Simplicity 9505, View E Nightgown

I finished up a prototype nightgown from this pattern on Tuesday night. I made View E, which is at the upper right of the illustration.






I cut it out of a JoAnn's remnant about a week ago, then started sewing it Monday, the last day of my Independence Day staycation. This is such an easy pattern, but also comfortable and cute--what a great combination!



I simplified the sewing with liberal use of the serger. For example, the arm openings are serged and turned vs. the application of bias binding. Side seams are serged. The casing edges and hem are serged to finish, then turned and sewn. Sometimes when I sew, I tend to wander in and out of the sewing room and work piecemeal. That was the case this time, so I don't know if the pattern actually lived up to its billing as a 2 Hour Pattern. Probably.


The only major change I made after completion was to add a teensy bit of shaping to the side seams. Because the gown is basically a tube, and I'm not, I ended up with these...wings...under my arms that I just couldn't get rid of. Ugggghhhh!! So I pulled off the gown and sewed a wedge (in effect, a dart) under each arm. The base at the underarm is 1-3/8" wide and the length is 8-1/4". Much better! The wedges are only one step up from basting so I'll have to make a permanent change after laundering the gown. I tested it by wearing it to bed, and it was great!


So yesterday, I made the adaptations to the pattern tissue and cut out 3 more gowns. I've already made the second one. Since Gown 1 is in the laundry, here's Gown 2 that was completed last night:





These gowns are comfortable in the heat, but not too bare. The whole project takes only 2 yards of 45" fabric, so it'll be great for those shorter lengths of cotton prints that jump into the cart from time to time. I can also see using silks (I haven't forgotten, Materfamilias!).


A new TNT pattern! Wheee!!!


Q and A: Anonymous recently wrote to ask about my experiences with the Babylock Protege serger. My experience with this machine was very positive. I used it for 12-13 years before upgrading to my current serger, a Babylock Evolve. I used the Protege a lot during that time, too.


One caveat is this: I'm not sure if Proteges now are the same as Proteges were then. It's kind of like asking about car models, you know?


But based on my experience, Babylock sergers are nice machines that have served me well over the years. HTH!