When you favourite PJs just don't fit anymore.

My friend Kim wanted pictures of my rescued PJs for her blog post on sewing - I even roughly ironed them which I don't normally bother with as they iron themselves as you wear them.  When you have favourite PJs: you love the colour or the fine cotton or the detailing, you just don't want to throw them out when you put on weight.  You will see from the pics below that I have put on a lot of weight so I definately didn't want to model them.

One thing I've learnt from making them, is that detailing should never be thrown out: it would have been quicker and therefore cheaper to have gone out and bought fabric and made them or even bought them ready made, but what I got to use was lots more detailing that would have taken ages to do - if I could have done it at all.

Tip: because you want details like cuffs to be at the bottom, get the length right because you wont' be able to taking up hems at the bottom - it's better to shorten the trousers at the top waist end if you have to, so don't put any detailing too close to the top.


There are 4 versions of my recycling pjs:
1. 2 different pj bottoms sewn together - the second one provide side inserts - the easiest to do.
2. a pj bottom with the pj top cut up to provide the side inserts - I don't like wearing PJ tops - I find them too constricting.  You get 2 front halves, 2 halves by cutting the back in 2, and 2 sleeves to open out - so you choose which bits to use where.
3. pj bottom with  a man's shirt (via my friend John's thrown out shirts) or other tops to provide the inserts - this was necessary because I had given some PJ tops to charity shops ages ago - you see why you shouldn't declutter too harshly!
4. Making lounging trousers from just old shirts - no trousers/pjs to start with - takes the most work as there are lots more joins.

You will notice they are very baggy legged.  This is not a design decision but is just easier to keep all inserts as straight pieces.  They sometimes go in a little if the sleeves used get narrower at the cuff.  They look like clowns pants but sooo comfy and, I can always draw in the elastic that magical day when I lose weight!  I must admit they are just as often lounging pants as when I get up I start doing things round the house in them and before I know it I've spent the day in them and need to put another pair on for bed.  That's why I need so many.

1. 2 pjs together - the simplest to do.

Blue strip pjs in centre and blue with writing on the sides - also added to the top to give extra space to my big arse.

Yes I really did buy a pair of pjs with beach bum written on them. Obviously the side pjs have had their crutches cut away but i kept as much as possible for big inserts.

Favourite flannel pjs with yellow bears (yes i did) added to favorite Addidas sports trousers to make warm winter lounging trousers.

Always loved the pockets on these.

2. a pj bottom with the pj top cut up to provide the side inserts

An M&S pair of men's PJs bought in Sex in the City days of fashion for wearing men's underwear etc.  The are really nice smooth cotton.  The button side of the top on the left and the button holes on the right with  the two sleeves opened out for the bottom half of the sides giving a piped cuff at the bottom.  The bottom of sleeves are good if they are big enough as you get the cuff detailing at the bottom.  Sometimes the back of the top can be cut in half to provide this bottom if the sleeves aren't big/long enough.

Top with pockets used for side inserts

Button side of top with pocket

 on lower side insert.

3. pj bottom with  a man's shirt for side inserts

Front top of shirt with button holes and pocket on upper side for side insert.

Sleeve with cuff and button opening as lower side insert

Shirt on sides with pjs in middle

A favourite 10 year old pair of pink pjs from Next, lovely cotton.  I used a spagetti strap top i would never wear from another pair of rose pjs to provide the inserts. 

My pink pjs are worn so thin at the back seam, that they needed a little arse support.  Haven't worn yet so not sure they will survive.  They are so cool on a hot day, probably because there's almost nothing there.

4. Making lounging trousers from just old shirts
When my friend John had seen how I'd used his shirt he wanted me to make him some.  I made the first pair out of his old linen shirts.  This was the first time I made pjs/lounging pants out of shirts entirely, with no trousers to start with and it took a lot longer.  There were lots of joins to add stitching to on the outside to make them look like a feature rather than a necessity.  This outside stitching is what I did to all my PJ joins.

The stitching I do on the outside on many of the joins - the white vertical stitching.  The black vertical stitching the horizontal white stitching is part of the original shirt.  This addes stitching always looks good in white and light colours.   On darker fabrics I often leave off the extra stitching as I think it looks better.  I will add it though if I feel the seem needs some flattening or neatening up from the outside, especially where you have to sew over thick joins and details like pockets etc.

John wasn't sure about all the joins but when friends commented on them and where they could get them, because of all the detailing, he decided he wanted another pair made of his old striped cotton shirts.  Because they were baggy lounging trousers, I found that I could use the curve of the armhole to form the crutch of the trousers -  I will update this post with these and the next pair I make him when I get them back from him.

The two shirts I will make Johns next lounging trousers from.

The pile of his shirts I have left to play with - and he use to criticise me for buying too many clothes!  He was going to throw them out but I kept the ones that either had lovely pattern, colour or fine cotton feel.   The better quality ones that don't have warn collars, holes or pen marks I will remodel to updated fashion style and/or resize them for him.  Others I will make into other things like trousers or even cover part of my sofa that is still showing some black leather after I covered the cushions in white and blue for a lighter look - so that the detailing shows - eg a sleeve cuff  or a pocket on the arm of my sofa.