Victoria's Secret Versus Albert's

We all figure Queen Victoria went to bed wearing frothy, delectable muslin night gowns.

But what about her consort Albert?

I'm pretty sure it was something like this charmer I made my husband for the festive season. He has been wearing out flannel nightshirts year after year since we first got married. 

Not glamorous, but warm and cosy. He wears them over regular pajama bottoms. 

We couldn't have him modeling the look anymore than you ever see Prince Albert dressed in his night gear!

McCalls 8379

Plaid Tidings: My Husbands New Nightshirt (M8379)

In my November and December podcasts, the theme was plaids and tartans. 

I'm in the mood to sew more than one this winter season. Hope I can make that happen

My husband's nightshirts were wearing out - he usually needs one or two new ones about every two years. Since the last ones I made him, I've misplaced the pattern. I found McCalls 8379 on the web. It seems to be out of print, but there are probably still many available the same way I found this one. I liked the front tuck and simple neckline. 

I got the side seam plaids matched, but since I quilted the pocket, the flannel in the pocket tightened up quite a lot more than the flannel in the front of the garment. So the plaids didn't match up when I laid the pocket down. My husband doesn't care! He's glad to have a place to put his iPod or reading glasses when he's hanging out on a Sunday morning reading the paper.

He likes it!

Fabric Choices: Quality Versus Price in a Holiday Sewing Project

About a month ago I got feed up with shopping at my local always-a-discount fabric store and decided to try to avoid shopping there, coupons or no. They get me in with 40% off, then I over buy on other things. I also buy stuff I don't like because it's a good deal. That's a waste of money, inventory space at home, and not really a great treat for the planet either - eventually more junk in the waste stream when a garment I don't like gets donated and somebody on the receiving end doesn't like it any better than I do. Yes, I may end up paying more for thread and notions but I want to put my money where my mouth is and buy from vendors who want to provide quality products for fashion sewers.

100% Cotton Flannel
MFG: Henry Glass & Co. Inc.
Collection: Yarn Dyed Fun Flannel
Source: Fabric.Com

I bought two pieces of flannel online at Fabric.com (I've liked every piece of fabric I've purchased there).  Are these flannels more durable than the discount flannels from the local discount fabric store? I'll be best able to estimate that by keeping an eye on the nightshirt I just finished for my husband out of this flannel. He wears a nightshirt out after a year or two, so I'll see if this one holds up better. I certainly liked the hand of this  fabric, a soft, yarn-dyed taupe check.

I had fun sewing this nightshirt for my husband while listening to my
December "Enchanted By Sewing Podcast" show

In my December "Enchanted By Sewing Podcast" show I talked about my sewing plans for nightwear, including the night shirt above, which I finished sewing about the same time I made it through the final audio check of the show! Pattern and more information about this nightshirt are in the Enchanted By Showing Show Notes. You might also enjoy downloading, or listening on line, to this month's, and other month's shows.

Plain Sewing: Another Season's Nightshirt

December means nightshirt and nightgown sewing. In California, our cool weather has just come in and we're noticing seam and fabric deficiencies in last seasons nightwear.

Though Simplicity 9898 is out of print
There are many of this older pattern for sale on the web
And the big 4 pattern companies carry new versions
of this same pattern style

Wonder how many times I've made this flannel nightshirt for my husband? It's the ultimate, no-fashion item. I sew them and he wears them out. We turn the worn out nightshirts into cleaning and polishing rags, just as families have for generation after generation.

I'm getting down to brass tacks today, cutting another of these oh-so-practical garments.