This handsome sonofagun is back and putting my own plain-Jane pajamas to shame! Professor Boyfriend spent most of his twenties wearing variations on mud color, and then one day this wonderfully be-catted fellow just sprang into being and now I’m a peahen. I’m the opposite of complaining!



This is more of a lounge set than strictly pajamas, and it was unplanned. Prof. B.F. picked this sensational leopards-print (as opposed to leopard-print, singular) cotton for a casual summer button-up, but it had been a while since I’d sewn something for him and I couldn’t remember the right yardage, so we got nervous and overbought. After cutting and sewing the shirt I still had about a yard left from the original 2 ¾ yards and I broached the idea of matching shorts.
Backstory, I’ve been hinting about coordinated sets since seeing those made by Emma of Emma’s Atelier (most recently, this one) but Professor Boyfriend wasn’t biting so I pitched these as “cotton sleep shorts”. Prof. B.F. is not a wide guy, but 1 yard of 45” wide fabric wasn’t going to make full-length shorts with all the fixings. I Googled around for free woven boxer patterns but modifying his Jeds pattern seemed easier than printing and assembling an unknown quantity. I was pushing these as pajamas, so it didn’t need a fly opening, and I didn’t have enough fabric for slash pockets, so these were really as simple as could be.
I blended the front pocket into the front leg, and the back yoke into the back leg. I abbreviated both inseams to a 4” finished length and straightened the hem extensions. A quick walking of the seamlines to confirm everything would match, and badda boom, pattern pieces. However, at this point courage failed me and I decided I needed more ease. I retook his measurements and those of the flat pieces; his widest point was 38”, and the pattern was 35”, so I freaked out and added 4” of ease by splitting the front and back legs vertically and adding 1” of width to each.

I now think I measured him wrong, because his commercial pants size is a 34” or 35” waist, and he probably could have wiggled in and out of these without me adding anything. I’m pretty annoyed with myself because I could have used the fabric more efficiently (often a point of pride). I might go back and remove some of that excess, even though that essentially means disassembling 75% of the shorts, just to prove that I can do math.


The waistband is a big old folded rectangle with elastic threaded through it. I learned my lessons from my own PJs and made the casing’s finished width just a smidge larger than necessary. I couldn’t cut it continuously, but I could match the seams with the short’s side seams. I left a bit of each of the short edges of the waistband unsewn so I could attach the whole waistband before adding elastic.

I left this opening on both sides as part of my cunning plan to reach in and untwist the elastic as necessary, but of course this meant the elastic went in without a fuss, so I just had two short seams to hand-sew closed. Which I did…NOT. Hey! It’s ongoingly adjustable!
The shirt is Professor Boyfriend’s usual short-sleeved Fairfield. When I handed it to him he said “Wow! You pattern-matched across the button placket!” because he is a nice person who pays attention and because DID I EVER. In a stable fabric with a largish repeat like this quilting cotton, it was a straightforward pleasure.


Nothing really to add about this pattern, except that I’ve officially converted to French-seaming the armscyes instead of flat-felling them. I might tweak the sleeve cap next time for a narrower sleeve, but that would be harder to sew. I’ll keep yah posted.

So after this shirt and the matching ‘sleep shorts’ were finished, I convinced Professor Boyfriend to try them on together, and while he originally described them as “very cool pajamas” he might be warming up to the idea of this being an outside-the-house outfit (the shirt has been in public, but the combination hasn’t). The shorts don’t have any pockets, but I have just enough scrap left to add one bum pocket, and if you can carry your keys you can leave the house, right? I’d want to narrow the legs a bit first to make the bottoms a little less casual, but personally, I think the world is ready. I probably won’t be able to talk him all the way into a romphim, but a set is excellent progress!
And I think he looks meowvelous!


(Forgive me.)
–
Pattern: Thread Theory Jedediah pants and Thread Theory Fairfield Shirt
Pattern cost: NA
Size: ??? waist = 38.5″ inches stretched, and M
Supplies: 2.75 yards of Leopard in Jungle cotton, $33.00, Gather Here; buttons, Gather Here, $5.10; thread, elastic from stash
Total time: 2 and 5 hours
Total cost: $38.10
Fabulous. Ah, the shirt too….. I love to sew for my man also but haven’t gotten him into animal print yet, a worthy goal. Pattern matching the button placket, a new Best of All Time.
LikeLike
My guy’s a sport, but I haven’t gotten him into animal print yet, just *animals* print! 😁 And thanks – the moment where you button it the first time and it does line up is the best fun you can have while sewing a shirt, in my opinion!
LikeLike
These. Are. AMAZING.
LikeLike
Thanks so much! He wears it well. ^^
LikeLiked by 1 person
Professor boyfriend is cute…
He must really love you, agreeing to pose for your blog pics!
🙂 Chris
LikeLike
I’m realizing how loving it is that he *takes* the pictures – just taking a few made me feel like I was getting a permanent squint! And he gets right of first refusal on pictures of him. 😉
LikeLike
Please can you tell me where you got the fabric from? It’s glorious but I’m struggling to find it!
LikeLike
I bought mine at Gather Here (listing: https://gatherhereonline.com/products/leopard-jungle?variant=40006548062405) but it’s a quilting cotton so if you have a local quilting store they may have it too!
LikeLike
Aw, you’ve reminded me that I purchased some amazing Japanese seersucker with dragonflies to make summer pjs for my honey. Better get on it! I agree, your guy wears that outfit well. Wouldn’t life be grand if good lookin’ men regularly roamed the streets dressed like that.
LikeLike
That sounds so cool (in both senses). And I agree – why should birds get all the fun?! Come on fellahs, put on your shiniest feathers!
LikeLike
This is amazing. That pattern matching across the front is so good!!!! I’ve never made anything where I had to pattern match so it just seems like a mysterious special skill to me. And definitely looking for this fabric as well.
LikeLike
Pattern matching is definitely something I’m pretty sure I’m getting wrong up until the last possible moment. It probably doesn’t help that I trace my pattern on the wrong side of the fabric, so there’s a lot of mental flipping! I got the fabric at Gather Here – https://gatherhereonline.com/products/leopard-jungle?variant=40006548062405 – I’m so glad for an excuse to shop the quilting cottons!
LikeLike
Love your writing poundcake! The first paragraph of this post and the first paragraph of the previous post are top notch! Plus that skirt and shirt set are EXACTLY the right thing to do with that floral nani iro double gauze.
LikeLike
Thanks so much! 💖 I’m glad I’m getting some of my enthusiasm for sewing (and dressing up my boyfriend-doll, haha) across!
LikeLike
Absolutely fabulous darling. Professor boyfriend is the cat’s meow. I am in awe (or maybe in paw) of your pattern matching.
Well done
LikeLike
I salute your cat puns!! 🐈 Thank you purr your kind words! 😁
LikeLike