Want a creative way to celebrate Dad? Keep him cozy with a new pair of Lounge Pants, using Cloud Cuddle®! Today, we're sharing a special pattern that is designed specifically with Cuddle® fabric, made just on the serger!
Skill Builders: Here are some of the skills you'll learn when you try this pattern
1. Using paper pattern downloads
2. Cutting Cloud Cuddle® fabrics
3. Serging with Cloud Cuddle® fabrics
Project info: Walk the Plank PJ Pants Patterns for Pirates
Materials:
Instructions
Did I mention that this lounge pants pattern is great because it only has ONE piece to make? I have some kids that seem a little bored already with their summer, so I think after this pair I’m going to have a little sewing camp and guide them to all make some lounge pants for themselves from Cloud Cuddle®, too...
After I have chosen my fabric and gotten the pattern assembled, I can cut the pattern outline with paper cutting scissors. My cat Newman was very interested in the whole process and cannot get enough of Cloud Cuddle® fabric. I have to say that she’s not exactly helpful, though! If you have a furry feline, then you understand my struggle!
The next task is to arrange the layers of fabric right sides together to cut the fabric. I have oversized pieces of the layers so I can make some adjustments to get the print balanced on the finished pants.
Because there is a big stripe in the pattern across this fabric, I am going to scooch the layers on my cutting mat until the horizontal lines across the fabric width match up. I also want to think about the big motifs being balanced on these pants, so I spend a few minutes arranging the layers to get the vertical motifs aligned as well. Don’t forget to double check that the nap is running the same way on both layers before you start pinning and cutting!
After I have all my pieces cut and ready I can start serging. The first thing that I have adjusted is the presser foot pressure for the bulkier Cloud Cuddle® fabric. Since Cuddle® is a knitted fabric, even though it is stable, lowering the presser foot pressure helps the thicker fabric not stretch out of shape while seaming. You want the machine to work on fabric that is relaxed and happy, not stretched or pushed out of shape, and relaxing the presser foot pressure helps with both the stretch and the bulk of serging Cloud Cuddle®.
I’m all set up with a 4 thread overlock stitch using the left and right needles in the serging position and the upper and lower loopers threaded. I’m choosing a longer (3.5 to 4 mm) stitch length because I’m using Cloud Cuddle®.
I have the stitch width set to 9 mm so that the bulkier Cuddle® fabric seams neatly, but I always recommend that you check both the front and back of your work after running a seam through so that you can verify that all the layers of your pieces got seamed properly. If you have a gap or a place where one piece of fabric didn’t quite catch all the way, just place the piece back under the needles and run that gap again.
Here’s a tip - if you are consistently not catching both layers of fabric, aim a little bit more into the knife on your serger. I definitely leave the knife engaged because I get a very tidy stitch, and with the cut off bin connected to the serger there is literally no mess. You can tidy up the serger tails or simply leave them as is.
On a side note, I have minimized my use of pins when serging, especially with Cuddle®. Instead I use Clover Wonder clips to keep everything together, and as I serge slowly around curves I will remove the clips and attach them to the cut-off bin to keep track of them on my workspace.
After I get all the pant legs seamed up, it’s time to put them all together. One pant leg goes inside the other and then they are seamed together around the crotch curve. Voila! Our cozy pants are almost done!
Now it is time to get the waistband in place. Measure the Dad Bod you are sewing for with a tape measure and cut a length of your elastic according to the included chart in the pattern.
You will apply the elastic with the serger as illustrated in the pattern, so be sure to disengage the knife so that you don’t cut into the elastic at all for this step. I’m still using a 4 thread Overlock stitch for this step. You will be stretching the elastic as you serge it on, so be mindful that everything is secure as you go around.
In order to finish the waistband, I am going to switch my serger over to cover stitching so that I can do a tidy finish at the waist and for the hems as well!
Remember that when cover stitching you start on the fabric and end on the fabric, so I will take advantage of the L890’s free arm system to get those hems done quickly, too!
It’s so exciting to have such a fun project that finishes so nicely with the serger! I love serging because it seams and trims the seam allowances at the same time and when I serge on Cloud Cuddle® fabric, the serged seam is less bulky than a seam sewn with a sewing machine!
And now I have some cozy pajama pants to give for Father's Day....! Now, I just need to get my kids in here, and have them make some, too...!