** Update: The Everyday Essentials pattern is now available here in the EYMM shop! **
When I bought this floral fabric from the Girl Charlee KnitFix Plus sale in March, I didn’t really have a plan for it. Once it arrived in the mail, however, I knew by the feel and drape that it was destined to become a beautiful nightgown. I just had to wait patiently for the Everyday Essentials pattern to be perfected through testing. 😉
I chose to make an above the knee length nightgown with a couple small modifications. This rayon spandex jersey is deliciously soft, but is a rather thin blend without much recovery. Because of this, I decided to make the bodice fully lined, so I cut two back bodice pieces and four front (two left- and two right-facing). I felt like the fabric might be a little clingy so the second mod I made was to grade out a size through the waist and hips to help it glide over my midsection. I also finished the bottom with a “lettuce-edge” rolled hem on my serger.
Rather than basting the lining to the main bodice pieces and treating them as one throughout, as the pattern suggests, I wanted to try to “hide” the seam allowances between the two layers. The crossover needs the binding to pull it in and keep from gaping, so I sandwiched the neckline binding between the outer and lining. After sewing the shoulder seams on both bodices, I pinned them with right sides together, placing the binding in the middle. I was careful to keep the raw edges of the binding aligned with the neckline’s raw edge as I sewed.
I debated with myself on how to best finish the armholes and whether they needed the binding or not. I decided to sew them with right sides together, before turning the bodice right side out and stitching the side seams. I forgot to take pictures along the way, but this is the same manner as you’d make a fully-lined sleeveless dress bodice. After attaching the lining and stitching the side seams, I turned the whole bodice right side out and continued construction as though it were one layer.
I was trying to conceal the seam allowances for a “pretty” finish inside the bodice. In retrospect, I realized the armholes need the binding or FOE to pull them in a bit. It’s not terrible, but is loose-ish so next time, I plan to stitch the side seams and place them wrong sides together, treating them as one while finishing the armholes.
I love my new nightgown! It is so soft and comfortable that it’s almost like sleeping in nothing. It will be perfect for hot summer nights in our non-air conditioned upstairs. My husband has said I should make a couple more and I think I will do just that! LOL
Have you scooped up your copy of the Everyday Essentials yet? If not, you better get it today before the Bundle Up sale** goes away! Otherwise, you’ll have to wait a couple weeks for it to be released individually. By then, school will be out for summer (at least it will be in my neck of the woods) and at my house that means self-care sewing time gets cut in half! As always, we’d love to see your creations on the EYMM Facebook page or in the EYMM group!
Happy Sewing!! ~ Joelle
** Update: The Everyday Essentials pattern is now available here in the EYMM shop! **
Leave a Reply