Boyfriend's Pajamas

Turn a man's shirt into comfy, onesie pajamas or a simple, feminine nightshirt.

In this time of boyfriend jeans, boyfriend watches, and menswear inspired ladies apparel,I thought why not boyfriend's pajamas?  There's nothing more comfortable and comforting than your husband or boyfriend's shirts to sleep in, but they're often times so much bigger than we are, and if you're short like me they just look frumpy.  That's how I came up with this idea.  I was trying to find a way to make them look cute.

Details and How To's Below

For Help With Sewing Terms

I cut the collar off this shirt and added bias tape and decorative
trim to finish off the raw edges.  Handmade doilies added
some much need color while covering up sewing flaws.  

A cuff that was cut off when I shortened the sleeves worked perfectly
to cinch the back.  Gathering the fabric loosely first (#5 photo below)
and stitching a channel to insert a ribbon after stitching the entire way
around the cuff gives the back a feminine touch.  Adding the ribbon
allows you to adjust the gather to customize the comfort.  I added
a bead on the ends of the ribbon for more shabby chic femininity.

I used the fabric that I removed from the sleeves to make the crotch.
See photos #1 & #7 below.

Lace and gathered ruffle were sewn on the entire way around each leg.
The ruffle helps to define the seat and gives this onesie its cute factor.

The sleeve plackets were cut off and sewn on the yoke over
each shoulder leaving the side closest to the sleeve open.  I stitched
down the center of the sleeve placket starting at the shoulder, the flat end,
and ending 1/2 inch from the other side, the triangular end.
See #3 & #4 photos below.

I went for a different look with this shirt.  Instead of cutting the entire collar
off, I left the collar base attached, removed the collar leaf and used the collar
leaf to gather the back.  The shirt was made from lighter weight fabric that
draped nicely, so it wasn't necessary to gather the fabric first before
sewing the collar leaf on the back at the waist.  I merely stitched the
collar leaf on flat, stitching around the perimeter,  then stitched two seams,
1/4 inch apart, down the center to thread the ribbon into.  I threaded
 it with ribbon I made from vintage, calico, bias tape.

For Help With Sewing Terms

1.  I cut the sleeves off just above the sleeve placket.  One of the cuffs was used to gather the back
(#6), the sleeve plackets were used to gather the shoulders, and the remaining fabric was
used to make the crotch (#7).

2.  I cut the collar base and collar leaf off, gently rounded the neckline by cutting
a bit more fabric off, taking care not to cut off the top button and button hole,
and sewing on bias and decorative trim to cover the raw edges.

3.  I removed the sleeve plackets from the cuffs and stitched them over the shoulders
on the yoke.  Don't stitch the side closest to the sleeve.  That is where you will
thread the ribbon in that allows you to gather the shoulder, giving the pajamas
a woman's proportions.  To do this, add a stitch down the center of the sleeve
placket, starting at the shoulder (flat end) and ending 1/2" from the pointed end
closest to the neckline.  Use a small safety pin attached to one end of the ribbon
to thread the ribbon in one side of the sleeve placket, and return back to the
shoulder through the other side.  Stopping the middle seam 1/2" from the
pointed end gives you the space needed within the seam to turn the safety
pin around and feed the ribbon back through the other side.   

4.  The sleeve plackets are cut from the cuffs taking care not to cut their finished
edges.  The only exception is the short flat end were they connect with the
cuff.  You'll want to maintain the finished edge on the cuff since you'll be
using it on the back of the pajamas.  I cut the sleeve placket off just above the
cuff, so I did have to hem that small edge before I stitched it on the yoke.

5.  If you are working with heavier fabrics you may need to gather the back at the waist
loosely first before stitching on the cuff, or collar, dependingon which type of nightshirt your making.

6.  A cuff that was cut off when I shortened the sleeves worked perfectly
to cinch the back.  Gathering the fabric loosely first (#5 photo below)
and stitching a channel to insert a ribbon after stitching the entire way
around the cuff gives the back a feminine touch.  Adding the ribbon
allows you to adjust the gather to customize the comfort.  I added
a bead on the ends of the ribbon for more shabby chic femininity.

7.  The crotch of the onesie was cut from the fabric left over when the sleeves
were cut off just above the placket.  Make sure you cut the cuff and sleeve
plackets out before you cut the crotch.  I used a bathing suit bottom
for a pattern.  Since there's very little fabric left, you won't have enough
fabric to hem the edges.  That's why I used bias tape on the edges.  The
back side of the crotch gets sewn to the inside hem of the bottom of the
shirt.  At this point, try the shirt on and pin the front edge of the crotch to
the front placket were comfortable.  Sit down and move around to make
sure it's comfortable.  It took a few adjustments before i got it right.
Turn under the raw edge and stitch.  The stitch will be visible so use a
color of thread that will blend in with the shirt.