Last post ….

… for 2014!

The other week I showed you my housecoat, which I did up, mostly, without a pattern.  This week I’ve got the PJ’s done.  I’m using an EASY pattern, McCall’s M7060. I could have probably used the same bodice sloper I used for my housecoat, as there isn’t much to the PJ top, but hey! sometimes it is nice to just follow the directions given you.

I found my fabrics in the 100% knit/sleepwear SALE bin at my fabric store.  One of the fabrics had a label “unknown fibres”.  Hmmm.  They were all slightly stretchy, but the solid blue seemed like it was lighter than the two prints.  The two prints I chose for the PJ tops had more body to them. But the prices were right so I gave it a shot.  Of course, Simon decided to come lend a paw with the cutting out.

I decided to play around with some of the stitches available on my sewing machine.  Amazing how they are there, at least 60 stitch options (not an outrageous number), and yet in my three years of sewing with this Janome machine I have yet to say that I have tried them all.  I did try this knit stitch.  It worked very well on both top fabrics, although they are not really stretchy this stitch did make a pretty hem.

There was also this stretch stitch which was recommended for knit fabrics and bias seams to avoid seam puckering.  I didn’t really need it here on my hem but I thought I would try it out.  Man, it was slow, pretty much one forward and one back all the way around – yawn!

My next hem I just zig zagged, I wanted something fast and quick!

Facings done and topstitched with my 1/4″ foot.

All done!  I told you it was easy!

Dolly’s got some new PJ’s now!  I wrestled with Dolly trying to put on her PJ bottoms as she only has one leg with four feet at the bottom sticking out in all directions.  I almost dissembled her in the process.  Then I realized that her feet could all point straight down.  So I lay her down and easily slipped one pant leg on and pullled her PJ bottoms up to her waist.  Hard to believe something so simple could stump me! 🙂

I do like how the PJ tops drape and they will be warm and cozy for the winter, but the PJ bottoms are too light and tend to bunch up here and there, even on one-legged Dolly.  I would like to say stay away from that fabric in the future, but I think it was the “unknown fibres” one, so all I can say is next time I’ll make sure I have a comfortable drape on all my fabrics.  The PJ bottoms will be a re-do with another blue lightweight knit that I have in my stash.  This pattern is so easy to do that I should have the new bottoms ready soon.

Seeing as this is my Last Post for 2014, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!  I plan on enjoying my time off from work with my family and friends, lounging in my new housecoat and PJ’s in front of the fire with a hot chocolate and Christmas cookies and watching movies and reading blogs (yes, if you keep creating and blogging I will keep reading and commenting).

Back to my Christmas cookie baking now!

Happy Sewing!

See you all next year!