Free Pattern Friday: Men's Movie Night Pajamas

Welcome to my monthly 'Free Pattern Friday' feature, where I road test a free sewing pattern or tutorial: sometimes a children's one, sometimes an adult's one . I publish these posts every first Friday of the month, timed to provide inspiration for those who plan to get their sew on over the weekend. I firmly believe that, if you pick your projects carefully, sewing doesn't have to be a crazy-expensive way to clothe yourself and your family. I also firmly believe that pattern designers deserve to be properly paid for their work, so if you enjoy using a pattern and can afford to do so, make sure you support that designer. Some designers' websites offer the option to make a donation, alternatively you can buy one of their paid-for products. If you can't afford to do so, you can support the designer by sharing your project via social media to help draw more attention to their work. Thanks to all the amazing pattern designers who have offered up their hard work for us to enjoy for free.

Oh have I got a good free pattern to tell you about today?! (Hint: yes.) Sew A Little Seam are a company that produce patterns for everyone, and have made this specific design for kids, women AND men. All three versions are available for free by joining their Facebook group. That will give you access to a code that you can use at the checkout on their site. The men's version in particular is a real find, because free patterns for men are thin on the ground (which reflects the comparative amount of regular men's patterns, of course). If you don't have a Facebook account, or wish to support Sew A Little Seam with a purchase, this pattern is only $5. Thanks so much to them for making their work available for free. Having used this one, I'll definitely be having a nose around on their site with an eye to buying any that catch my interest. 

(image source: Sew A  Little Seam)

Pattern type:

The Movie Night Panamas are a semi-fitted style designed for knit fabrics. The top pattern includes a number of style options: short or long sleeves (hemmed or cuffed) and with or without placket. The bottoms can be made with cuffs or simply hemmed.

Sizing info: 

This pattern is sized from XXS to 5X which translates to 32" to 50" chest. For Mr SoZo, I made the XS for the top and S for the bottoms, adding a little length to the sleeves and legs, and the fit is spot on in the fabric I used. 

Fabric info:

The pattern recommends cotton spandex, rib knits, thermals and French Terry, specifying that fabrics must have at least 50% horizontal stretch and 25% vertical stretch. I used a cotton/Lycra jersey bought from Fabric Godmother. I can't find it on their site now so I'm guessing they might have sold out. I love how the print is fun but the colours are pretty sophisticated! The camera hasn't quite caught how lovely the base teal colour is. 

Findings:

This is a really well produced pattern, IMO. I love that it includes both A4 and A0 files. I used the latter and got mine printed out to save sticking together endless pages myself. I'll be honest with you, I've made many patterns similar to this before, so I didn't really follow the instructions, but it came together flawlessly. 

The only alteration I made was the deepen the neckband a bit. In the modelled photos on the website it looked a little narrow to me. 

I actually made a pair of pyjamas for Mr SoZo about a year ago from a very similar pattern that I bought for a lot more than this would have been, and I greatly prefer this one. Mr SoZo also noted that the pattern for the bottoms could form the basis if you wanted to make joggers, and in the same vein the top pattern could be used as a basic T-shirt.  

Would I make it again?

Absolutely! This pattern is spot on for fit, and I'm very interested in seeing what 'outside' garments could be developed from the pattern also.