Tuesday 28 January 2014

KCW Project 1: Nightie in Japanese lawn


I did an audit of my daughter's summer nightwear options and found the following: a size 2 'dora the explorer' nightie which barely covers her undies, a ridiculously tiny singlet-and-shorts set, and a home-sewn nightie which wasn't all that well-made to begin with and is now far too short. An embarrassing and pathetic selection, never mind that it's been too hot in Melbourne recently to wear anything at all (as I write this it's 7pm and still 41 degrees).

So in order to give my poor daughter something decent to wear (and because I wanted to try out this pattern from one of my new books) my first Kids Clothes Week project is a nightie. An old-fashioned long nightie with lots of frills and lace. R likes it so much that she wants to wear it as a dress. In anticipation of this problem I had chosen a very 'nightie-ish' floral fabric... but hey, I don't mind if it makes the odd switch from night to daywear.



Details are:

Pattern: from Girly Style Wardrobe. This pattern has no letter designation, which is weird, but it's the dress (nightie?) on the back cover. It doesn't have much in the way of instructions either, but then, it's not exactly complicated to sew.

Fabric: Japanese cotton lawn from Spotlight. I love using fabric from this range because it's lovely and soft, and if you don't mind the slightly crumpled look you can get away without ironing it. The dress has cotton lace trim on the hem and also on the front and back neckline. Putting it on the back was an accident which resulted in my having to add a label so R would be able to tell front from back. So I cut out the 'made in Japan' part from the fabric selvedge and used that. R can't read, so she's unlikely to comment on the inaccuracy of the label... yet.


It may not be made in Japan, but if the weather ever returns to a more civilised temperature it will make for a very comfortable (and frilly) night's sleep.

10 comments:

  1. Very pretty! Love the lace trim.
    I sewed so many pairs of winter pyjamas and never got around to summer ones, so my kids are nudey sleepers in this heat too!

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    1. Thanks :) I was SO happy to get up to a lovely cool morning today - what a relief.

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  2. That's lovely! She looks so comfortable and cool too. Thanks for sharing the pattern source -- I have that book too but never bothered to look on the back page -- I will now!

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    1. The photo is on the back cover, and also on p32 of the book - but the actual pattern is tucked away on p83, between patterns S and T.

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  3. So cute and the fabric looks so comfortable! A also is wearing her "Dora" pj size 4 and it is getting shorter and shorter as I wash it.. maybe I need to sew some pjs too!

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  4. This really is beautiful. So girly (and yes 'Frozen' - so clever!)
    I ordered a pattern to make a similar one and it arrived today. I can't wait to get started!

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    1. Thanks Katy. Everything is 'Frozen' around here these days... enjoy sewing your nightie!

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  5. Lovely! As I think more about this, I think I am going to want to make one very soon. I think this fabric choice works very well for this patterns. Good work Marisa!

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    1. Yes, you must make one, it will be gorgeous on N. R has worn hers almost every night since I made it.

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