How to make a pajama top

1. Materials & tools

Materials (size M)

• Main fabric (double gauze, flannel or cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 220 cm (44 × 87 in)
• Lightweight fusible interfacing — about 40 × 40 cm (16 × 16 in) for the collar and front bands
• Buttons — 5–6

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Adult clothes” → “Pajama top” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter bust, length, shoulder width, sleeve length, cuff width, neck width and the front overlap. Presets cover S, M, L and a short-sleeved version.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Pre-wash the fabric
   Double gauze shrinks by about 10%. Wash, dry and press it before you cut or the finished top will not fit after its first wash.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the back, fronts, sleeves and collar.
3. Cut
   Cut one back, two fronts, two sleeves and two collar pieces, then fuse interfacing to one collar piece and the front band areas.

4. Sewing

4-1. Finish the front edges

1. Turn each front edge under twice and topstitch.

4-2. Shoulders, sleeves and sides

1. Sew both shoulder seams and press the allowances open.
2. Match the center of each sleeve head to the shoulder seam and sew the sleeves in.
3. Sew from the cuff along the underarm and down the side in one continuous line.

4-3. Make and attach the collar

1. Sew the collar pieces right sides together around the outer edge, trim the corners and turn.
2. Sew the collar to the neckline, then fold the inner layer under and topstitch it down.

4-4. Finish

1. Turn the cuffs and hem under twice and stitch.
2. Work the buttonholes and sew on the buttons.

✏️ Pre-washing double gauze is not optional. It shrinks around 10%, so a top that fits when you make it will be a size smaller after one wash. Wash, dry, then press while slightly damp.

5. Tips & variations

• Make the set: sweatpants or tapered pants in the same fabric.
• Short sleeves: the short-sleeve preset turns it into summer pajamas.
• Add a chest pocket: it is what makes a shirt read as pajamas rather than a shirt.