PJ bottoms in Simplicity 1605

Can you believe it? I've been doing a spot of selfless sewing!

Most of you will know that I don't particularly enjoy sewing for anyone else but me. Selfish, I know! The only times that I did engage in selfless sewing were for special occasions. Remember the matching bolero, the favours, and the baby blankets (1, 2, and there was actually one more)? Yep, it either had to be a wedding or birth to get me to sew for someone else.  

There was one exception. I also made a pair of flannel PJ bottoms for my hubby for our 2nd wedding anniversary (the gift was "cotton"), back in summer 2013. They were made with a lovely and soft cotton flannel, based on New Look 6764, and hubby wore them at home all the time, to the extent that some of the seams were slipping (!). TMI, sorry!

However, when we were in Hong Kong & Bali this time last year, hubby left those PJ bottoms in one of the hotels by mistake! He would like me to add that he was feeling rather unwell for a couple of days, and it was in a hazy state that this had happened.

   

Since then, those PJs were terribly missed by us both. Thankfully, I knew that I had initially bought too much of that fabric, so I desperately hoped that there was enough leftover from making the last pair so that I could knock up another as a surprise. 

As soon as I got my sewing room back, I dug out the flannel from my stash, and started measuring. Luckily, I just about had enough to make another pair, as long as I was not overly fussy with the pattern matching. 

I used a different pattern this time, due to some struggles with the fit with the last version. I chose Simplicity 1605, and cut a small. I have to admit, I much preferred the style with the Simplicity pattern, as it was much more relaxed, and in my view better serves the purpose of PJ bottoms/lounging around. In fact, the legs were so roomy that hubby asked me to take them in by half an inch from the bottom to just below the hips. 

In terms of the construction, these PJ bottoms were really straightforward to put together. The only thing I noted was that the pattern instructions ask for the crotch seams to be sewn before the in seams, whereas I know that I prefer to sew up the leg seams, before doing the inside out leg in other leg trick to sew up the crotch seams. Know what I mean? 

We are both really happy with the finished product, and it was lovely to see the surprise on hubby's face! That was almost enough for me to engage in more selfless sewing... almost! 

How about you? Do you prefer selfish sewing, or find sewing for others more rewarding?