Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that 2022 is off to a gentle and happy start for you.
Here in Amsterdam the lockdown continues, with hospitality shut but non-essential stores now open by appointment. I have to admit, it’s really hard going. Last January and February were quite hard for me mental health wise in lockdown so I was worried about feeling the same this time around, and have been putting more effort into the “little things” like baths, skin care routine and planning nice meals that just help me feel a bit more in control!
Sewing is of course super helpful to calm me down and stay steady, so once I got back to Amsterdam from the UK I wanted to work on a project I would definitely wear….ie loungwear! I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I switched straight to grotty, mismatched pyjama and tracsuit bottoms once the lockdown hit in 2020 and never really looked back. It would be nice to have a matching set to feel a bit more put together, if only for the house.
Rainbow Fabrics Kilburn had sent me some of a gorgeous heart print forest green viscose from one of their recent drops and it was so pretty, I thought it would make for some really glam pyjamas. I had 3m which would be enough for top and shorts in my size.
In all honesty I couldn’t face printing and cutting a whole new pattern so shopped my pattern stash and ended up with the Peppermint Wrap Top by In the Folds, which I’ve had printed for a while but not made, and the Soline Shorts by Staystitch which are a tried and true pattern for me.
These came together really quickly, not least because on the top I skipped the French seams and back facing, which although pretty looked a bit too time consuming for what will be jammies. Instead, I staystitched around the whole neckline and used this as a guideline to fold the fabric over, then folded it again to enclose the raw edges and stitched.
I made a size 12 in the top and did a 1.5cm forward shoulder adjustment, as on my Ruffle Sleeve top this was definitely needed and I assumed In The Folds drafted from the same block. However, I COMPLETELY forgot to do a narrow shoulder adjustment and am kicking myself for it as I kinda need one.
I would maybe size down for the next wrap top, and definitely do a narrow shoulder adjustment. But otherwise I am very happy; it’s comfy and drapey which is exactly what I was going for.
The shorts were the same as my first time making the Soline, with the exception of I made the waistband much shorter (around 5cm tall, so the finished waistband is 2cm tall) which feels more comfortable for me when snuggled on the couch.
And the biggest perk is, I could totally get away with wearing these out! Whether as a playsuit together, with a white t-shirt over shorts or matching the top to jeans, these are totally #secretpyjamas I can wear out and about.
All in all, I’m super happy with this make and the fabric makes it very soft and lovely to wear. I’ll be slinking around these all the way through lockdown!
Modista Sewing 