Ankara Reynolds x Peppermint Loungewear Set

Hot on the heels of the coordinating set that I shared last week, here's another! Although I think we can agree that this week's combination of Ankara fabric, a strappy top and less swishy trousers have quite a different feel about them to last week's blue viscose creation.

I've been wanting to try sewing with Ankara/African wax print fabric for a while now and was finally given the push to order some by Ankara appreciation week, which was hosted on Instagram recently by Lena King and Juliet Uzor. Thanks to their inspiration, I found this lovely print at Ankara Shop - I really liked the colours and the fact that the print was bold but slightly smaller scale than some other Ankara fabrics. 

I wasn't disappointed when it arrived! The colours are just what I wanted, and I love the fact that the background colour is dark navy rather than black. It's quite crisp and doesn't have a lot of drape so you need to consider that when choosing patterns to make with it, but unsurprisingly for cotton it's very easy to work with so once you've picked the right pattern the sewing itself is plain sailing.

When it came to picking patterns, I knew that this time I wanted to use the new Helen's Closet Reynolds as the top. I was fairly confident that the cropped top version of Reynolds would work well with this crisp cotton, and thankfully I was proved right.

I like the top so much that I'm actually making a Reynolds dress this week so I'll write another post talking about the pattern in more detail once that is finished. If you want the abbreviated verdict though - it's a great pattern with good instructions and the sizing seems accurate. More to come in the not too distant future hopefully!

As for the trousers, I originally intended to make the culottes that are featured in the book Sewing with African Wax Print Fabric by Adaku Parker, but when I came to trace them out it struck me that the overall shape of the pattern is actually fairly similar to the trousers from the Peppermint Loungewear set which I made recently. Being as I had that pattern traced out already and knew that it fit me, it seemed sensible just to use that. So I'm possibly taking the concept of secret pyjamas a bit too far by wearing a pattern that's intended to be loungewear as actual trousers, but that really doesn't bother me!

I think that the finished set works really well together - it's definitely a good combination of fabric and patterns. I also really enjoyed working with the Ankara fabric, and there's still a fair amount of the 6 yard precut that I bought left so I'm looking forward to finding something to sew with that. And I'll definitely be using more Ankara fabric in future!

Peppermint Loungewear Set Sewing Pattern Review

Recently I had a big sort out of my fabric and uncovered a few gems that I'd packed away in a bag and slightly forgotten about, including this pink and white checkerboard print. I decided that I should get it sewn up and chose to try out a new-to-me pattern - the Peppermint Loungewear Set.

If you haven't come across Peppermint magazine before, it's an Australian quarterly publication that focuses on "style, sustainability and substance". Most importantly for us sewists, they also have a whole library of sewing patterns that are free to download or you have the option of making a voluntary donation.

The magazine works with different pattern-makers, and the Loungewear Set that I made was designed by Common Stitch. The set is made up of a short-sleeved drop shoulder top with a high-low hem, and a pair of relaxed-fit cropped trousers with pockets. It's available in hip sizes from 34" to 52".

The pattern is quite straightforward to sew. I'd say the instructions are clear and easy to follow, but they maybe don't hold your hand quite as much as some independent pattern companies would. That said, I didn't have any trouble sewing up the set. 

I like the fact that the pattern has a couple of details that make it a bit different from other pyjamas/loungewear. The high-low hem on the top is a nice feature and results in an interesting shape, and of course pockets in the trousers are always going to be a welcome addition! I also liked the fact that that the instructions have you top-stitch the neckline facing down - it gives a clean finish to the top.

As you'd expect with pyjamas, the sizing is generous and there's plenty of wearing ease built into the pattern. I'd say the fit on the top is particularly oversized so you might want to have a look at the finished garment measurements to decide quite how big you want it. I went down two sizes from what is recommended for my measurements on the top, and as you can probably see from these photos it's still plenty big enough. I also lengthened the top by about an inch and a half, which is very standard for me.

The sizing for the trousers is a more standard pyjama style fit - I made the size recommended for my measurements and it's comfy without being baggy.

As I mentioned at the start, I've had this fabric in my stash for quite some time. I essentially got it free - I'd ordered a different colourway of the same print in a clothing company's deadstock fabric sale years ago, but was sent this one instead. When I contacted them about the error, they sent the correct fabric and said I could keep this one. Bonus! I initially thought I'd make a dress, but could never quite decide on what pattern to use and that's how it ended up getting packed away and forgotten about. 

When I got it out again, I couldn't shake the feeling that making a dress out of it might end up looking like I was wearing a tablecloth, and not necessarily in a good way! As I had 3 metres of wide fabric, I had plenty to play with so pyjamas seemed like a sensible option - I think that was the right decision.

I'm glad I rediscovered this fabric, and that it's finally been put to good use. I enjoyed sewing the Peppermint loungewear set, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I might have to see if I can unearth any other large lengths of unused fabric to make some more!