Thursday 22 August 2013

Things To Make and Do - Pink Pajamas

Over the last year or so I have been putting a few spare pounds each month into a separate savings account, in anticipation of eventually saving up enough money to buy myself an Overlocker/Serger. It's a total luxury, I know if I am honest I didn't really need it, I can achieve a fairly good result with just my sewing machine and a bit of patience, but my thinking was if I saved up gradually, fighting the urge to splurge on a surger (ooh) then I could justify it.

And so back in June I'd finally saved up enough to buy one, so eagerly I scoured online pondering the various models and reviews and eventually settled on the cheapest (which left me a few pounds spare for fabric!) and what also seems like the most popular choice amongst sewing bloggers the Brother 1034d which I bought from Gur Sewing Machines on eBay (very impressed with the speed and quality of their delivery service, very efficient). It arrived very promptly which was great but also utterly terrifying, so rather than me ripping it out of the box in eagerness I had a quick gander to check all was in order and then put it back in its box, had a mini panic attack at how much money I had spent, then left it to sit in its box untouched for about a month.

BROTHER 1034D OVERLOCKER
It's pretty and terrifying in equal measure
It wasn't until I had got back from my Isle of Wight holiday that I found the courage to have a good look at it. Thankfully my Mum had come back to London with me for a few days so I had the perfect allies to help figure out how to operate this mean machine. We sat down to watch the supplied DVD* which was quite amusing, but it certainly helped in threading the machine correctly, thank heavens for pause and rewind! Once it was threaded, we were ready to go and it worked like a dream and though the blade was a little scary at first, it rapidly became addictive! My quite sceptical Mum, who I am sure (though she hid it well) up until know had thought it was another one of my whims and no doubt an utter waste of money, but once she sat down and had a go was a little bit smitten too!

Our Joint effort, overlocked seam
So the first project I choose to sew, was from the fabric that we had been practising on (just around the edges, nothing too destructive) I had bought it a few months earlier with the intention once I had finished my brothers pullover, I would make myself some summer Pajamas and so that's exactly what I did!

Pink Pajama's
(Stash Buster)

Pattern: Kwik Sew 2811
Size made: Large
Fabric: 4m Cerise pink checked cotton
           White Cotton
           Approx. 1m of Ric Rac Braid
           4 Buttons - I used 5 so as to not break the set
           Elastic - I used white 10 cord elastic from here

The fabric is a really lovely cerise pink checked cotton from Minerva Crafts for £2.99 p/m. It's quite lightweight which makes it perfect for some summer pajamas, I pre-washed it before cutting (trying to create some good sewing habits here) and so far there is only a little colour loss/fading, which with it being a pastel shade is barely noticeable!


The Pattern was really a dream to sew together, I decided I would use the overlocker on as many seams as I could feasibly get away with, joining and overlocking them in one fell swoop, which made things a whole lot quicker and far too much fun! I started by making the Pajama bottoms, which despite my fury friends best attempts to distract me, only took a few hours to complete!

"Move me at your peril woman"
The shirt took a little longer, what didn't help was that I had accidentally ordered about a meter less fabric than I needed and so, as usual, there was no way I was going to be able to squeeze all the pieces out of the fabric I had left. I toyed with the idea of making another Sorbetto Top which I think would look great with the bottoms, but as much as I wanted to take the easy option, in the back of my mind there was the niggling thought that I would be copping out, so I hopped back to Minerva and ordered another couple of meters (and one or two other lovely fabrics, naturally).
Working out my button placement
After that, it was plain sailing or should that be serge-ing. I decided almost as an afterthought that it might be nice to add a bit of stashed Ric Rac braid to liven it up a little, so added some to the pocket, around the top of collar and onto the cuffs, and around the cuff on the trousers. I really had to restrain myself from putting it around every edge, as it is there's just enough and I think its worked out quite well!


I made the largest size in the packet, as I wanted them to feel loose and airy, there is nothing worse to my mind than tight pajamas to give you a bad night's sleep, you want something that has plenty of room for fidgeting about, which happens to be my speciality!

The only downside to making the largest size is that the sleeves are a bit too long. They are made by attaching a separate cuff to the lower edge of the sleeve which rather than folding back on itself, hangs down adding another few inches to the length. I am toying with the idea of re-doing them and swapping it round (Right side of cuff wrong side of the sleeve) so that the cuff folds up and out from inside, certainly if I make another pair it's something I would change.

I have to say other than the sleeve issue I am really happy with my new pajamas and would highly recommend Kwik Sew 2811 to anyone, as it is a very simple pattern to follow which has produced a great result and something I am really rather proud of!

I really should be getting the dinner on, but you know, lounging about is far more fun!
Wendy x


*Rather bizarrely the DVD supplied with the machine is not actually for the 1034d, it's rather for an older model (I forget the No.) which is fine, it is all the same really. The weird thing is, though, that on youtube you can find a modernised (lets say late 90's) version of the DVD specifically for the 1034d, clearly the same presenter and with more useful tips and explanation for the different feet supplied, so it does exist, its just not supplied with the machine? Perhaps it's just mine? You can find the full 1034d user guide videos here.

22 comments:

  1. Ooh fab sewing, love your pjs! They're my favourite thing to sew, so quick and easy :)

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    1. Thank You! I love how quick they were, I shall definitely be making a winter pair! xx

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  2. thanks for the ebay links - totally worth buying online (vs. in Brussels in any case...). Have almost identical fabric, so toying with the PJs idea now!

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    1. Your welcome! Ohh do it you wont regret it! xx

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  3. Very pretty PJ's.
    Happy lounging.
    Lisa x

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  4. They are some adorable pjs, my fav are mens stripy ones like this. Your room is lovely, I want that fox! xxx

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    1. Thank you Hannah! I know I am always stealing the BF's PJ's as they are so cozy, at least now he will get them back! xx

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  5. I know what you mean about the whole "HOW much money have I just spent" panic after you have bought something. But you DID save for it :)

    PJ's look a treat!

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    1. Thank You! Oh I am hopeless at spending money on big things, well anything over £100 and that isn't a necessity, I always get far to excited to buy it and then when I do I freak out, for a day or two, thinking that I should have spent the money on something less frivolous, heaven knows what I'll be like when I finally save up enough for a car! xx

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  6. They look wonderful! I love the ric rac trim, I think it adds that extra something :)

    I very recently got an overlocker myself (a Singer), as a gift from my Dad and step mum, I didn't have the foresight to check out blogger expertise on which model was best so I just hope mine is not a bad one!
    I use one at work so thankfully I am well practised in threading up, but I do remember the first few times having to do it being horrendous!

    I hope you continue to have fun playing with it, I also feel like you do about not needing it but loving using it :)

    I'm now off to check out the minerva crafts fabrics...I think it is necessary! xxx

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    1. Thank you Lucy!! I am sure yours Singer is just as good if not better, I didn't find any really bad reviews of any of them so I just decided to go with the cheapest, only downside to mine apparently is that its nosier than most machines, but having owned a chepo Jannome sewing machine which is in need of a good service for years, its actually a fair bit quieter than that, so I am not complaining... my neighbours might be :-) xxx

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  7. I remember the joy of overlockers when I got to use them back in school... but I never had to thread them up so I just got the fun of gliding the fabric through without the fear! Hurrah for mothers, hey? Love the pjs too - I really need a pair or a nightie that's fit for public appearances for when I holiday with friends... perhaps I should make my own?

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    1. Thank you! I know once you get started they are soo much fun to use, I could happily overlock EVERYTHING! You should totally have a go at making some, the PJ bottoms are the easiest and quickest thing I think I have ever made! xx

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  8. I love these! they fit perfectly and you're so adorable in them. Love you bed, just bought a white metal one, but white knobs instead of brass, booo. xxxx

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    1. Thank you!! Oh I love my bed, always wanted one like out of bedknobs and broomsticks and luckily when we moved it happened to be the cheapest one, i was very happy :) xx

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  9. How exciting to have an over locker! I would love one but apart from not being able to afford it, I have nowhere for it to go, I already have my sewing machine and an old Singer.
    Love your pink jimmers xxx

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  10. Such a beautiful dress you are wearing so amazing, I love the first dress from awesome.I hope you continue to have fun playing with it, I also feel like you do about not needing it but loving using it :)

    liverpool pyjamas

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  11. I love the color of you pajamas, i recently bought Brother 1034d serger but don't have time to use it. I'll be watching DVDs to get started with my serger thanks to you.

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  12. Hi Wendy i fall in love with your pink jimmers. Can i use my Cs6000i from brother to make this one or i have to invest in some type of overlocker?

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  13. Wendy this is amazing and detailed article you have put together, I don't have
    serger
    yet. Now i'll buy one and follow along.

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