be based on that scrummy place, a constant reminder of my love of Belle Paris. So of course I had to buy some pale blue cotton for contrast piping details ;)
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| And yes, before you ask I do keep my Laduree macaroon boxes, and yes these macaroons were bought especially for this shoot, and yes they were delicious :) |
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| The sugar rush was clearly affecting my brain by this point... |
This pattern was a real joy to work with, as I have found all 1950s Simplicity patterns are (my 1950s Novelty Print Book dress also used one of these patterns and you all know how much I love that!), but I did have to make a few alterations here and there. I added a bit of extra width and length to the trousers (my behind needs space to breathe!), but the biggest change was altering the shirt to be able to add piping. The original pattern suggested bias biding to be sewn on top of the collar for detail, but I knew I wanted piping and for it to be sewn into the seams, so I had to alter the shirt front pieces and redraft the collar in order to do this. It was pretty complicated but I think you'll agree the finished look is worth it!
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| A close up of my piping and hand embroidered buttons |
This project is also an example of how I tend to over complicate things for myself. The pattern is fairly simple and technically I could have been finished a lot quicker than I was, except I decided that I had to have contrast piping, which I made myself (bias binding made from blue cotton and then sewed over some cord using a zipper foot) and then had to sew into all the (newly altered) pattern pieces before I could even construct the pyjamas. Oh and then I decided that embroidered buttons were the only way to go. See what I mean about over complicating? :) But in the end I think it's those extra details that make these pyjamas so special, and I really do love them to pieces.
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| Is this not just the perfect colour palette? |
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| See? I look like a box of macaroons! |
Some people may think I'm a bit mental to have put so much time and effort into a pair of pyjamas that will never leave the house, but I'm a firm believer in feeling good in every aspect of your life, so a little bit of pretty before bedtime goes a long way :)
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| Hello, my name is Katie and I have a macaroon addiction... |
I hope you like the pyjamas and are at once filled with the urger to dress like confectionary yourselves! Now if you'll excuse me I have some lounging to do :)
Katie xxx
