Puppy Print PJ’s – the crafty avenger

So a good friend of mine loves dogs… and I had a gift giving occasion and this awesome cotton flannel with puppies printed all over it. Lounge wear was so the way to go. I used McCalls M6252 pattern but really didn’t follow the instructions ’cause well they were pj pants.

Before I started I traced the correct size of pattern for my friend and lengthened them cause she is tall.

These are all the things I used to make these pants. Some like a sewing machine is not negotiable but the rest are just the things I have in my studio.

Juki Serger
Singer Sewing machine
Scissors
Pins
Measuring tape and rulers
Tailors chalk
Inexpensive tracing paper/pencils
Fabric weights (really just giant washers)
Iron
Elastic
Cotton Flannel fabric

And here is how I made them.

Step 1 was making sure I layed out the pattern so that all the dogs were right side up. Folding the fabric the wrong way would have been a mistake.

When laying out the fabric pattern pieces I used giant washers as weights to keep everything in place while I traced the pieces with tailors chalk before cutting.

After cutting out the pieces I used a Juki serger set to sew the pieces togeher. I sewed the back but seam first then the matching front seam.

This is the wide 3 thread overlock stitch I used.

After sewing the front and back seams I matched up the pants legs and sewed the legs closed. I also make sure to serge the opening of the legs and waist to make hemming easier.

Using a basic steam iron set for cotton. I pressed a three-quarter inch hem on the legs and a one and a quarter hem on the waist.

Using a regular singer sewing machine, The first thing I did was sew two button holes on the front of the pants under the hem edge. One on either side of the front seam. They were about an inch long. Not my fines work but serviceable.

The next bet of straight sewing was done with my 12 year old singer sewing machine. Using a straight stitch I sewed the waist and and leg hole hems.

Next I cut out a long strip of material two inches wide for the waist tie.

Using the steam iron set for cotton I double folded the waist tie fabric and and pressed it really well. Then sewed it down.

After sewing down the waist tie and finishing the edges I cut in half and sewed in a 2 inch piece of half inch elastic. This makes the pants fit more comfortably while lounging… there is a bit of give and they don’t dig in like traditional drawstring pants that are tied tight enough to stay on.

After carefully cutting open the button holes I threaded the waist tie though the waist band using a large safety pin.

And done! Pants achieved.