Floral Carolyn Pajamas
This post is my honest opinion using fabric I received free of charge from Harts Fabric.
Hi everyone! Its been a couple months, and boy, life sure does look different these days, huh? Most of us are staying home and doing our part to slow the spread of covid-19, and for many, the effects of the pandemic have trickled down to our sewing practice in some way or another. For me, this time at home and the slow down in paid work has been a fresh opportunity to make more things that are purely fun for me and not owed to anyone else. I’ve started an embroidery, prepped some napkins (from old Ikea curtains!) for shibori dyeing, and started a looper quilt—all things I’ve been putting off for months but have been so excited to start.
The change of pace has also allowed me to slow down my own sewing habits and take my time on works in progress, like this new Carolyn Pajama set that I am so in love with. I’ve had these floral pajamas in mind for months, and they turned out exactly as I had hoped!
I’m normally a sweats and t-shirt kind of gal when it comes to sleepwear, but I’ve been wanting to make some more polished sets—which I’m especially grateful for now that social distancing has blurred the lines between day wear and night wear! I had made a top with the Carolyn Pajamas pattern by Closet Case Patterns last year, but this was my first time making actual pajamas. This pattern has got to be one of my favorites, folks. I love the fit of the top and the shorts are quite comfy; a pleasant surprise for someone who doesn’t normally care for wearing shorts. The only thing I would change is lengthening the rise on the bottoms. Now that I’m so used to high waisted everything, a lower rise pj pant feels a little strange—but its totally personal preference. I’m also a big fan of the classic notched collar. I don’t really like the look of collars that have a collar stand on me, so this design with a collar that lays flat is exactly what I like to wear (its also why I love the Willamette Shirt too). This pattern is *chef’s kiss* perfection for me.
The real star here, though, is the beautiful floral cotton lawn by Ruby Star Society and available at my fave, Harts Fabric. Truly, I’ve been wanting to make pajamas with this fabric since it was released! Its a Liberty-esque floral, its pink, its joyful, its gorgeous. The quality of the cotton lawn is exceptional and makes for some soft and comfy pajamas too. I finished my Carolyn set with some pink piping and buttons (of course!) for a sleep set that is completely me. Piping always takes a little more time to put in, but it was a treat to slow down and enjoy the process as I added this extra detail.
One note: I did not interface my collar pieces as the pattern instructs. I’ve found that for sleepwear in such light fabrics, I don’t really like the feel of the interfaced collar and prefer to leave it out. However, I do use a strip of interfacing where the buttons and button holes are placed to make sure that those areas have enough stability.
I’m so pleased with how this set turned out and it makes me so happy every time I wear it. Especially during this strange time, its so nice to be able to cover myself in cheerful, bright flowers.
How has your #isewlation time been going? Do you have more time to create, or less? Let me know in the comments! And if you’re in the market for fabric or notions, do remember that many small shops, like Harts, are still able to ship out packages, and would love your business now more than ever. So stay home, (online) shop small, and stay healthy!
