This is a rather belated Lunar New Year pyjama post!

Every Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year in my house), my mother has insisted on us having new pyjamas and clothes. It’s tradition! (I think historically it’s always been a time when kids get their new clothes for the year much like how you would at Christmas. I don’t think there’s anything more to it!). I’ve always like to stick with it on my mum’s behalf!

I already had a fabric to use for this year. I had bought a piece of the pink/ green Pigeon Wishes gingham from Hey Sew Sister a few months back and had initially planned a dress for it but upon seeing it in real life I knew immediately these was not the right colours for me to ever be seen in out in public. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the colour/ fabric but there was something about the shades against my skin that just made me want to vom…

I figured using it for pyjamas wouldn’t be too bad though!

This year I decided to go a bit extra with my pattern choice. I used the Common Stitch Pipit shorts for the bottoms (my 4th iteration and still going strong) and to go with it I decided I wanted a collared blouse. I dug out my old Fibre Mood magazines as I’d vaguely remembered seeing something I thought would work and I found it!

It was the Tilda dress from issue 16 that I was thinking of. It’s a short sleeve button front shirtdress with a dramatic pointed flat collar. I knew if I cropped it and loosened the fit, it would be exactly what I was looking for!

I straightened out the side seams to make it boxier and shipped it off somewhere around the high hip point.

At the last minute I decided that the pink and green fabric needed to be broken up a little. I initially thought about adding a piping to the edge of the collar but I was inspired but the recent Marie pattern release from By Hand London and went for a double collar instead! I made a second collar piece in a black voile from the stash. I also dug out some black ric rac and had just enough to use on my sleeve and shorts hems!

It’s an adorable set and I’m glad I found a use for the fabric!