As part of my efforts to spread the word about our Humble Sewing Center Blog, I’ve recently become a member/contributor to a number of online sewing communities.

The following post is the one I just shared on a site called:  The Sew Weekly.  Each week, the site owner provides us with a “challenge” to make something around a certain theme.  This week’s theme was to choose an accessory like shoes, jewelry, etc. and create an outfit around it.  (I chose “shoes”, which you can see in the photos/comments below.)

During 2012, I’ll be bi-posting my weekly “Sew Weekly Challenges” here & also there.  Hopefully some of my creations/projects will provide you with new inspiration to get sewing and busting that fabric stash of yours!

The Facts

Fabric: Cotton Prints from Riley Blake

Pattern: pj pants – Simplicity 2503, pj top – self drafted t-shirt make-over

Year: 2012

Notions: elastic, pre-gathered eyelt

Time to Complete: pj pants –  2 hours, pj top – 45 minutes

First Worn: Jan. 8th – To Bed!

Wear Again? Yes!  I love pj’s!

Total Price:  about $30

This little pj ensemble was inspired by a pair of mary-jane style slippers (Simplicity 2278)  that I made last year.  The slippers started off as a sample for a couple of sewing classes I taught and have since become one of my favorite things to wear around the house. They are machine washable and very comfortable.

I guess from the types of fabrics I choose, you can kind of tell that I’m still a kid at heart.  With mary-jane slippers as my inspiration, I decided to make my pj’s as “girlie” as possible.  So, I added some eyelet trim to my pj’s pocket and also a contrast cuff to the pocket and to the pants hem. I enjoy seeing vibrant and colorful things and I really like how these pants turned out.

Once the pants were done, I had several ideas for a pj top.  I ended up deciding on making my own version of a cropped t-shirt dress.  Inspired by the bodice of the Colette Macaron dress, I cut off the trunk of an old t-shirt a few inches above my bust line.  I then created a new trunk for my shirt out of a coordinating fabric and inserted the matching eyelet trim across the front seam where the new fabric and t-shirt meet.

It felt good to get a mental picture of what I wanted to do with the pants and top and then to see it through to completion.  I love my new pj’s and I hope to have lots of “sweet dreams” whenever I wear them.

Thanks for reading!  If you want to see more of what I’m making, please visit the Humble Sewing Center Blog where I’m always adding/creating new projects and free tutorials.