Cashmerette released the Fiske Sleepwear Set which was packed full of options. There is a camisole and nightgown, there is also the classic pajama set with nightshirt option and to top it all, a gown as well. This time, I chose to sew the Fiske nightshirt with pajama shorts. Even within the set, it came with a lot of options. The detail I was most interested trying was the piping.
The pajama set is made for woven fabric, so I was looking for something comfortable for sleepwear. I was drawn to this XL gingham from Spotlight Stores. It’s 100 percent cotton and softly lightweight. It did add a degree of challenge with the pattern matching but I really enjoyed taking the time cutting and thinking about pattern placement. Sewing mindfully is something I try to do so even though it added to the difficulty, it also adds to the enjoyment of the project. My tip with pattern matching is to make sure you buy a little bit more fabric than suggested. My fabric width was 114cm and I bought 3 meters. I think I ended up using 2.5m for the nightshirt and used the rest to sew up the pajama shorts without cuffs.
I’ve sewn quite a few Cashmerette Patterns now so I can judge my sizing quite easily. There is a Cashmerette Sizing Tool available, and I used this consistently when I first started sewing their patterns. For my nightshirt, I chose to make the size 10 for my measurements of 38-inch bust, 33-inch waist and I made the size 12 for the pyjama shorts (33-inch waist and 40-inch hips). Both fit very comfortably and I find them both true to size.
The instructions were easy to follow and were both written and illustrated. There was only one point of confusion which was when I got to sewing the shorts. My waistband did not fit and was too long, so I ended up removing about 5cm from both waistbands which worked. I haven’t had a chance to check on the chat forums in Cashmerette Club. I have a feeling that the waistbands might have been made to fit the shorts with the stripe which I did not attach. On occasions like this, I really appreciate the club chat forum!
The piping was surprisingly easy to attach. The instructions were very detailed, and everything was outlined step by step, so I think this went a long way in making it easy for a beginner. I had a moment around the collar and lapel because I hadn’t run the piping far enough around the dot marked on the pattern piece. It’s all in the instructions so I just had to follow more carefully.
So happy to be adding this to my Cashmerette makes. I’ll be trying out the other options included in this pattern bundle soon. I’ve been making Cashmerette patterns for a while now and Cashmerette have generously provided their collaborators a discount link. If you’ve been planning to try out a sewing club, you can use my link to get a discount for yourself! Please see below for all the details.
The All Access level of Cashmerette Club is 25% off through November 30th. And if you sign up my special link, you can get 25% off All Access AND an extra special gift: a bonus free Cashmerette PDF pattern of your choice! Here’s how it works:
- Go to cashmerette.com/emsewhappy and add the free gift to your cart. (This is an affiliate link. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking this link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.)
- Then go to cashmerette.com/club and add All Access to your cart
- Complete the checkout and within a few minutes, you’ll receive an email with a coupon code that you can use for a free PDF pattern.
Thanks for reading and happy sewing!
X Em
Em Sew Happy Blog 