KCW: A Rare Boy Sighting (and pajamas)

We here at Crafterhours tend to focus on sewing for our 6 little girls and our 2 adult girl selves.  So it’s a rare day when you’ll see a boy round these parts.  This handsome little guy is in my daughter’s class and also goes to our church and his mom asked if I would sew up some jammies with some fabric she had purchased.  This isn’t just any fabric.  It’s Jim Thompson fabric.  If you haven’t heard of Jim Thompson, it’s actually a really fascinating story.  Main points: guy moves to Thailand with the OSS, likes it enough that he stays and gets involved with the silk industry, establishes silk factories all over Thailand and becomes THE name in Thai silk exports all over the world, goes to Malaysia on vacation and disappears off the face of the planet.  The end.

It didn’t end so happily for Mr. Thompson (although I like to think he disappeared so he could live out the rest of his days on a secluded beach somewhere, living in a hut and fishing for his dinner.  Although if Robert Ludlum has taught me anything it’s that he was offed by someone he wronged while in the OSS), but his legacy changed the face of the Thai silk industry and it’s a really interesting story if you’re looking for a biography to read.  The Jim Thompson company is similar to Liberty of London in terms of branding, quality, and types of production.  They are known for their gorgeous silks, but they also have proprietary designs that they print on other fabric substrates as well.  This popular elephant print is 100% cotton, but it feels like silk.  It is so smooth, light, and airy; perfect for PJs!  And you can bet I quintuple checked the directional print before I cut each pattern piece.  Sewing with someone else’s irreplaceable and expensive fabric = nailbiting suspense!  I’ve seen episodes of Downton with less drama.

But as you can see it worked out just perfectly.  The pattern is the Sweet Dreams Button Down PJs, generously donated to me by Amy of Peekaboo Patterns to review.  Even though I went all out and did contrasting cuffs and piping, it was still a really easy and quick sew.  If you have never worked with a collar or a facing with buttons, this is a great way to get your feet wet.  It’s super simple but has nice results.  And if something goes wrong, it’s just PJs, so ain’t nobody gonna see them anyway!  Just maybe practice with your own cheap fabric for your own kid if it’s your first time.  This pattern comes in sizes 3 months – 12 years, so it’s a fantastic deal.  I found the sizing to be pretty spot on.  This little guy is 5, and I made a size 6.  Just enough room to grow into without being enormous.  I think these jammies would be excellent for gifts and for Christmas sewing too.  And pjs are always a great way to use that licensed fabric that your kid begs for every time you go fabric shopping but you would never in a million years buy for an outfit.  I’m looking at you, Hello Kitty.

A big thanks to Peekaboo Patterns and my handsome little model!  Now I’m gonna leave so Susan can get in here with some more sewing projects!  She broke the seal, and I’m gonna force her to do every KCW now, muahahaha.