Every few years I sew myself a couple of new sets of pyjamas.  I have worked out over time that my favourite style of winter pyjama is flannelette pants with a long sleeved tee.

And in the interests of keeping this blog real – as you can tell, these photos are taken when I got up in the morning after a night’s sleep in the pyjamas (and no, clearly I don’t wear a bra to bed. As I said, keeping things real).

I decided to give a new pattern a try for the pyjama pants this year. I used Butterick 6296, which has pockets and an interesting curved back yoke.

I had a bit of trouble deciding what size to sew. In the end I sewed size 14. I also removed a couple of inches from the length of the main leg pieces. Looking at these photos it seems as though the centre back seam is pulling or giving me a bit of a wedgie, but the pants don’t feel that way in wearing. It could be my proportionally larger tummy pulling the fabric forward.

The flannelette for both pairs of pants comes from Spotlight. I have seen the fox one on lots of social media this year – it’s obviously been very popular. I originally bought enough of the foxy print to sew a pyjama top as well, but Clare has decided that she needs it instead and I remembered that as much as I like the idea of a pyjama shirt/pants combination, I prefer a tee!

From the pattern website: Very loose-fitting top has collar, forward shoulder seams, pockets, and stitched hems. B: Pocket bands. Straight-leg shorts and pants (below waist) have elasticized waistband, side-front pockets, and yoke back. Sleeves A, B and hems C, D: Bands. Purchased piping.

As I have come to expect with any pattern designed by Liesl Gibson, the pattern was well designed with nice details and drafting.  I used a strip of mustard knit from the tee scraps to detail the pocket openings and cuffs of the dandelion print pants as flat piping; the foxy print pants have a strip of coordinating linen used as flat piping as well.  The topstitching details were done in contrasting threads.

The mustard tee is a Deer and Doe Plantain. I’ve used this pattern a number of times, cutting across size lines to get the fit I prefer. It’s sewn on the overlocker, with a zig zag stitch used for hems and to secure the neck band.

The apricot/orange tee is a Sewaholic Renfrew tee, also cut across size lines for fit. It was sewn on the overlocker with grey thread, and I used grey thread for twin needling around the neckline as well. That was all in an effort to make it more of a “set” with the pants.

This top is so fast to sew – using bands to finish the sleeves and hem is really quick and means that nearly everything can be done on the overlocker. I shortened the sleeves a bit by taking a fold out of the pattern piece before cutting, but these are still a fraction on the long side. I just turn up the cuffs.

I recently treated myself to a new (shop bought) dressing gown that coordinates very nicely with both sets of pyjamas, so am now feeling very swish. My last lot of winter sleepwear lasted about three years. Let’s see how this lot goes!