dress shirt pajamas (simplicity 5343, 5534)

Last week I found myself with a dilemma concerning the youngest troublemaker's pajamas.  He's wearing size 24 month clothes, which I think is one of the hardest sizes to fit with a pre-made pattern.  Most baby patterns go up to 18 months, and the toddler/child sized patterns start at a size 3.

Since patterns tend to run a little big, I took Zoram's measurements, and then measured the pattern pieces and felt confident that the 18 month pieces would fit.

Trying to make a two-piece set for him like his brothers, I used Simplicity 5343 for the pants, but couldn't bring myself to dress my little guy in the empire waisted frilly top (nor would his dad have been very happy with me):

As I began looking around, I decided I didn't have the time (or the brainpower) to make up my own pattern for a top, nor to size down the pattern pieces I was using for my older troublemakers.

And then it dawned on me . . . what is a pajama top, anyway?  Nothing but a button-up shirt made out of flannel!  Score!!  Simplicity 5534 (out of print, but luckily I already had it in my pattern library) had just what I was looking for!

The pajamas ended up fitting just like I wanted them to, although if I could go back, I would probably make the top an inch or two longer.

(Ignore the new, slightly too big undershirt sticking out of his sleeve.  It'll shrink in the wash.)