More Pyjamas

I just finished up these two pairs of pyjamas. The top on the first pair is from Kwik Sews Sewing for Toddlers book. I hemmed the sleeves instead of using cuffs. I followed the instructions for the non-ribbing neckline, but I think it has made the neckline too wide. The bottoms are long johns from Ottobre 3/04 or 4/04. They look adorably cute! The hem of the top looks a bit wavy in my photo though. I used a mock coverstitch on my sewing machine instead of switching my overlocker to coverstitch. Its such a hassle to switch it to the coverstitch setting!

The second pair has the Kwik Sew top and Kwik Sew pj bottoms.

I did buy the brown interlock to make something for myself! But I'm not sure I'll have enough for my project. I'm going to use the rest of it to make another pair of pjs. I think I will try an Ottobre pattern for the top this time. I'm also going to make 2 hooded tops for R with it. The pattern isn't for a hooded top, but I am just going to wing it and add a hood.

Got so much tidying up and things to do for Christmas, but I am going to try and make time for sewing.

Been sewing

For the first time in ages I have actually been quite productive! Firstly I made another hoodie from the Lil Blue Boo pattern for W. He loves it. I found it a bit harder making one of the larger sizes. The green top was xl size, but the black was only an L so there wasn't as much fabric available. I ended up cutting the sleeves from further up the t.shirt and having to hem them myself. The black band around the hood had to be cut from a piece of black jersey from my stash.

The print is terribly squint though! It looked squint and very off centre on the original t.shirt. I thought I'd done a good job of cutting it till I sewed the bottom band on. Argh! It looked hideous! There was no way I could really fix it. Its going to be on moving child though, so I doubt anyone will notice. I plan on making a few more of these.

Then I made some girls pyjamas from a 1970s pattern. They certainly look 70s! Whats with trousers that almost go up to your chest??? I still need to sew a button on the back. I felt a lot of the sewing techniques in the pattern made the pjs look very "home made". I'm sure there is a better way to do some of the things that would produce a more professional look. I'd quite like to try making the nightdress with some broiderie anglaise or something similar, with a ruffly bit round the yoke, just for something fancy.

I just finished some more girls pyjamas. The leggings are from Ottobre magazine (4/04 i think) I haven't actually finished them, still need to hem and do the elastic waist. I made a t.shirt from a Jalie pattern to wear with them. Luckily I had some lilac ribbing which was a good match. I've made this pattern before and had some trouble with the ribbing. I had trouble again this time. It looks quite uneven in places. I had quite a lot of the fabric left so I decided to make the vest style top as well to make some mix and match pjs.

What's next... well, I'd really like to get some brown knit, so I can pair it with a bunch of other fabrics, to make a top for myself and pjs or tops for R. I also have the beastie fabric in the pink colourway, so I might make another set of pjs. I was thinking maybe a swing top sort of thing paired with leggings this time.

Lil Blue Boo Hoodie

My brother was getting rid of a lot of his old t.shirts. I knew they would come in handy for something! I made this top in the T3 size for R but it is too big still. I never have much luck with sizing! The pjs I made recently from the Kwik Sew pattern were T2 and they're a little bit on the small side.

I used two t.shirts to make this, and I think it turned out really nicely. The print on the front is a bit high though. Its not the best photo. I am going to make some more of these soon.

Boy t.shirt to girl t.shirt

We got some t.shirts from my cousin recently. One was a Harry Potter t.shirt (apparently! I've never read the books or watched the films - its not something that appeals to me). E is the only one that likes Harry Potter, but the t.shirt was a bit boxy and boyish, so I turned it into a girly t.shirt. Ok, the print doesn't look at all girly but she likes it. I used a Jalie pattern and I was able to cut it so I could use the hemmed sleeves and bottom edge which saved a lot of work. Hems are my least favourite parts!

Boy t.shirt:

Girl t.shirt:

I really need to press the seams but my iron is broken!

My brother gave me a big bag of t.shirts so I am going to recycle them into some tops for the boys, which will be fun.

Not Sewing

I planned to make a costume for R this year. He was going to be a bee, but I thought by the time I buy the pattern (£5) and the fabric (£10-£15) and the other bits and bobs it was going to cost a fortune. So I bought a £7.99 costume. The sewing on it was hideous, and the fabric felt horrible. But it looked effective. Next year... (I say that every year, and suddenly before I know it its Halloween and because its close to Christmas I don't tend to have a lot of spare cash).

We did make a costume for S though. I sliced my finger with the tinfoil and it was agony! And burnt myself with the glue gun. Most of the buttons (milk bottle lids) had fallen off by the time we took this picture. Oh!!! I did make the silver trousers he wore. At about 11:55pm the night before.

Cutting Fest

I spent an evening cutting out fleece nappy covers. I don't even like fleece nappy covers! But I have a lot of fleece just hanging about doing nothing. I also cut out some pyjamas from the Kwik Sewing Sewing for Toddlers book. I always think everything in the book looks very 80's or early 90's, but who cares when it comes to pjs.

I sewed up the first pair of pyjamas, and they fit really well. He put them on and went straight outside. If I decide to cut any more out I think I'll do them without the ribbing waist band.

The other pair I cut out aren't quite finished yet. I decided to cut out the jumpsuit pattern. It made really cute pjs! And the ribbing I had matched really well. R is helping me by plugging the camera in. Its impossible to get a picture of him these days because he always wants to help.

I'm hoping to finish the pjs and start some of the fleece nappy covers tonight. If I sew them assembly-line style then they should be done pretty fast.

Something Girly

I've been doing a little bit of sewing. I'm really in a nappy sewing mood. Unfortunately I've used my very last bit of bamboo fleece, so I can't really make much. I did find some birdseye though, so I used that to make a nappy. I think I'll make a couple more with birdseye. I have on way to me some time soon... some new PUL (greens mostly), some PUL prints and some suedecloth. But no soaker fabrics! I've also got a huge parcel I need to pay shipping on. $80. Gulp. Its mostly knit fabrics and a few patterns.

This is the first thing I made. Its a Darling Diapers AIO with a snap in soaker. I still need to get rid of the blue marks, and cut the threads on the soaker. The whole thing needs a wash because both fabrics I used were really dusty.

Next I made a sort of t&t/overlocked hybrid nappy. Its knit outer, bamboo fleece hidden layer and bamboo velour inner. I still have to cut and made the snap in soaker, so I used the birdseye soaker in it to give it a better shape in the picture. I sewed around the front and legs, added elastic and then turned and top stitched. Then I put in the back elastic and overlocked the back closed. I was going to add the snaps before overlocking the back closed so they'd be hidden. But I had a little problem with that on a previous one I tried to make. A needle hit a snap and got smashed. I think I'd need to adjust the snaps in a bit if I was going to do that. It is a small size, so there's not a lot of room to manover.

Here is a little bundle of things that I'm sending to a friend. A couple were made a while ago.

Starting from the bottom there is:

• A Little Comet Tails Sprightly Soaker made from wool
• PooPockets side snapping nappy (still needs snaps and a soaker)
• 2 Fattycakes pocket style nappies
• Darling Diapers AIO
• Darling Diapers fitted nappy
• A pair of Poquito Pants

They're all small size. There doesn't seem to be much variation in size between the different brands, although the PooPockets is quite a bit wider.