Winter Pajamas...I Mean Lounge Wear

 I remember getting new flannel nightgowns at Christmas time from both my mother and my grandmother.  I remember one year in particular where I got a matching flannel nightgown for one of my many baby dolls.  It was made from white flannel covered in tiny purple rose buds, and I love, love, loved it.  I thought my children might also enjoy Christmas pajamas with matching pajamas for their special "friends".

"Monkey" and "Strawberry Cake" sporting their new pajamas.

On Baby Boy's second Christmas, even though we were in the middle of moving to Japan I managed to make several pairs of pajama bottoms for him, with matching ones for my husband and some that fit "Black Kitty" and "Baby" ( he wasn't very creative with names).  The plan at the time was to do the same every year.  But, by the time the next Christmas rolled around I was pregnant with Baby Girl and mostly just nauseous (or worse) all the time.  We had a pause in the tradition....you might even say a pregnant pause...sorry.  Last year I was back on my creative game and gave both the children new flannel pajamas....well I suppose legally we must call them lounge wear...the night before Christmas.  "Monkey" and Baby Girl's doll, "Lisa" got matching "lounge wear." 

I can't believe how long those legs are getting!

Fast forward to this year.   I found an online "Pajama Party"  and I thought it would be fun to participate.  I also thought this would be an excellent opportunity to fine tune my pattern grading skills.  So I put last year's pattern on the computer, graded it, printed it out, and voila! ...we have this year's jammies.  I was pretty stoked that it worked out...yes, these things make me very excited.  Everything went together very well and fit very nicely. There a few details I like to add.  I always add a button to the fronts of Bouncing Boys pants so he can tell the front from the back.   I cut the sleeves for Baby Girl's gowns on the bias so I can add "lettuce leafing" around the hem of the sleeve, it gives it a little extra frill.

Lettuce leafing around the sleeve

I decided to add a jammie top for Bouncing Boy this year.  All kinds of elaborate plans ran through the ol' mind.  But, no printer ink ruled out iron on transfers, everything I've painted on fabric since moving here has washed out so I crossed out that idea, and the silk screening things, however untouched they may be, are John's present from last year.  So I opted to go low tech.  I bought a white undershirt and drew on it with a blue Sharpie, then I colored on it with Crayola fabric crayons.  I decided to draw a picture of Bouncing Boy's bicycle, it goes with the bike theme on his pants, but personalized it a bit.  He was very excited I drew his bike.

So the children think they have their Christmas jammies early.....hehehe.  Little do they know I have snowman fabric waiting to be the Christmas Eve jammies.  

One last photo...last year's jammies...just to see how much they have grown!