Friday 4 April 2014

Sewing Some More

Hello Lovelies,
once again I have found myself doing some dressmaking this week. This wasn't a project I had been planning at all, it just sort of happened..........as many of my creative projects do.

At have a pair of P.J. trousers that are super comfy............or should I say I HAD a pair, as at the weekend this happened...........


I was very sad as they were favourites. I've worn them so much the fabric had become very thin and then torn.

I found these blog pictures of them when I first got them back in April 2011........

I like to wear cotton trousers and a t.shirt in bed when it's chilly

They came from a charity shop and loved the combination of  floral and stripy fabric. That patch pocket is so sweet don't you think.Nobody really needs a pocket in their P.J. trousers , but I really it.

Here they are hanging out to dry that same month.........

The soft cotton fabric and the wide elastic made them super comfy.

On Monday I had an idea how I could recreate my favourite jammies.

On Tuesday I watched the Great British Sewing Bee  with interest.......they too were copying favourite their garments.........I loved it and greatly admired their creations.

My make is much simpler, and I planned to dismantle my worn out trousers, to use them directly as a pattern.

On Wednesday morning I started. The unpicking seemed to take ages.........all the seams were over-locked and seamed separately.....


My plans always change and evolve as they go, and once  I reached this stage I made two decisions.......firstly to leave the side seam intact as it was straight and I didn't see the point in cutting out four leg pieces, when two would do.
Secondly I decided to create a paper pattern as I thought it would be easier to cut around accurately.........


Here it is........it's one complete leg, so I just needed to cut two of these and a waistband..........


Next I headed off to the airing cupboard to find my fabric. This candy stripe sheet was originally my Nanna's.
 I love it, but I don't use it and thought I would take the plunge and turn it into something I will.........


I measured the original seam allowance, and sewed the same narrow seams.......



 I don't have an over-locker, so I tried to replicate it's stitching with a second row of straight stitch and a zig-zag............


I was keen to have a mix of stripes and flowers in my recreated version, so I searched my stash for something suitable.
This is a thrifted duvet cover that  I picked up ages ago because I liked the mix of fabrics...........


Those ditsy lilac flowers looked just right for the waistband

And here is the 2" elastic I bought from the market on Wednesday afternoon...........

Along with some seeds...........Thank you for your great suggestions to my query in THIS post lovelies.

It's a very different experience, sewing like this instead of following pattern instructions. There are so many decisions to make, about the order of things and how to tackle each stage.
The waistband was troubling me from the start, but in the end it came together fine.

this is the inside.

And here are my finished pyjama trousers.........

Ta-Dah..........


Oh, I'm really thrilled with them. I love the fact that they fit exactly like my old, worn out pair. I love too, that they are made from recycled and sentimental fabrics. And I'm so happy  that I managed to make them without a bought pattern.

The only things I did buy were that wide elastic and this cute crochet trim............


It was part of a very inexpensive haul I found in "The Works", of all places...........


This is the waistband up close. To avoid the elastic twisting in it's fabric sleeve I anchored it to the fabric every couple of inches.........I didn't fancy trying the stitching that the original garment had.......

It's that cross stitch in the centre.

Here is the back...........

Yes, you knew there would be a pocket didn't you lovelies.

It was my favourite part of the originals so I couldn't leave it out :0).............

It's made from a different part of that duvet cover and includes this fake ric-rac that seemed perfect for this pocket.


I wasn't going to model these, but what the heck.........don't laugh.....


I'm looking forward to many comfy nights sleep in these recreated favourites and I hope you enjoyed this rather long post about how they came to be :0)
Jacquie x

58 comments:

  1. They look great!
    Julie xxxxxx

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  2. i love them!! I wear my pj's all day if I can, maybe one day i'll be making my own :)

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  3. Such a fab idea, I watch 'The Sewing Bee' in awe. My Nan also used to have sheets and pillowcases like that and I always loved them, it's amazing what things stick with you. You did such a great job with you're PJ's
    Clare x

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  4. What a brilliant idea. They look great too. Have a fun weekend. X

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  5. Brilliant idea. I've been looking at some new PJ's for our holidays later in the year. Think I will kook at some of our old duvet covers instead. Thanks for posting this idea. Your PJ bottoms look great.
    Carolx

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  6. Brilliant, Jacquie - they look so comfy cosy. A great idea! Chris x

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  7. Absolutely brilliant! Nice job and love your details.

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  8. What a wonderful make Jacquie! You must be so happy with these - they look gorgeous and to have made them by replicating a worn out favourite pair and using thrifted fabrics makes them perfect! love your finishing touches as well. Enjoy every moment of wearing them! E x

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  9. Love your new PJ pants and the fact that you made a pattern from your old comfy ones and used thrifted fabrics makes them simply the best. Well done!!! And thanks for modeling them too.
    Anne xx

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  10. Oh my these are so pretty, love the little finishing touches of lace & the cute pocket....great job
    Karen x

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  11. what a great idea to re-work them Jacquie and I like the crochet trim. They are pretty andypandys! Heather x

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  12. Wonderful, I love how little you had to buy to make them. I saw the Great British Sewing Bee on Tuesday as well, and I found it quite inspirational too. I liked how everyone did things in a completely different way - I've always worried I'd do things wrong, but to see such brilliant sewers all doing things in their own way made me think that actually there isn't a wrong way and a right way. I particularly love how you've secured the elastic - clever.

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  13. simply wow!!! I could have never ever made such lovely cozy home pijamas! :) You are so talented!

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  14. They are fabulous!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  15. I have 2 of those very same sheets that were my nans, I can bring myself to cut them up I love them that much. Coming to think of it i feel the same about alot of my thrifted items too, oh no Im going to turn into a horder rather than a user!!! AAAAGGHHHHHH lol
    Very good post, thanks !

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  16. Oh Wow! What a brilliant and inspiring post. Such lovely photos....and the fabric! Oh, the fabric! Swoon! Well done, I love them. I hope you're keeping the old fabric in your stash to make something else? Could you make some summer 'shorts' to wear as PJ's? Well done indeed x x x

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  17. Brilliant!! I love the fact that you repurposed the sheets and duvet. And the fact that you were willing to take apart the one pair so that you could use it as a pattern piece was amazing to me. Very well done and the PJ pants are adorable. Good job!!

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  18. They are really lovely! I haven't done any proper sewing since I left home, but all your recent sewing posts are pushing me towards buying my own sewing machine and learn some more... :)

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  19. They are amazing. I love the crochet trim.

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  20. The fabric is adorable!!!! And then to add the crochet trim..I soooo want a pair.
    I know what you mean about being comfy in a t-shirt and pj's.
    As soon as I get home from work, off go the work clothes and on go the jammies!

    Great job:)

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  21. How wonderful to have recreated a well loved favourite. The little workarounds you've done to make it a manageable project like the pseudo-overlocking and the elastic stabilising are inspired. The little pocket is fab but I have to admit to being a little sad that the original pocket didn't make a cameo appearance on the new ones.

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  22. Wow these are fantastic and well done on making them without spending much money

    Jackie x

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  23. Yes you really are clever! I love the sewing bee program and when I have finished decorating I hope to join in your sewing bee. Great! :-)

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  24. I've got a sheet just like that. What a great use for it.
    Jacqui x

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  25. Bravo...how clever you are! Your new pj bottoms are terrific. You're inspiring me to get my trusty little Janome going again.

    xo

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  26. You are too cute. The next thing you know, you will be recreating thrift store garments. Have fun. :)

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  27. Fantastic Jacquie! I love that you made another pair and that you used what you had and that they came out looking so brilliant! Now that you have the pattern you can make yourself another pair in the future! I love the stripy sheet, and remember those from my childhood, everyone seemed to have those sheets! xx

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  28. Brilliant work and so nice to recycle some fabric that means a lot to you. They look really brilliant and you have made a really smashing job of making the pattern and fitting it all together. Those sheets remind me of childhood too! Elaine x

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  29. They look really pretty and comfortable! Well done!

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  30. So clever! And that crochet trim is adorable!
    Kate :}

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  31. Oh, they're fabulous! Love the pocket too. I like to do the same with favorite pieces. Here is a Youtube channel you might enjoy. Lots of tips for this sort of thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FEDhJeLf6o
    Happy weekend!

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  32. your new jammies look great.......better and the old pair. How lovely to use the old sheet in that way!

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  33. They are gorgeous! I made some in the same way for my DH but they weren't as nice! (Well, he didn't want floral!) Just a tip for the waistband; next time, if you make the waistband just a cm deeper, make it up in the same way, then before you thread in the elastic, top stitch on the top fold of the waistband just a couple of mm down, then thread in the elastic. This will stop the elastic twisting and it does work. Not my idea but I read it somewhere and it does work while still being loose inside the waistband.

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  34. LOVE THEM and it is the best when you can remake from and old favourite. I have done that with jeans and also recently an old top ☺☺

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  35. These are brilliant, well done you!

    Helenxx

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  36. They look lovely. I do like the idea of recycling fabrics but I've never attempted anything without a pattern. You've done an amazing job and made it look so simple, which it is not! Well done.

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  37. I love them .... and how clever to make them from lovely soft 'repurposed' fabric, super comfy I bet!
    Pat :) Sunshine and a Sewing basket

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  38. I love these, what a great idea. I hope you have many comfy nights in them.

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  39. They came out great! So nice to use your Nanna's sheet, and I love the crochet edge!

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  40. Very awesome idea! I had sheets like that as a child.
    Very clever, I hope to make a new/old dress for myself by making a pattern from an existing dress. I'll miss sewing bee after Tuesday

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  41. Oh that is SO clever! LOVE those jammies, and LOVE the fact you used your Nanna's sheet! I had the same sheets when I was a little girl, they were so warm and soft. What a lovely post, I so enjoyed reading about your sewing adventures. :) xx

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  42. I love the Sewing Bee and loved reading your post :) My daughter and I have just had a similar discussion about whether we could recreate a favourite pair of her Pjs that are now inches too short! Seeing this has given me the confidence to give it a go! xx

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  43. Wow - well done you! Those are both brilliant and lovely.
    Jane

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  44. I bow down to you in absolute awe! I have been watching the Sewing Bee and have even dusted off my sewing machine and created a patchwork 'creation'!! It will be a few years before I even get close to attempting a garment. They look fabulous, and I love the crochet trim! I look forward to your next project!! Chel x

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  45. Your sleep pants are wonderful! You did a great job. And now you have a paper pattern for next time, after all one can't have too many pairs of sleep pants. ;)

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  46. Love them! Why would we laugh? They are fantastic and you have a fabulous figure. The works does indeed hide hidden treasures at times.
    I love candy stripe sheets. I have crocheted a baby blanket that sort of replicates the colours and pattern but can't share as it is for a friend that has sneaky peaks at my blog.
    I love your stitching, always make me wish I could sew. Enjoy them because they ROCK!

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  47. they look like very expensive ck ones, i love those sheets~ i have many which ive been lucky enough to find in charity shops...i've been making a copy of an apron i love using favourite fabrics~ all hand sewn because my Nannys hand-me-down sewing machine keeps locking for some reason~ im just not good with machinery hehe...give me a needle and thread any day ;0)

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  48. Jacquie...excuse the pun but....... sew well done to you, they are a joy to see!
    so is it GBSB series 3 for you next?
    Your stitching is lovely...
    bestest as ever
    daisy j xx

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  49. They are fab and show off your fab figure too.I love candy stripe sheets and have a few of them tucked away, so nostalgic.

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  50. Love them! We had those sheets when I was a child! Very pretty - well done! Jen

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  51. Wow! They are really lovely, what a great way to recreate a comfy pair of pjs, & with a reminder of your Nana. Excellent ideas as always. Here in Charente France its beautiful & sunny the bees are working really hard at collecting pollen from my flower laden beautiful rosemary & other blossom. We had the same sheets as you when I was young! x

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  52. I really hate it when a favourite item wears out, and I think you've done a fabulous job on your pyjama trousers. I know I have some candy striped sheets tucked away somewhere - I might even steal your idea for recycling. Brilliant! XX

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  53. They are great! Love the pocket detail.

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  54. These are divine Jacquie I adore candy stripe sheets and I am sure they feel very soft and super cosy to sleep in x stunning sewing job you have done there!

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  55. Absolutely brilliant. funny you say about watching the GBSB, I had been wondering about taking my favourite dress aprt as it has seen better days, but I love it so much. then I too watched the programme and thought well if they can... only problem isI cannot find the material I would like to use for the dress. You are a star for just getting on and doing it, admire you greatly x

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