Harry Potter and the Christmas pyjamas

Not so much Christmas pyjamas as pyjamas made and gifted at Christmas ( I have yet to find a Christmas novelty print that has won me over!). My eldest daughter got well and truly hooked on the Harry Potter series this year after a generous friend gave her the box set. Much as I love an excuse to make a costume I wanted to make something that would get a bit more wear so decided on a pyjama set with cosy cloak/dressing gown.

I used a free raglan t-shirt pattern from Naptime Creations for the top cutting out the pieces first and then, before assembly, I painted the Hogwarts logo onthe front panel. To make this an easier job I printed out the logo and put it underneath the white cotton jersey on a light box (windows work well too) so I could trace over the design using a black fabric pen.  Once the outline was finished I coloured in the design using fabric paints. 
 The pyjama bottoms were self-drafted and made from super-soft maroon cotton velour with black ribbing contrast waistband/pockets.

I freehand cut the very simple shapes for the cloak/gown using the same velour as a lining and a black cotton sweat-shirting for the outer layer. (All fabrics were bought in Simply Fabrics, Brixton) I bought the Gryffindor crest for the cloak on eBay and the frog fastener at Simply Fabrics.As expected H was delighted with her gift and is now coming up with increasingly imaginative reasons not to get dressed.

The next challenge was how I could make my younger daughter something similar that she would like as much. I fell back on the pink, patterned and glittery route, which, much to my irritation appeals to my 3 year old as voraciously as mainstream convention would lead you to expect. I used the Fishtail Kimono pattern by Chalk and Notch for the gown and patterned sweat-shirting from The Sweet Mercerie.

For the rest of the pyjama set I made a white long sleeve t-shirt using the Rowan Tee pattern adding a glittery heart motif using iron-on vinyl (also bought from eBay). The harem pant style sweatpants made in the same pink sweat-shirting were also self-drafted/freehand cut.

Both girls also received a pair of slippers because they had none, and if the thought of their little toes getting cold wasn’t motivation another, the daily awakening by said cold toes getting into my bed definitely was. I drafted the pattern with bits of paper first and then made them up using a beautiful boiled wool from Fabrics Galore lined with fleece and scraps of leather for the soles. I may yet make a pair for myself and share the pattern.

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