Big Brother Pajamas

I adore pajamas. They were the first real thing I learned to sew, and I've been sewing them ever since. I especially love to make them as gifts. This pair was for my big brother, who turned the big three-oh this week! (Mr. Modiste kindly modeled them so they could make an appearance on the blog.)

(These look like plain green, but they're actually a fun herringbone print.)

When I make PJs for men I always use McCalls 2586, which is a seriously wide-leg pattern. This photo illustrates that point a little better:

My brother is quite tall. 6'4", I believe. While in the midst of making these I started to worry they were going to be too short, so I added a bit of extra length by cutting separate pieces for the cuffs. In the end, this may have been overkill, as you'll notice how long they are here on Mr. Modiste. (He's 6'3".) But, who cares? They're pajamas! (This is my favourite phrase when sewing pajamas... and probably one of the reasons I love sewing them so much!) Besides, isn't it a bit of a fun novelty for people who are 6'4" to have a pair of pants that are too long? Well, I hope so!

Now for a few details! First, the afterthought cuff:

I actually sort of like the way this looks, with the double-row of stitching.

French seams again:

This time I did a proper french seam for the crotch seam, rather than the faux french seam like last time. It worked out great. I did reinforce it, as the pattern suggested, which turned out nice and clean looking.

I really do love making these as gifts. They're easy to fit without having to tell the recipient what you're making, it's fun to pick out flannel prints for each person you make them for, and they're quick and forgiving to sew (not to mention comfy for the recipient to wear!) Homemade gifts were especially valued in my house growing up, so I try to make sure to make my Dad and brother at least one big gift a year. (Much to the confusion of a helpful Fabricland employee who once tried to whisper to me that it was cheaper to just go and buy a pair at Wal-Mart, lol.)

Hopefully my brother likes them!