More Pajamas, which are the best?

I can say, I didn’t enjoy the process of making pajamas because I’m lazy, but I love the results. I know I complained about the piping, but sewing really is about the journey. Out of all the hard things, piping isn’t as challenging as a hand bound button hole, but it wasn’t the zoom, zoom fast sewing either, it took a few extra steps to add piping, and French seams throughtout, but very much worth it.

I’m way behind the curve on sewing the Closet Core patterns Carolyn Pajamas. I will tell you, until I started my PDF pattern printing business, I was team commercial patterns. I have a lot of Indie patterns, and I’ve sewn lots of pajamas before but never paying Indie prices for said pajamas. I’ve just never spent money on Indie patterns for items like pajamas, when I could use a $1.99 Simplicity Pattern. Well, you could possible get a very good pair of pajamas with a commercial pattern, I’ve had success with McCalls and Simplicity pajama patterns. How did I come to sew the Carolyn’s? Well, I kept seeing the Carolyn pajamas on socials and on blogs, and Closet Core patterns ran a sale. I decided to use a Christmas gift card to purchase them after I made the Sienna Maker jacket. I really enjoyed the process and fit of the Sienna Maker jacket so, as they say, the rest is history.

I like learning new techniques and I am a sewing instructions person, I follow them initially like a good recipe before I add my own razzle dazzle. Most Indie sewing instructions are really good and I learn lots of new techniques when sewing the patterns.

Ok, before I get into the pattern review, which pattern do I like best? I will say, I like the Carolyn Pajamas collar, facing and piping instructions, but I like the fit of the Fiske pajamas, making the Fiske my favorite. In a perfect world, I would marry the two, using the Fiske pajamas at the base and making slight sewing construction changes. I like the Fiske best for fit through the bust ( I only made the top) but I did like the sewing instructions and construction techniques of the Carolyn especially for the piping. The Fiske pajamas will be really good by themselves, but since I made the Carolyn’s first, I know there is a better way to finish the collar, install the piping, and elleviate the back facing, which I like. The Fiske also wins because it has so many different views in the pattern, The Fiske is a sleep set so you get multiple views and the fit throughout the torso is more modern and less boxy on my plus size body ( not necessary, but nice).

Pattern Review:

• Pattern name- Closet Core Patterns Carolyn Pajamas
• Size range -14-32
• What size did you make?– I cut size 20 at the neckline and 22 at the side seams to give myself a just in case seam allowance at the side seams; my full bust is 48.5″ and hip is 50″ ish.
• What adjustments did you make and how long did they take?-I tweaked the fit when sewing the side seams of the top and It took me a few weeks or months, whose counting , to make because I took my time with all the small details and I wasn’t in a rush.
• What fabric did you use?– I used a gifted cotton from my friend Gaylen (GMarieSews on IG). I didn’t have enough fabric to make the long sleeve top, and pants so I made the short sleeved top, and long pants using remnants I received from Gaylen for the pockets and sleeve cuff. I felt the garment needed some contrast.
• What was the construction process like? Did the instructions make sense to you?– I really liked the instructions and more specifically, the piping instructions, they were clear and easy to understand. I would say these are some of the better instructions out there.
  • The construction process was seamless, just follow each step and you will be good to go:
    • I used French seams for most of the seams
    • Flat felled seams for the side seams (I should have done the inseam flat felled also).
    • Clean finish for the waistband and sleeve cuffs
    • Added narrow bias binding to the center front of the pants and the armhole of the top.
• How do you like the pattern’s fit? Do you think the design works well for your particular body shape?– I believe the pattern fits pretty good, it was the plus size size range so there was no need for a FBA, and this pattern is on the longer side so I didn’t make any length adjustments. I didn’t make my typically broad should adjustment, since I made the Sienna maker jacket I knew the shoulder was wide enough. I pretty much sewed this straight out of the package. The boxy top and elastic waist is forgiving so it will fit a wide range of body types. I did like the faux fly of the pants, it gives the pattern a slightly elevated look along with the piping.
  • These are the changes I needed to make because I didn’t take flat pattern measurements accurately ( I didn’t think it was necessary to muslin loose fitting pajamas):
    • I adjusted the side seams as I sewed them taking in a few inches at the waist of the top
    • I didn’t accurately measure the crotch length so I added a gusset to the pants giving myself the length I needed after doing a fit check.
    • I pinned the side seams of the pants pretty much sewing the size 20 but giving myself a little thigh space. The pants are curved a bit through the thigh and I don’t have small tights so I needed some of that space back.
• When I make this again, which I totally will, because it is a nice pattern, I will make the following adjustments:
  • I will add 2″ to the back crotch length above the hip
  • Straighten the leg at the out-seam a bit (3/8″) to give myself more thigh room
  • Add a drawstring for better fitting, I think I would like these pants if they had a flat front and elastic back waist.
  • Add 1.5″ to the top length through the torso, I like my tops longer
  • Curve the hem to give a slight shirttail hem
  • I need a bicep adjustment, it was a little snug, I thought I measured before I cut but apparently my measuring tape was broken when I measured the crotch length and bicep circumference .
  • I starting writing down where I stopped in the fitting and sewing process because I just assumed I took measurements and instead of double checking, I just cut LOL.  
• Do you have any advice on this pattern for other curvy sewers? Are there any resources (blog posts, fitting books, tutorials) that helped you sew this piece up? There are so many sewing tutorials out there to help with construction, I would read through the instructions and watch a few Youtube tutorials for the Caroline Pajamas and you will have the help you need. Because this is an older pattern, there are so many people that have made this pattern I believe almost every sewing level will be successful.

I’d like to hear from you, do you purchase pajamas, or do you make them? Which pajamas do you like best?