I’ve made the Carolyn Pyjamas
It is going to get cold here at night fairly soon and my mind has turned to pyjamas. Mark and I have been wearing those free ones you get on long haul flights and, whilst they are nice, soft cotton, they are grey and have a giant kangaroo emblazoned on the front. Glamorous? I don’t think so! So the Carolyn pyjama pattern seemed to hit my inbox just when I was about to start looking for a pattern. I promptly bought it and spent a couple of evenings cutting and sticking. Then I found some cotton flannelette in my stash and the pyjamas were on their way.
Yes, they are a little long. I realised that I was trying them on with shoes, so will turn the hem up before I get round to wearing them.
I am a bit wary about sizing at the moment, so decided on the size 6, but then accidentally traced the size 4 pattern and by the time I realised, I could not face the necessary retracing and, looking at the finished dimensions, I thought I might squeeze into them. I could wear these pyjamas out for lunch, they fit me so well, although the pants are a little low rise. The collar does sit flat, I just need to press it a bit better.
The instructions are easy to follow. I like the pocket design and the faux fly. I did wonder why the top stitching around the front edge was done before the facing was sewn under and the hem was turned up. I unpicked the last couple of centimetres and then resewed it continuing round the corner to the hem. I felt that this looked neater.
I remembered that I bought orange and white polka dot buttons in Hong Kong and was rather thrilled to find that they are almost a perfect match!
The pattern is probably designed for luxurious silk pyjamas that one might live in all day, but I am showered and dressed by 7am and walk pretty much immediately before I go to bed, so spend very little time in nightwear. I wanted something warm, comfy and practical for when I’m camping and these do hit the spot, and I was also able to stashbust fabric that has been hanging around for a goodly while. What is also nice is that I have actually come to know Carolyn as she lives in my home town and we’ve had a couple of meet ups.
I thought that Mark deserved new pyjamas too, but didn’t have a men’s pattern. I simply used my old favourite, Kwik Sew 3663 for the trousers,
and Vogue 8800 for the top, leaving the cuffs off the sleeves.
I stashbusted some cotton flannelette which is covered in moose and bears. I figure that he will fit right in with the Australian bush in that little lot! I didn’t ask him to model, so have artfully draped the pyjamas over my kitchen table. Note the sleeve carefully tucked into the pocket :).
In a nutshell: My pyjamas are the Carolyn pyjamas from Closet Case Files, made from orange and white polka dot flannelette bought at Spotlight. Buttons came from Sham Sho Pui, Hong Kong. Mark’s pyjamas are V8800 and Kwik Sew 3663, made from cotton flannelette also from Spotlight. His buttons came from an op-shop.