The sleeves of my dreams

Sleepwear with statement sleeves? Yes please!

Several years ago I discovered the fun of sewing my own sleepwear and I find it extremely rewarding. It's the part of my wardrobe that I wear 30% of the time, and the first thing I see in the mirror when I get up. Once I started looking at sleepwear as a serious part of my wardrobe it made sense to incorporate my favourite colours, prints and style elements and create a comfortable and pretty nighttime collection. And bonus: it's a nice way to try new silhouettes, like in this case a t-shirt dress.

Ottobre 5/2018

The pattern is from Ottobre magazine 5/2018 and comes in a dress and sweatshirt version.

The fabric is a beefy cotton double knit. I used the wider stripes for the bodice and sleeves and the smaller stripes for the cuffs and the bands. I made size 48 and lengthened the bodice (5 cm/2 inches) as Ottobre patterns are drafted for a height of 168 cm/5'6'' and I'm 173 cm / 5'8''. Next time I'll go down a size as the shoulders are a bit roomy.

I love the sleeves. There's a little shoulder dart and the pleats start just above the elbow. Of course the cuffs keep all that extra fabric in place, much appreciated when brushing teeth or making breakfast. The overall style is a bit too sporty for my taste for daytime wear, although with a few changes like a v-neck it might work as a sweater. I couldn't be happier with the colour, it's a perfect match with the kimono style robe that I made in 2018.

Simplicity 1563

I'm not as brave this time so a few barefoot bedtime shots will have to do!

Show those sleeves!

Now I'm off to organise a birthday party for my creative photographer, aka mr Foxgloves.

Happy weekend!