Thrifty, Phase I

Last week, I uploaded this photo to my Flickr photostream with the description saying something to the effect of “wait till you see what I do with these!”

What you see is an old, 70′s style mirror and a flowered twin-size flat sheet. I haven’t gotten to the mirror yet, but look at what I did with the sheet:

Pajama pants! What’s better than laying in bed all day? Wearing your softest bed sheet around the house, that’s what. I bought the sheet for $2.99 and if it hadn’t been so faded in the middle, forcing me to make wasteful, strategic cuts, I could have gotten two pairs of PJs from one sheet.

The pattern is from Amy Butler’s “In Stitches” book and it was the first pattern that I used and (almost) followed. Now I love Amy Butler, her fabrics are dreamy and her patterns seem to be idiot-proof, but I have to complain about the photo in the book. Here’s it is – the Wide Leg Lounge Pants (as Amy calls them):

See the coordinating trim on the legs and the waistband? Cute, right? They are not in the pattern. Well the leg trim is in the pattern, but not the waist. I originally planned to make pajama pants for my sister as a birthday gift and I had it in my head that the pants would be a cute polka dot fabric with a coordinating striped fabric on the waist and legs. I was bummed to find there were no instructions to make the coordinating waist and decided to hack at the pattern myself. It came out… OK. They’re cute, and comfy, and they didn’t rip up the back when I sat down, but the waist seam isn’t straight and well, who’s fault is that? It’s AMY’s for leading me on with her adorable pants picture!

Here’s the only shot I took of Andrea’s PJs before I wrapped them. It was nighttime so sorry for the grainy picture:

So next time, I think I’ll just abandon the thought of the coordinated waist, follow the pattern, and use an old sheet cause, MAN! they’re soft. And yes, there will be a next time. I think the sheet pants might turn into my new summer outfit.

Tags: Amy Butler