My oldest child is going off to college this month. On the one hand, I have wrapped my brain around that and am excited for her–and for us, with all the changes that come along with launching a bird from the nest. On the other, I’m terrified and want to hang on to her just a little bit longer, probably for the reassurance that we’ve done a good job and she’ll have a fulfilling life when we’re not there to take on the bogeyman for her and keep her safe. It’s happy and it’s sad, on both sides.
In honor of the occasion, I finally got around to sewing the pajamas I promised I would make for her 10 years ago. Yes, TEN. Better late than never, right?
I bought this sparkly Harry Potter quidditch fabric from Jo-Ann back when the fourth book was released. I have a hard time believing it was really that long ago–but I checked the publication date on the book, and it’s 2001. 2001?!? When did an entire decade fly by? While my child was growing up, it would appear.
And just in case you suspect I might be exercising a little hyperbole for dramatic effect, I present to you: the selvage. So, this has been sitting, pre-washed, in my stash for over a decade, waiting to be sewn into pajamas for my oldest, who first met Harry Potter when Book 1 was read aloud to her first grade class. She has read every single volume multiple times (as have I), and when the final book came out, I hit the grocery store near our house just after midnight the day it was released and bought THREE copies: one for her, one for me, and one for my husband. No one wanted to have to read it last.
The pattern is an ancient out-of-print Simplicity juniors pajama pattern, with three styles of top and two bottoms. I didn’t have enough fabric to make her pants here–I thought I did, but then I remembered I purchased yardage to make a set with pants for a six-year-old, not an eighteen-year-old. Wow. So she got a sweet little top with elasticated neckline and a pair of “sleeping shorts.”
The neckline could have had a drawstring, but I thought the elastic was more practical. The pattern also called for elastic at the sleeve hems, but I don’t like the way that style rides up on my shoulders when I sleep, and figured she’d be more comfortable in this.
The sleeves and neckline are all one, and the casing is just a super narrow channel for the elastic. Thank goodness I happened to have some 1/4″ elastic on hand, too–it meant this was a crazy quick project. Not including cutting out, which I had done a few days before, the top and bottom together took one afternoon while the younger children were having their naps. It was super satisfying. Only two hours! Well, ten years and two hours.
I think her facial expression really captures it here: total joy and total terror. On both sides of the camera. Look for me in a couple weeks–I’ll be the mom who starts out gleefully assisting in decorating her daughter’s dorm, and then cries the whole way home. Transitions are hard, even the good ones–but at least with her super cool pajamas she’s sure to be the hippest girl on her floor and make instant best friends with everyone in her dorm. Right??
