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: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista | Chasing Time: My White Rabbit-Inspired Look for Atlanta Frocktails

For this year’s Atlanta Frocktails, I found myself captivated by a character who’s been quietly tugging at my imagination for years—the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. There’s something so relatable about his frantic energy, always checking the time, always running late. While he’s worried about being on time, I’m usually calculating how late I can be and still technically arrive on time. Spoiler: I’m often wrong. It’s a cycle of procrastination and anxiety that I know all too well. So when I imagined my look for Frocktails, I thought—why not honor the White Rabbit? After all, time has been chasing me too. But this look isn’t just about Wonderland whimsy. It’s also deeply inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, Tailored for You, which includes a focus on Black Dandyism—a celebration of Black elegance, intellect, and expressive style. I’ve been obsessed with this theme since it was announced. As a Black creative, I find it powerful and moving to see style used as a way to reclaim...

Made By A Fabricista: Getting into the Spirit of Summer

I'm not gonna lie y'all, I had a completely different project I wanted to do, but that's gonna take more time, and I wanted something cute, comfy and fun to wear for my birthday on the 19th. When I saw this goldenrod & off white linen jacquard , I thought it looked a bit like the design on a Koroks body, especially Makar from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker! I started with the bodice from the free Elderberry dress pattern from Mood, but deviated for the skirt, it felt a little plain of a design, and I had scraps of a Korok fabric that I knew would be a nice accent with some cut out pockets. I've made these pockets once before, deciding the cut out was based on aligning with the seam on the bodice for how far in, and as for how low depended on where I wanted the pouch of the pocket to start. From there I cut the visible part of the pocket, making sure to match the curve of the waist and following the line of the side seams of the skirt, as well as cutting a facing to...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog