Nina Lee Piccadilly Pyjamas

As soon as the clocks changed I got underway with some cosy pyjama trousers in brushed cotton for myself and my two daughters. I shopped my pattern stash and used Nina Lee’s Piccadilly Pyjama pattern which I had previously only used for the shorts option.

I made sure to add extra length as these are designed to be cropped but I didn’t want draughty ankles. For Hazel who is 5ft 10, I added 6 inches of leg length. I live the construction of this pattern beginning with the bias bound trouser hem. For two of the pairs I went with self binding made using the continuous method and for the final one I used commercial satin bias binding. The rest of the pattern is very straightforward though I elected to have elastic through the whole waistband rather than just across the back.
Each pair probably only took 1.5 to 2 hours with the bonus of the luxurious curved bound hem already completed. Great for a cosy Christmas gift.

Ooh these PJ's!   A super make that requires some time - I made it over a weekend in two sessions.  Probably 11 hours in all I would say including cutting the pattern to size.

A lovely design with a few extra twiddles that make them so much more than the usual lounge wear.  It's all about the binding so with the help of my previously untried binding foot I set to work.

All of the binding is done on flat pieces before they're joined so you don't get hung up trying to make it fit or manage the lumps and bumps as you cross seams.

I used Gingko Leaf Cotton Lawn in Navy from the Sewing Cafe in Hinckley and made view 2 in a size 14.

With a binding foot these are easy peasy but the only thing I found fiddly was the pleating on the central point on the top edge of the pocket.  I smoothed this out as applying piping into the inside of the point was frustrating.

Buttons were covered and button holes were well positioned for me straight from the pattern.

Going to make several more pairs of these for pressies during the Covid Lockdown and some brushed cotton in the winter time.

Enjoy your Piccadillys x

This is my first make from the Nina Lee pattern house and it certainly won’t be my last. I love sewing PJs / Loungewear since it’s mostly what I tend to live in. So when it came to sewing myself a present; something to make me smile, this is what I came up with; not a fancy dress by Panda PJs!!! This pattern is exceptionally cute with some really lovely details, with their Mandarin style lines. They have two sleeve options and can be made with shorts or three quarter leg. I opted to mix the views and cut the short sleeves and the longer pant. The bias binding is a lovely touch and I love the way it curves and rises at the side seams of the pant and top, mimicked at the pocket. The mandarin collar is sweet, as are th puffed sleeves. I shorted the pattern overall. The instructions are clear and well thought out. High,ybrecommended.

I used this ‘Panda Retreat’ Lady McElroy cotton lawn for mine which, admittedly, is an indulgent choice. But these are a gift to myself and I know I’ll probably get years of wear out of them.

You can access the full post over on my blog www.sewsarahsmith.com

Thanks for reading!

Sarah xx