Pajama Pant Sew Storm Is Just Beginning

December 3, 2009 10:06 pm Belinda sewing

It is very interesting that we’re having another pajama pant sew storm this year, and our weather forecast includes snow! :o   For this area, that’s unusual, especially this early in the season.  Hmmm…I wonder if there is a connection to the pj pant sew storm?! ;) :D

This year, I have decided to  sew pj pants, but I also will be sewing tops to go with them, and I”ll share those projects with you here as well—if my camera cooperates, that is.   These tops are easy to sew and are pull over style tops, so there are no buttonholes to sew.

Ok, back to pj pant sewing…. 

The first step is to sew the inner leg together,  I pin the inner leg seams together in such a way that I am sewing from the bottom of the pants leg up toward the crotch area.  (Be sure that you don’t sew over pins; pull them out as you’re sewing. ) When this seam has been sewn, press the seam as stitched,  and then press it open over a seam roll.  I like to press from both the wrong side and the right side.  This is very easy to do since the pajama pants leg is still open on one side.

                    pc sgn sd lg sm pnd

                    pc sgn swg inr lg sm

                    pc sgn prsng inr lg sm as stchd

                    pc sgn prsng inr lg ovr sm rol

Also, remember that flannel tends to fray, so prior to sewing the pj pants, you need to finish the raw edges in some way.  I serge finish them, but you could also zigzag or overcast the raw edges, or you could sew the seams and then trim them with pinking shears, also referred to as “pinking” the seams.

Sewing the inner leg seam is the first step in sewing pajama pants.  The next step is equally as easy; sewing the outer leg/side seam.  More about that in the next post.

In the meantime, here is a link that will take you the first page of a tutorial, complete with pictures,  for sewing shorts.  The techniques for sewing shorts and pajama pants are basically the same, but pj pants are just longer.

www.sewseamless.com/Page33.html

Happy Sewing!

www.sewseamless.com
2 Responses

  1. Alma :

    Date: December 4, 2009 @ 12:24 am

    Hi Belinda,
    I have made pj’s before and hope to start again soon. (although I missed the great sale at Joann’s last week on flannel!) I was wondering if you ever made flat fell seams on your pj’s? I guess the serged edges would have less bulk, but wondered if you have used this method.
    thanks.

  2. Belinda :

    Date: December 4, 2009 @ 2:25 pm

    Hi, Alma!
    No, I’ve never made flat fell seams on the pj pants, but I have sewn the seams on a regular sewing machine, (that way, I’m sure that I have an accurate 5/8 inch seam allowance) and then serged them and pressed the seam to one side, as opposed to finishing the raw edges and then pressing the seams open after they have been sewn. This is a faster method for sewing pj pants, but there is more bulk in the waist area, which is the main reason that I tend to finish the raw edges and press the seams open. I suppose if you sewed this type of seam down, it would be a type of a faux flat fell seam, and it might slightly reduce the bulk in the waistline area, but there would still be more bulk than with the other method. The biggest problem with that is that the extra bulk tends get in the way when you’re trying to insert elastic in the waistline casing.

    JoAnn’s is having another great sale–and flannel is on sale once again! ;) :)