A Summer Tradition: Sewing with Nieces

The human soul can always use a new tradition.  

Sometimes we require them.  

~ Pat Conroy

Every year, my mother-in-law comes down to Florida to visit us and, for the last few years, she's been bringing her two great-granddaughters with her.  We've gotten into the habit of doing some sewing together, and it has become one of my favorite times of the summer.  :)

This year they decided on fleece pajama bottoms and picked out very "cool" fleece prints - the almost-17-year-old picked out the bright pink on your left and the almost-13-year-old went for the green and black animal print on your right.  (And there will be some iron-on rhinestone bling too - but you'll have to wait for the final reveal to see that!)

I decided to use this one-seam, symmetrical pants pattern, because it is simple and produces comfy pants.

I really like how this pattern works - you tape together a template that has the shape of the waist and crotch at one end and the shape of the cuff at the other end.  Then you determine the desired length of the pants by taking a measurement on the person.

You mark the desired length measurement (plus extra for hem, waistband, etc.) on a piece of pattern drafting paper and then trace the outline of the template at each end of that line.  Then you connect the 2 bits to yield a pattern that is exactly the right length.  Cool, huh?

The girls have been sewing with me for several years now and they are doing more and more of it on their own - by next year, the only thing they'll need me for is to pay for the fabric!  ;)

This year, between work, taking care of our temporary foster teen and a mild stomach flu, I am barely able to spend any time with them and I hate that.  But we are squeezing in our sewing time - one of my favorite summer traditions.  :)

I hope to have model shots of the completed pj bottoms soon!  :)