Super Wide-Leg Pajama Pants

Stockpiling fabric is a dangerous sport because inevitably you accumulate a lot of fabric. It often happens slowly, a couple yards here and there that quickly adds up over time. For the first couple of years after I got my sewing machine, I was accumulating fabric at a fast rate. I would go to the fabric store and fabric would be on sale, and I would think I could use this fabric for a dress or that fabric for a skirt (but with no actual plan in mind).

The problem is I can find fabric more quickly than I can use it. I wish I could sew faster, but I’m just not that capable yet. So I’ve cut way back on my fabric buying this past year. I’ve been trying to use the fabric I have before I get more fabric, and I’m slowly making a dent in my fabric stock.

Another problematic issue with stockpiling fabric is that sometimes you buy fabric thinking it’s pretty cute, and then years later you look at it and think “what was I thinking?” I’ve had that feeling with quite a few fabrics, where if I were to see that same fabric now, I wouldn’t buy it. But, as I already own the fabric, I might as well try to find some purpose for it.

That’s how I used this fabric for my Super Wide-Leg Pajama Pants. When I initially bought this lightweight cotton fabric I thought it was kind of cute, and that maybe I’d make a dress out of it one day. I’m generally not a huge fan of pink-purple, but I do think it’s an acceptable shade, and I thought the pattern was rather interesting. But the fabric is sparkly, and I’m not really into sparkles; they tend to turn just about any fabric juvenile, real fast. So taking a look at the fabric now, I wouldn’t buy it. But I had it, and I decided the best thing was to make pajama pants.

Remember this 1970s wide-leg pant pattern I got from a thrift shop? I decided to alter it to become elastic band pajama pants. I used the pant leg patterns as-is, except for one thing: I added extra height to the top of the waist so that it could fold over to fit the elastic. I didn’t bother changing anything else; the gathering of the pants were forgiving enough that I didn’t have to alter the waist size.

I was curious to see how wide-leg these pants would be in the end, and they’re quite wide. It’s almost like wearing a long skirt. But I like them. And they have pockets, and I love pockets…a lot. These pants are very cool and airy—perfect for summer wear.