Hello Readers,

After a particularly stressful exam season (which I should have expected as I am in the masters year of my degree!), I have decided to take a break from blogging. I will still be adding new items to my Etsy shop, so be sure to keep checking for new products, but feel I should be dedicating my time to my studies (as much as I would love to just make things and share them with you!).

I'm in the final stretch of my degree and making important decisions about what to do next and all I want to do is stay at home, drag my fabric out and get crafting! Silly, I know!

And you never know... I might be back sooner than I think!

Thanks for your patience

- Faye :o)

Time for my very first tutorial post!

I don't know about you, but I have always had a camera shoved in my face on Christmas morning, so I always try and make an effort to look at least half decent when I wake up. This year I decided that I would make myself some fabulous festive pyjamas for Christmas morning.

Materials

• 2 metres of 45" non-stretch fabric

• 0.5 metres of contrasting fabric for the cuff (if desired)

• Matching thread

• 2 metres of ribbon

• 1-2 metres elastic

(the fabrics I used were eskimo pie flannel for the main fabric and some grey snowflake fabric from JoAnn for the cuff)

The pyjama pants have to be made in two steps - the front and back pieces.

The back has a longer slope to the crotch and are slightly wider than the front, so it is important to make the pieces in two steps to ensure a good fit.

1. Firstly choose some well fitting (preferably non-stretch) pyjama pants to use as a template. Turn the pyjama pants inside out to reveal the seams, pressing if necessary.

*Top tip* It is easier to put one leg inside the other to draw the pattern onto the fabric.

2. Starting with the back of the pyjama pants, fold your fabric in half and pin the outer leg seam to the fabric, as shown in photo 1 below.

Draw along the outer leg seam about 0.25" away from the existing seam, extending the pattern up by 2.5" for the elastic casing. At this point, decide how long you want your pyjama pants to be and whether you will be including a cuff. If not, simply extend the pattern down by 1.5" for hemming later.

3. If you are including a cuff, adjust the pattern accordingly: I included a 5" cuff, shortening the pattern by drawing a line 4.5" up from the bottom of the pyjama pants.

4. Carefully unpin and roll the back piece so the inside leg seam is flat on the fabric and repin along this seam. Draw along the inside leg seam about 0.25" away from the existing seam.

*Top tip* Pin the back piece to the fabric about halfway across so the piece doesn't move too much when you roll the pattern piece over.

5. The front pieces are much simpler - just pin the front piece of the pyjama pants onto the folded fabric and draw around 0.25" away from the existing seam, extending up by 2.5" for the elastic casing and adjusting the length if necessary.

6. Cut all the pieces out - you should have 4 pieces in total (2 front and 2 back). It is easy to tell the difference between the front and back pieces as the back piece is noticeably wider (see photo below).

At this point, you should cut out your cuff fabric. Fold the cuff fabric in half and trace the bottom of the pant pattern (front and back) to the length that you decided for your cuffs (ie 5" for my pyjama pants), extending the pattern down by 1.5" for hemming later.

7. Sew the cuffs onto the bottom of each leg piece, right sides together. Topstitch an eighth of an inch away from the seam, sewing the seam allowance down.

8. Take one front piece and one back piece and pin together along the inside leg seam, matching the cuff seams. Sew along this seam using 0.5"seam allowance, finishing the edge with either a zigzag or overlocking stitch, or pinking the seam. Do the same for the other leg.

9. Take both sewn pieces and pin right sides together along the crotch line, matching the seams as you go. The two pieces should now match up (front-to-front and back-to-back). Sew along this seam using 0.5"seam allowance, finishing the edge with either a zigzag or overlocking stitch, or pinking the seam.

10. Now turn so the outside leg seams match up front-to-back right sides together (this can be tricky) and pin, carefully matching the cuff seams (these will be more visible). They should look like inside-out pyjamas at this point. Sew the outside leg seam using 0.5"seam allowance, finishing the edge with either a zigzag or overlocking stitch, or pinking the seam.

Turn the pyjama pants right side out.

11. Now press the waist seam down 0.5" towards the inside of the pants. Press the seam down enough to accommodate your elastic - I used 1.5" wide elastic and pressed the seam down by 2".

12. Before sewing the waistband down, make 2 buttonholes for the ribbon. Measure 0.5" out from the centre seam on the front of the pants in both directions and make a mark. Make the buttonholes long enough the accommodate your ribbon.

13. Sew down the waistband, leaving a 4" gap at the back. Insert the elastic through the gap using a large safety pin to guide it through (see the photographs below). Try on the pyjama pants and adjust the elastic for a comfortable fit. Securely sew the elastic together, then sew the gap in the waistband closed, matching the stitch lines for neatness.

14. Insert the ribbon through the buttonholes, using a safety pin as a guide. Fold the ends of the ribbon over and sew to prevent fraying.

15. Hem the bottom of the pants legs to the desired length. I hemmed by folding and pressing the bottom the pants 0.5" up, then folding and pressing 1" up and sewing in place.

Tadaaah! Done! All ready to look fabulous on Christmas morning.

For a matching pyjama top, I used the Colette Sorbetto top pattern, using the cuff fabric for the main fabric and making bias tape from the remaining main colour fabric of the pants. (Sorry, I haven't got any photos!)

- Faye :o)

... yep, I've been watching the Lorax!

I had one of these moments on the train home from uni the other week. I saw a guy with a neat and tidy haircut and a big, scruffy beard (he was probably about my age), knitting a beautiful fairisle Christmas jumper. I have never seen anyone knit fairisle so quickly and neatly in my life. I stood watching him for a while - probably freaking him out! There were a couple of fairly burly guys getting ready to leave the train when they spotted him and instead of the usual jeering remarks that we have unfortunately come to expect, they too just stood and watched him in amazement. I couldn't help but smile.

It made me realise that people are impressed by your talents; so I shouldn't be afraid to admit that even though I am a 21 year old student, I actually enjoy doing a bit of knitting or making people Christmas presents instead of buying them, because it means more.

And if you are making someone a Christmas present, I hope they realise the true value of your efforts :o)

- Faye :o)

P.S. I am soooooo excited for Christmas!!

Hello!

Ste and I have been preparing for the Christmas craft fair at Ladybridge High School by making retro hand embroidered felt brooches - I love it when we join forces in craft :o)

Despite a serious lack of spare time, I have managed to sneak sewing into my agenda and will be showcasing my new bag design (see photos for a sneak peek)

Details of the Christmas Craft Fair:

Friday 16th November, 5-9pm

Ladybridge High School, Junction Road, New York, Bolton, BL3 4NG.

See you there!

Faye & Ste :o)