Sunday, October 5, 2014

Sorbetto and Prefontaine PJs: Cat Lady Sewing Challenge #1



When Erin at Miss Crayola Creepy announced The Cat Law Sewing Challenge, I was all at once feeling delighted, excited, and inspired about sewing with cat themed fabric, not to mention mildly embarrassed by those aforementioned feelings. I dove in headfirst, making two (well, three, really) garments for the challenge.  My two garments fall on either end of the cat-fabric spectrum.  Here's my first!
  


A lightbulb went off in my head when I read "cat themed fabric": I can finally use that cutesy, bizarre, somewhat creepy, but secretly awesome vintage cat fabric I snagged from my mom's stash last time I was at her place!! It's an old school white seersucker with little neon pink and teal kittens on it, all with slightly unnerving facial expressions:


Although I knew from the beginning that I was going to be using that fabric for the challenge, I didn't settle on what I would be making for weeks. Although I adore this fabric, I adore it in a sort of tongue-in-cheek way and can't really imagine wearing it outside of my house.  A bit twee for my style... but wearing inside my house? No prob. So, pajamas it was!




I decided to use a couple patterns I already had in my stash.  Tried and true, if you will: Colette Sorbetto tank (one of my first ever garment sewing projects!!) for the top and Made with Moxie Prefontaine shorts (my panda pair is so comfy!) for the bottoms. 


I highlighted my catty fabric with some teal piping I had in my stash that coordinated perfectly- I used it to finish the armholes and neckline of the top as well as the pockets, legs and sides of the shorts. Using my invisible zipper foot to get the stitches close to the piping, I sewed it to the right side of the fabric, then press the seam allowance to the right side and topstitched it down. A little bit bulky and stiff, in the end, but I hope it'll soften up somewhat after a few washes!