Pillowcase Nightgown!

Well, we can check this project off!  Except that I loved it so much I may make some more sometime. . . :)  A couple of years ago, I pinned this free tutorial, where the author made some precious nightgowns from upcycled vintage pillowcases.  Then a friend at church came upon a lone flannel pillowcase in blue toile and thought of her toile-crazy friend gave it to me!  

At first, I used it as a bassinet sheet on Ruthie's bed in our room, but I'd always had this project in mind for it!  When in September I finally was at an Ikea which had the right size blue toile duvet cover I'd been eyeing in stock, our room suddenly got an abundance of toile, so I didn't feel too badly about cutting this up. I'm so happy I did!  The tutorial only gives a pattern for size 4.

The directions were pretty straight-forward, but I would note one thing:  one of the first instructions is to cut the pillowcase straight across, 21 inches from the opening, and then to cut the pattern pieces from the remaining fabric.  I had a feeling that my pillowcase might have been a little smaller than a standard size, so I held up the pattern pieces first, and, sure enough, I only had enough fabric to cut 20 inches off.  It's certainly not too short, but I'm so thankful I checked!

The author also leaves the finishing of the back and neck kind of up to you.  I ended up using a bit of lacy hem tape along the back slit and doing a rolled hem around the neck, and was very happy with the result.  Since my beloved ancient machine doesn't have a button-holer, I just used a heavy-duty sew-on snap.  

Of course, the advantage of using a pillowcase is that the side seams and hem of the skirt are already finished for you.  This took me three short sittings, and was really easy and fun!  I just love how pretty my big girl looks--and feels!--in it.  :)