Simplicity 5382 - Christmas Nightgown

I have a rush job going on now as I've decided to make a Christmas nightgown for my granddaughter. I saw this pattern in Joann's but of course it was out of stock. So I went online to Pattern Review to read the reviews (only two) and bought it for only $2.99 on sale. Pretty good deal.

Ever since I saw this article in last year's Sew Beautiful Issue No. 133 I have wanted to make it. The flannel on Joann's wasn't on sale, but I bought it with one of those handy 40% off coupons. Another pretty good deal.  I'm making View A but with entredeux in the yoke and sleeves so I can crochet the scalloped edging. I'm also making pleats in the front, back and around the sleeve hems. I whacked off about three inches from the sleeves so they will end just at Bridget's wrist, not three-quarters length as in the magazine photo. 

After skimming around the internet searching for clip art (the magazine article uses machine embroidery) I came across a candle/holly drawing which is just right. After sizing it to 2 inches high I embroidered it with just three colors, DMC 743, 700 and 321 which keeps it really simple. It took all of an hour to work. I'm sure it would have taken me much longer to do it on the machine as I haven't done much machine embroidery in the past several years.

As of this writing, I have the front and pack put together and pinned to the yoke. I used Bunny's (from La Sewista) tutorial on pajama plackets for the back to make it very sturdy. I'm also using her recommendations for seams, which is to sew the seams, press to one side, serge the seam allowances, and topstitch to mimic a flat felled seam from the right side. This is why we read these blogs, to learn all these great techniques!

Bridget is a size 3, but I'm making this a 4 but with a length of size 5. I plan on crocheting the scallops on the drive to Colorado for Thanksgiving, and will hem it there with a growth tuck so she can wear it for another year or two. I'll buy some rick rack or more floss in the DMC 321 (red) for feather stitching to hide the seam once it's let out.

Cynthia