TNT PJ Pants: McCall's 2476

It's great to have a project that provides immediate sewing satisfaction. For me, that project is pajama pants. They provide an opportunity to use fun prints, go together quickly, and don't require much fitting. And, they're something I can wear all the time so I can make plenty of them.

My TNT for pajamas is McCall's 2476, which is still in print and has patterns for a top, gown, shorts, and robe in addition to the pants. But really, there are a lot of patterns like this around. I saw one at the sewing machine store that cost $15.00 for simple pj pants and a pillowcase (!). That's just wrong. This is one time to wait until Joann's has a pattern sale.

Anyway, I digress. The last time I used this pattern, I cut the pants out assembly-line style. I laid out 4 different cottons on my cutting table, pinned on the 2 pattern pieces, and rotary cut through all layers. 8 in all. The hardest part was lining up the fabrics and smoothing them out. Then I had 4 pair ready to go, for whenever I had the need for a quick sewing fix.


Last night, I was in one of those moods at about 10:30. My serger was back from the shop and I felt the need to do some sewing. So I pulled out my pre-cut pajamas and picked the fabic that best matched the thread in the machine. All assembly was done by 11:00. Ahh, bliss. All that was left was hems and casings, which I quickly finished up this evening. Voila, I have another pair of pajama pants for lounging and sleeping. By the way, the fabric is still available from eQuilter; it's called "Everglade Postcards."

I've also sewn these pants assembly line style. It helps to use fabrics in similar shades, then you don't have to switch out your serger or sewing machine thread between pants. It doesn't take that much longer to make 3 or 4 pair than one.

Yes, I could have fussed with this project at every stage: tweaked the fit, fussy cut the fabric, etc., etc. However, I believe that not every project has to be couture quality. As my friend Kim K. says, "Sometimes done is better than perfect." There are times when it's just right to sew something that's easy, relaxing, and fun. Something that brings a smile to your face when you've completed it and another smile when you wear it. I encourage you to find a project like this one. It doesn't have to be pajamas, find what works for you. Something easy to cut, easy to sew, lends itself to multiples and immediate gratification.