jim jams

YEP I'm wearing my PJs on the Internet (hello, employers of the future). After some waffling, I finally decided to join Karen's Pyjama Party. What good is a pajama party without waffles, anyway, right?

I wasn't planning on participating at first because I didn't think pajamas were a priority wardrobe item for me. But then I decided to truly assess the situation and I came to a very different conclusion. Also, I felt left out; there's like 10,000 bloggers in on this craziness.

The past few winters, I've made do with some size XXL Old Navy men's red flannel pants with a polar bear print. I don't really remember where these even came from... I think my best friend gave them to me? Why? Anyway, they have elastic in the waist but they're so big as is, the elastic is nonfunctional for me and I have to forcefully yank the drawstrings together to keep them up: 

I used to think the print was funny and cute, but it's kind of a sad image when you think about it... endangered polar bears stuck on tiny floating blocks of ice, lonely and starving:

I have a weak heart for cartoon PJ bears. Anyway, when it's not freezing at night, I usually wear some knit yoga pants that have paint splattered all over them from a long-ago apartment makeover. They also have holes in unfortunate places. I used to staple the crotch together to hide the holes. Staples, people. Staples create even more holes in fabric, did you know? I haven't even bothered to fix them now that I do actually use a sewing machine regularly. Does anyone else do the same nonsensical thing -- where you have existing clothes that need basic fixes, but you'd much rather start a whole new garment from scratch? Not like these pants are worth fixing anyway: 

Wow, I AM A TRUE SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Okay, fine, these just cannot do anymore. I need new jim jams! Karen's PJ sewing party came at a good time because my boyf and I are (currently) out of town this weekend and I really needed something that's not enormous or torn to shreds to wear overnight in someone else's home. And I have a reunion of sorts with some college buddies in a lakehouse this summer, which will basically be one long PJ party (there will most definitely be waffles -- the waffle iron was promised). I must have something decent to wear when we're all sipping espresso on the screen porch in the late mornings. Must! 

Surprise, they're blue. And plaid, which I matched halfheartedly so the print is kinda asymmetrical. I bought this 80s fabric from Etsy awhile ago. I underlined it with white cotton. There's an elastic casing. What else is there to say? 

I will say that I am perplexed by the amount of patterns out there that are supposed to be "sportswear separates" but are just pajama pants! I looked in my stash and I already had these: 

I think I only bought that second pattern because I thought the model had cool hair. 

But, seriously? Does Simplicity expect us to wear these elastic waist/drawstring cotton pants with a blazer to the office?: 

The 21st century power suit. 

Well, at least I didn't have to buy a new pajama pants pattern for this sew-along. I decided to use New Look 6013 because of the wider leg. I made em pretty long. 

And because I don't have enough humiliating photos in this post, I must leave you with the following. Only I could find a way to botch up the simplest thing there is to sew in the world. Somehow I sewed the side seams incorrectly the first time around. I couldn't stop cracking up last night when I realized my Oompa Loompa mistake, and I had to model them for you: 

I sewed the side to the side instead of the front to the back, or something, so they were upside down and all roundabout. A+ seamstress right here. That's what I get for trying to watch TV while sewing... how do people do it? It's obviously a bad idea for me to keep looking away from my sewing project to watch the screen. Please tell me I'm not the only fool who's accidentally made Hammerpants while distracted by reality shows.

spring top sewalong - top of the tops!

If you didn't know it, Rae of Made by Rae is currently hosting her annual Spring Top Sewalong -- a contest for which seamsters submit tops they've made for themselves beginning March 2012. Now, I made a LOT of tops in March (see here for a few examples) but one of my favorites was the Hello Yellow Top, which I didn't make with my OWOP pattern. I entered it at the beginning of Rae's contest, and the esteemed judges voted it as one of Week 1's Top of the Tops! Amazing! I'm so thrilled and honored.

The final contest winners are ultimately determined by reader votes, so I encourage you to stop by her Top of the Tops post and check out the 13 top tops this week. There's definitely some tough competition -- lots of lovely pieces, for sure -- so please vote for your true favorite! If it happens to be mine, I'd love to have your vote! I'm letter K, for Keen, Kind and Knowledgeable Kool Kid with Killer bow-tying sKills. Right? Okay, there's my gentle nudge. Thank you!

Voting for Week 1 ends this Friday the 6th at 12 noon (EST). And YOU can still enter your adorable tops in the contest until April 22nd, and then kindly nag me to vote for you when your top becomes top of the tops one week. Remember to check out Rae's blog for the next three weeks' features, if only for the sewing inspiration. I've discovered some new and interesting blouse patterns I want to try out eventually. Wait, I said blouse. Do we have to revisit the "top" versus "blouse" issue again? Fashion's so complicated, you guys. 

Number of times the word "top" appears in this three-paragraph post, even with my attempt to edit some of them out = 21

spring cleaning: pattern giveaway

My spring cleaning means your spring savings! I've decided to host un petit giveaway, sponsored by my own sensibility to get rid of stuff while I'm ahead. I looked back at the photos of my apartment from when I moved in in July 2011, only eight months ago, and I just had to shake my head and laugh. It was neat and tidy, for one. But also - at that point I owned zero sewing patterns and bought fabric when I... needed it. Can you imagine? My sewing machine was out from the beginning, but I only used it to make simple curtains and hem my neighbor's shorts in exchange for his wireless internet password.

Somewhere along the way, I contracted a chronic form of the sewing virus, incurable by modern medicine. The symptoms progressed rapidly: I stopped inviting people over as I was ashamed of the scraps and threads and sharp tools that littered every inch of my living room (moan), I found myself wanting to sew on Friday nights instead of go out to bars (gag), I voluntarily signed up for store mailing lists in order to get fabric coupons and be alerted to pattern sales (shiver). But the true evidence that my ailment had advanced beyond hope: I signed up for a Blogger account (scream).

Yikes, so here we are. I now own ~55 patterns and have maybe ~15 stacks of fabric + scraps on a shelf that used to hold books and trinkets like a normal healthy person's apartment would. I really have no other storage, so even though my stash is relatively tame (maybe?), I simply cannot let my sewing stuff overflow from these three shelves.

That was my long introduction to this main idea: I need your help clearing out stuff I don't think I'll use. Here's what patterns are up for grabs. All of these are uncut and factory folded.

Simplicity 2261 tops, pants and skirt. Size 6 - 14 (Eur 32-40):

McCalls 6507 dress from their recent spring line. Size 6 - 14 (Eur 32 - 40):

Simplicity 2034 sun dresses. Size 8 - 18 (Eur 34 - 44):

Lisette/Simplicity 2211 Market Dress, Tunic, Blouse and Skirt. Size 6-14 (Eur 32-40):

Lisette/Simplicity 2245. Portfolio Dress, Tunic and Pants. Size 6-14 (Eur 32-40):

You guys, I just know how adorable you'll be wearing these new clothes to all kinds of picnics and stuff this summer.

If you'd like to be in the running, leave a comment letting me know which one (or ones) you'd like. You can leave more than one comment for more than one pattern if you so desire, but I'm just trying to keep them separate so it's easier to draw the winners.

I'll close the giveaway on Friday March 30th at 12:00 PM (noon) EST. Then I'll announce the five winners the same time I do my big OWOP round-up post later that day or the next. Oh you thought I had forgotten OWOP? Nah, just get ready for one EPIC post. 

Open internationally. Let your friends know! Assuming you like to share.