PJ shorts

Hello my lovelies, wow I cant believe another week has passed already. Well they do say that time flies when you're having fun don't they! 

To say that I am having fun is a huge understatement. Is it silly to say that I think I was put on this earth to sew? I know it sounds totally ridiculous, but when I am sewing and making things I am totally and utterly contented. Its a very long time since I have felt like this. and I am trying everything in my power to be able to work it so that I can find a job that I can do that will give me the freedom to focus on sewing. Mission impossible!! I choose to accept the mission :D

I have so many things to show and tell you, but I'm going to start with a shorts version of the PJ bottoms that I made. I had quite a lot of the fabric left so I thought it would make sense to make a shorts version. Looking back now I should have gone with my gut instinct and amended the PJ pattern to make a shorts version. Now let me explain what I did do....

I downloaded a free pattern from Craftsy, I cut out a medium as that is what the measurements said I should cut. But when they were sewn together they were absolutely massive and I mean ridiculously!!! You could have gotten myself and my other half in them :D

I ended up unpicking them, re-cutting them as an extra small (which I have to add I am not lol) adding a facing to the waistband and re-sewing the whole lot back together. It should have only taken me about an hour to make these but I think it ended up being about 3 hours in total. They are really simple to make (when you have a pattern that bloody fits) and don't take much fabric. I spent most of the time faffing around with the pattern rather than sewing but I suppose I learned some valuable lessons, including adapting a pattern to my measurements.

They fit perfectly and I love them.

Next on the list to show you.....the 'Sew over it' - Silk Cami

Emma xxx  

And sew it begins : PJ bottoms

Good morning my lovelies, another glorious day out there. I love Summer :) there's nothing better than sitting in my sewing room creating, other than sitting in my sewing room creating and the sun is shining!!

I have a very large mug of coffee so lets get started before I go and finish some more pen cases and tackle the rest of my to do list (yes I am most definitely keeping myself busy). I thought I'd show you my first Make 9 project. Now I know its a little late in the year to be starting only my first project as I posted about this back in early February, but there is still plenty of time in the year to get the other 8 done for sure!

So first from the list I chose PJ bottoms, mainly because I live out of them (dont judge me, I like being comfy lol). The very lovely Lynne from The Make It Room kindly offered to send me the pattern and instructions that she uses in her classes. If you have never heard of Lynne before pop over and take a look at her website. She runs workshops and courses in dressmaking and sewing, feltmaking, needlefelting, knitting, crochet, lampshade making, rag rugs, painted furniture and découpage. I do wished that I lived closer so I could attend all of her sewing classes :(

I bought some beautiful cotton from a shop on ebay which was about £11 for 2 1/2 meters which I thought was really cheap, I didn't want to buy anything too expensive as this was my first project. Once I get a little more back into the swing of things I will be a bit more adventurous with my choice of fabrics. I have my eye on a few :D I bought some elastic for the waist band and already had this beautiful cream ribbon that I bought from John Lewis many moons ago.

I added some length to the pattern as I have very long legs so 6" extra was necessary! And that was it I was ready to get going!!

This was the first time in a long time since I had used an over locker. It is ridiculous how excited I was to thread it up and over lock something. Although it had been ages since I had used it I still managed to thread it up like it was only yesterday. I could have literally spent all day just over locking stuff (yes I need to get out more).

Anyway I did manage to prise myself away from the over locker to actually sew them together and start sewing the casing for the waist band. My one mistake was that I ran out of the thread and had to use two different colours, if you look carefully at the photo below. But I dont think I will ever notice!!

I started to get a real pang of excitment once I started feeding the elastic in for the waist band.....they were actually looking like a garment!! 

I hemmed the bottoms and added the ribbon...........

.........and this is how they turned out!!!!!

I couldnt be happier with my first make. In fact I was a mix of emotions of 'why the hell have you not been doing this all along' and I was so proud that I had made something that I could wear! 

These wont be the last pair I make...I have already ordered some more fabric to make my next pair. They were so easy to make, Lynne's instructions were so easy to follow and the fit was perfect.

It has really fuelled my passion for sewing again, I feel like I just want to spend every single day sewing!! So if anyone can find me a permanent job where I can sew all day then please let me know lol.

I'm already planning my next two projects and cant wait to get started.....

Emma xxx