This post is so late… Reef pattern went live over a couple weeks ago and I am JUST writing about it. Boo! Thank you, Valeria, for reminding me đ Lately I have been preoccupied with other things and haven’t had much time for sewing. As I mentioned before, we are moving in a couple weekends, and then there is an out of town wedding this coming weekend, and to top it off I enrolled Skye into reactive dog classes which she is attending 3 times a week. Life has been busy and exciting! Although I do manage to sneak away a few hours, or even minutes, here and there to sew, overall my sewing time went down significantly and I really miss it. I am sure though that soon all the things will get back into a routine so for now I am enjoying a change of pace and all the new and exciting things in my life.
Earlier this year, in late spring or so, I was lucky enough to be one of the testers for Megan Nielsen’s new pattern – Reef Camisole and Shorts Set. I was so excited to test it out!! The pattern attracted me for a couple reasons. First off, the cross over feature at the back of the tank is awesome! Secondly, I am a fan of racer-back tanks. And thirdly, I need more pj’s. Stat. I am still wearing the ones I got for myself a couple years after I finished university… I graduated a long time ago, a very long time ago. The shorts are very faded and stretched and the top… well, it certainly has seen better days.
I decided to give both the tank and the shorts a try. For the shorts I chose Version 3 – short shorts, with a straight hemline, that sit at the hips. I started off with constructing the tank. Even though the construction steps seem quite involved, it came together within a reasonable time. You don’t have to finish the neckline and armoholes with bias tape as everything is finished with facing, which makes it quicker. The overlapping back yoke is self finished.
The tank looks very neat and tidy from the outside! I stitched the facing to the body along the side seams so that it lies flat. However, it still flips up at the center when I put the camisole on, but it is easily tucked back in.
The shorts were super easy to make! There are very few things that are easier to make than these shorts. I didn’t do any adjustments to the pattern, both shorts and camisole, and they came out fitting me perfectly. The shorts do fit quite loose in the legs so if you are thinking of making these to wear outside of the house, I would recommend making the longer version.
I used cotton for both shorts and camisole. The solid fabric came in coordinating color to the patterned one and I decided that it looked better as a set this way, rather than making both camisole and shorts out of the same fabric. In the photo above you can see my bralette peeking though on the side, I didn’t dare to go bra-less for photos!
I am really happy with my new, now old, pj set! It’s very comfy and I love feeling quite put together when I go to bed and wake up. It’s certainly an upgrade from a worn-out and faded pair of knit shorts and an old wine stained t-shirt. Those two together with hair in high bun and overnight face mask with pink spot treatment cream make for a very sexy look. What can I say, I like to keep things seductive around here.
Speaking of seductive, I certainly did not wake up looking like I do in these pictures. This is not even close to the truth! That hair took some time to make it into the “oh so perfectly tussled, I woke up like this” look and the make up is all “oh, no I am not wearing any, my skin is naturally this perfect and blush-y and my eye lashes are really this long and black”. Yeah, internet lies. So if you look at the photos and think that you don’t wake up like this, don’t feel bad, neither do I. And if you do wake up like this, I want to know your secret.
However, I am pleased to point out that the headboard in the back of the photos is one of the finished re-upholstery project by yours truly. It was picked up for $40 and was originally covered in black leather. I’ve added memory foam to it, tufted it and re-covered it in this gorgeous neutral fabric. I wish I took photos of it as I was working on it a year ago.
On that note, have you sewn pj’s? What is your favorite pattern? I need more!
Love,
Anya
p.s. There is also nothing in that coffee mug. It’s empty. I don’t ever wake up, and lounge around my bedroom looking all put together and relaxed with coffee in my hand while checking out cat pictures on internets…
Anya, these came out really nice! And the fabric pairing… beautiful.
Thank you very much, Abbey!
Oh, you are welcome! I won’t let you hide such a previous make!đđ and the photos are really great. I was thinking for some time to make some pjs, (mine are not from uni, I left them all in Russiađ, lol, but they are also pretty old) there is one from tilt and the buttons and I also saw one from closet case files, and I always (while planning) had on my mind how I’ll be relaxing in the house in pjs, but the reality is as it is, I never do it, lol….
haha I am glad you did! I saw the closet case one on Heather (@heatherandthepugs on Instagram) and I fell in love with it. I definitely want to give it a try! And I agree, I always think how great it would be to relax and chill in the house in my pj’s but it just never happens. Never!
These look fantastic! And your disclaimer at the end made me laugh! Does anyone actually wake up looking so put together?
Thank you! And right?! Who does? lol
Anya, I’m so glad I found you and your blog! I love your posts and you always give me a little chuckle. This PJ set looks great and I love the colours! I still love the Carolyn pjs, but I think it might be nice to try a set with a tank top for summer. I have the Tilly & the Buttons Fifi, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Aw, thank you! I am so glad my writing makes some one chuckle and smile. I think I am still finding my voice.
I really want to try Carolyn pjs! Especially after seeing yours. I think you sold me on the pattern đ I hope I make them for fall/winter. I think they will be super cozy.
Ha ha! I really love your honesty, particularly about the empty coffee cup! The pjs look fab, and I like the different but coordinating fabrics. I haven’t made pyjamas because sewing time is limited and there are too many clothes to be made. But I have been thinking recently that it would be a good use of stash fabric that I am less inclined to wear in public – prints that are no longer my style, for instance. If I ever get the time.
haha I really don’t want to make anybody feel like it is all easy and glamorous over here lol
Thank you! I hear you, it is so hard to justify making pjs when there are so many other things you can make… That’s why if I am going to make pjs they need to be easy and fast, so that they don’t take away precious sewing time. That’s a cool idea to use the fabrics that you don’t like anymore… I will have to borrow it!