Task 41: Make a nightdress

Ideally I would have used my own sewing machine for this, once I’d learned how to use it (Task 40), but it’s in the UK and I’m in Cape Town for quite a while.  Also, most importantly, my friend Rowena - aka the Domestic Goddess - is here too and as soon as she saw my list of tasks, she immediately bagged these two to help with.  Amongst her many talents, she is extremely skilled at sewing and makes nearly all her own clothes, as well as doing commissions for other people.  It’s such an important part of her life that she has a sewing machine and overlocker in her apartment in Cape Town, in addition to all her equipment at her house near Carlisle.

A nightdress may seem a slightly curious choice but at school I made several dresses and the obligatory apron, whereas I’ve never made a nightie before.  Also it seems almost impossible to find the type I like in the shops or online.  Surely there must be a market for ones which are full length with long sleeves and a mandarin collar, in an attractive light-weight cotton that doesn’t need ironing?  Doesn’t anyone else find they like a collar that sticks up, to keep their neck warm, and long sleeves so that they don’t wake themselves up by breathing on their arms?  (This latter point may sound strange, but I can’t believe I’m the only person who sleeps lightly enough for it to be an issue.)

For years I’ve been looking for just the right garment and eventually I found it - on a boat on the Nile.  We were on a river cruise and the night of the Egyptian fancy dress party was looming.  By a happy coincidence the boat stocked the appropriate gear and I bought a cotton robe in a lovely vibrant turquoise, complete with outer vestment and matching little scarf, all for the princely sum of £4.  Afterwards I was wondering what to do with it and realised the robe would make a perfect nightie.  Well, almost perfect as I discovered - too late - that it leached colour every time it was washed.

Anyway, it provided an excellent template and some years ago I asked Rowena if she would make me a stockpile, based on it (I insisted on paying a decent amount for this precious acquisition).  Now I had the challenge of making one myself, with Rowena on hand to provide expert advice and support - and the use of her machine.

The first step was to buy the fabric, which proved surprisingly difficult.  Cape Town has a wealth of fabric shops but they principally cater to the Indian and Cape Malay market, which favours highly coloured sequinned brocade and brushed nylon tartan.  Luckily Rowena had earlier spotted a light cotton in a deep shade of coral and in the end I opted for that, having reluctantly decided that I really couldn’t expect Peter to put up with sharing a bed with a full length version of Winnie the Pooh in technicolour glory.

It took about three sessions of a couple of hours each to cut out and sew the nightie, not helped by my accidentally pinning the incorrect sides of the shoulder and sleeve together.  Here is Rowena, still smiling despite the substantial demands on her patience and good nature:

She had decided I should stretch myself by adding three more sophisticated elements to the existing template: a yoke, a curved rather than a squared-off front piece, and top stitching over the curve, the collar, the yoke and some of the other seams.  The most difficult part by far was the collar, followed by trying to wrestle the front piece between the two sections of the yoke, together with the interfacing, so that all the seams matched up and were facing the right way.  I was taking detailed notes and realising why most nighties don’t have mandarin collars - it’s far too much work.  Once that stage was over, it became more straightforward and I enjoyed doing the long seams and the top stitching:

Things have moved on a lot since I last used a sewing machine - at university, to make a tennis dress - and Rowena introduced me to the options available if you don’t have an overlocker: a flat felled seam, a French seam or an ordinary seam but with zigzag stitching.  Interestingly she virtually never tacks anything, relying instead on finger pressing, ironing, and using long pins which you can safely machine over.

Finally we were there and I was able to don the completed garment, which was further customised to provide extra-long sleeves, to allow for the fabric riding up when the arms aren’t straight:

And here is the detail of the front piece and collar, which required so much concentration:

I learned a lot, including tips from Rowena that only come with experience and flair.  In the process I realised just what skill goes into producing even quite simple garments.  Most importantly, perhaps, I have become smitten with the idea of taking this further and learning how to make more things for myself.  Already I’ve started looking at make up bags, tote bags, tea towels etc and thinking “I could do that”.  I’m really looking forward to getting to grips with my sewing machine at home and pursuing this new interest.