Made by a Fabricista: Percale Carolyn Pajamas

Of all of the various genres of sewing projects, pajamas hold a special place in my heart. All my kids and I enjoy designing a new set together and when we're not busy doing soccer or baseball, we really do enjoy hanging around the house a lot in our pajamas. What can I say? We like to be cozy! When I saw this percale sheeting, I knew it'd be perfect to for a new set of Closet Case's Carolyn Pajamas for me.

What could make a more comfy set of pajamas than a fabric meant for sheets? And this percale in particular washed up so soft. I've washed the fabric 3 times now, and it seems to be getting even softer which is positively lovely. This particular sage/coral floral print is nearly out in the shop, but there's many other percale prints to choose from.

Piping!

I know the Carolyn has been a really popular pajamas pattern since it came out, and now I get it. There's so many good details in this pattern! It's really thoughtfully drafted, the directions are clear and easy for sewists of all levels, and there's piping. Any time I get to pull out my piping foot, I'm there. I love the extra little bit of class it adds, and it's a perfect place for adding a little contrast fabric.

For my piping, I cut bias from a mens' purple gingham shirt. Florals and gingham are such a classic combination, and I love how gingham looks on the bias. Plus the shirting is a perfect weight for making your own piping.
It's not marked on the pattern, but it took nearly 5 yards of piping to trim my set of size 0 top and size 6 bottoms.

Trim out the bulk

One tip I can give you is to pull the cording out at the end of an edge and trimming off about 1/2". This way, you'll keep any extra bulk from the cording out of the seam.

Back facing

I've made pajamas for my boys with and without back facings before, and hands down, I prefer having the facing. It's so nice to have that extra piece that finishes off the shoulder seams so cleanly on the inside. Because this pattern doesn't include one, I quickly drafted my own.

Instead of finished the facing unit with the serger, I trimmed it with more bias.

Overall, this set was such a joy to sew, and I have been lounging around like a queen and jumping on the bed like a kid! If you're looking for a really awesome cotton that's beyond comfortable, definitely go check out the percales!

What's your favorite pair of pajamas you've made?

Until next time,

Sew something creative today!

~Elizabeth from Elizabeth Made This

Made by a Fabricista: A Wardrobe Staple for Spring - A Denim Coat

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon with Sharon Sews with my latest Fabricista make – a denim coat for spring. Denim is a wardrobe staple for many of us, and even more so this year with denim on denim looks coming back in style. The denim I used is a medium weight cotton/lycra blend with about a 20% stretch selvage to selvage. Fabric Mart always does an amazing job photographing and describing their fabrics, yet I still gasped in delight when I opened the package containing my denim. It was even better than I had anticipated. This fabric would have worked well for a traditional denim jacket – one with button front closure, chest pockets with flaps, and a collar. However, I have wanted to sew this open front coat with kimono inspired sleeves and big patch pockets since February 2021. I saw it in that month’s BurdaStyle Magazine, bookmarked the page, and promptly forgot about the coat. It’s coat #105 if you’re interested in sewing one for yourself. Fortunately, I went on an organ

Made by a Fabricista: Revving up your style in the Dana Marie Moto Jacket

Hey friends - I am so excited to have been invited to participate as a Fabric Mart Fabricista this month! This year is the year I challenge my sewing skills. I have wanted a moto jacket for some time. Not just any moto jacket but one that has a classic and timeless style. I saw the Dana Marie Moto Jacket pattern on the Fabric Mart website and knew that was the one. The fabric I used was a beautiful porcelain white/black/silver 100% polyester plaid weave boucle suiting. Remember when I said I wanted to challenge my sewing skills? 😉 This fabric was beautiful but fragile to work with. It was a great mental challenge that had me problem solving before sewing to avoid any potential problems. I first traced out the pattern onto tissue paper to determine the fit. I used scrap cotton fabric to sew up a “practice run” of the jacket. I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the jacket comes together. I sewed up the muslin in one evening. It was time to cut into the beautifu

Made By A Fabricista: My Version of the Infamous DVF Wrap Dress

Just in case you are not aware, the iconic Diane Fustenberg wrap dress has turned 50 this year. In celebration, Vogue has re-released the DVF Wrap Dress pattern, which now comes in extended sizes. This dress is so classic and fits many different body types. I got a hold of this pattern and decided this would be my birthday dress this year. This pattern is categorized as a Very Easy Vogue pattern, and I would have to agree with that. Wrap dresses are usually relatively simple to put together since there aren’t that many pattern pieces to sew together. I made View A in a size 22 and the only modification I made was to shorten the hem by 6 inches. I will say that since I used a Ponte Knit , I could have gone down to a size 20. I didn’t read the fabric suggestions before picking my fabric. I’ve always remembered seeing the DVF Wrap dress in knits. After reviewing the fabric suggestions, they do say that you can use soft fabrics, like a Challis or a Chambray. As I mentioned, I’ve alwa

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