Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Percale Carolyn Pajamas


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.





Carolyn Pajamas



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!

Carolyn Pajamas

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

Carolyn Pajamas

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.
Carolyn Pajamas

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

Comments

  1. Gorgeous pajamas! I really love the gingham and the floral together. What width of cording do you use to make your own piping?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ann. It was 3/32" cotton cording. I've used thicker, but this was a nice width. Rattail is similar width, but the cotton is much easier to work with in my opinion.

      Delete
  2. Beautiful PJs -- great workmanship!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Perfect pairing of fabric and pattern! Lovely pajama set, and the piping and the back facing make it really refined!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I definitely prefer the cleaner finish a back facing provides!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Pink Suiting Set for Spring

Spring is here! So is my first blog of the year. I had some inspiration with this one. I saw a picture on an Instagram profile and wanted to make my own. Now, my version ended up a little different, but overall, I really love it. However, I still want to recreate the inspiration pic at some point. For this look, I chose a cotton candy pink double weave suiting . It is soft, has a semi-textured hand, and has a crepe weave on the wrong side. The fabric does have some stretch to it. I absolutely love the color and feel of this fabric. This is a suiting fabric with the softness of a knit. The thing I do not like about it though is it snags. So, I had to be careful using pins and seam ripping to prevent snags. I had the Fernanda Vicki Sews pattern in mind but once I downloaded the instructions and saw how many pieces were involved, I switched to a different pattern, lol. I ended up making the Riana Blazer. It has a semi-fitted blazer with a straight silhouette. A belt and belt loops that yo...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Eleonora by Silversaga – A Romantic Dress you need in your closet

I recently had the pleasure of sewing up the Eleonora pattern by Silversaga, and I’m excited to share my thoughts because this one really surprised me—in the best possible way. If you’re not already familiar with Silversaga, their aesthetic leans into romantic minimalism—think timeless silhouettes with poetic details. The Eleonora Dress is a vintage-inspired, chemise-style from the Regency Era of the 1800’s design infused with modern elements like adjustable sizing, soft gathers, and flexible fit details.  The Eleonora is a thoughtfully designed dress pattern with multiple views and customizable features. Some of its standout design elements include: • Adjustable fit via ties and elastic channels at the neckline and waist, allowing it to flatter a range of body shapes and sizes. • Sleeve options, including short or long gathered raglan sleeves, often finished with ruffles for added softness. • A full, swishy four-panel skirt—complete with in seam pockets and a deep hem—that b...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress

Hey lovely friends! With summer knocking at the door, I am absolutely ready for breezy dresses at all times. I love linen all year round, but summer is my particular favorite for this fiber. This bright happy color fills me with delight, and it’s so perfect in the sunshine.  For this project, I got all my supplies in one go! I chose this stunning Sea Green linen , lightweight fusible interfacing , ½” elastic , and of course, matching thread. If you haven’t sat down to create your own little sewing kit with all the bits at hand, it’s quite a nice gift to yourself and makes getting started that much easier. I’m all about ease these days.  I sewed the new Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress with the open back cutout, which is View A. The other two options are a closed-back dress and a two piece set. I was a tester for this charming pattern, and I can confirm the two piece set is also gorgeous and really fun to wear. I have looked forward to sewing this version for weeks!  Please...