DARK GREY COLETTE MONETA
When Lizzy House was here, we did very little sewing. Unlike last year when The Sewing Factory ran for a week straight. We did manage to make Monetas together. This was the perfect project, if we had to choose just one.
Our first step was to analyze everyone else’s version. This is a valuable step! We wanted to find out what problems people had with the pattern so that we could avoid them. There were two things we found. A lot of people complained about excess fabric under the arm. The other issue people talked about was the method used to add the clear elastic at the waistband.
When we opened up the pattern we saw right away that the side seam extended too far out when it came up under the arm. We simply straightened out that line by bringing it in about 1/2″.
For the clear elastic. We did not follow the pattern directions! I’ve heard so many people complain about the results they got by trying to stretch and sew the elastic into the skirt at the same time. We used the traditional method. We basted the skirt first with a long stitch on the sewing machine. We then gathered the skirt by hand. Then we just serged the clear elastic in place. One note about the elastic. The pattern calls for 1/4″ clear elastic, which is impossible to find. We used 3/8″ clear elastic that we just trimmed down to the right width before serging it in place.
For my version I chose to do the short sleeve with no collar. I lined the bodice with the same jersey as the rest of the dress and I really like the weight of it. I will definitely do that again for my next versions. We also used a different pocket. Lizzy had a great pocket pattern that attached to the waistband rather than the side seam, which seems much more stable on a knit dress.
To put the dress together we used a serger with Maxi-lock Stretch thread and Stretch 90 needles. I’m addicted to Maxi-lock Stretch thread for sewing with knits. I did a bit of testing and it definitely makes the seams more stretchy than regular serger thread. It also is super soft and gives nice coverage over the seam. Using a serger, the dress comes together really quickly. Both Lizzy and I made our dresses in one night sharing a serger and sewing machine. For all the hemming we used a stretch twin needle on my sewing machine. For this part we used the stretch thread in the bobbin and regular thread in the top.
The bamboo jersey is incredibly soft. Wearing this dress feels amazing and you never want to take it off. Probably the best thing to do is just make 6 more so that I can just have one for every day of the week. You can see Lizzy & I wearing our Monetas together here.
p.s. The next night Lizzy made a second version using fabric that she hand dyed in our Indigo class. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen.
24 comments
What perfect timing to get your post! I have my material washed and ready to cut for my Moneta and was regretting not starting it when everyone else was doing the sewalong. Your grey fabric is beautiful and is stunning in the Moneta. I was wanting to make Version 2 with the Version 1 neckline. Yours makes me thing to maybe not … so pretty. I bought a nice lingerie knit for my lining – in black (so few colors available to me where I live), and my double knit is a beautiful claret color my sis bought for me at Michael Levine’s (she lives in SoCal). I have a serger that I’ve never sewn garments on – yet (crazy, I know), but am planning to break it in on this project. Thanks for your experiences with the attaching the skirt and sleeves. I’ve made note. Also, yes, finding 1/4″ elastic IS impossible, but Michael Levine had that, too, and she brought that to me, also, when she visited last month. So, wish me luck! If it looks nearly as nice as yours, I’ll be one happy girl.
Oh, and a question, you mentioned adding a different pocket from the waist rather than the side seam. Any pattern recommendations for someone else to do the same? Thanks!
I love your dress, I’m very inspired to make myself one. I curious about the maxi lock stretch thread and needle. Last spring I attended the serger class at my local sewing machine store. I asked the teacher about sewing on knits and using a needles designed for knits. Both the teacher and the shop owner seemed to think it wasn’t necessary to use different needles. Do you find that it makes a big difference? I made a night gown for my daughter using knit fabric, other than a poor pattern design, it turned out well – using regular serger needles.
Hi Anita, It might not immediately seem necessary to use a special ballpoint or stretch needle for sewing with knits. A regular needle is more likely to pierce holes in the knit and those holes will grow over time. Special knit needles have a rounded tip so that won’t happen.
Thanks for the great write up! You can find 1/4″ clear elastic here: https://www.fashionsewingsupply.com/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=35&osCsid=6609bce7c6155991f0746e0dc25e6faa
If you don’t already know about it, Fashion Sewing Supply is wonderful!
This looks very stylish, but comfy too. Lovely.
Is Maxi Lock Stretch thread the same as Woolly Nylon?
No, woolly nylon is for the stitch that looks like a satin stitch on the edge, like for napkins. It’s fully, hence wooly-er, than regular thread. The stretch is just a stretch thread. It also comes in a much smaller quantity than the serger thread cones. My LQS/Fabric store doesn’t carry it, and they didn’t even seem to know about it, though they carry ‘regular’ Maxi Lock Serger thread.
Hi Martha! Maxi-Lock is the brand name and it’s a wooly nylon thread. Have you used it before! I love the feel.
This is by far my favourite version of the Moneta. You look beautiful! A question…did you also redistribute the gathers so there are less at the side hip? My version has only been made once as it is sitting at all the wrong places! Time to cut off the skirt and redo it, along with the pocket if possible. Any tips on how you attached your pocket?
Hi Natasha! Since my pockets attached to the waistband, it ended up forcing the gathers to the centre. I actually like how that looks. I’ll try to post some visuals of the pocket!
Lovely dress! Can you explain a little more what you mean by, “We simply straightened out that line by bringing it in about 1/2″.”? I’m having a hard time visualizing what this means. It sounds like you did it at the side seams, but then maybe tapered to nothing at the waist?
Hi Lauren! Let me take a photo of what I mean and I’ll post it soon!
This is such a popular pattern that it would be wonderful if you would do a tutorial with your mods — lined bodice, pockets, etc. Thanks, Karyn!
Did you post this somewhere? I have been hoping to see how you fixed this problem! Did you have to make any adjustments to the sleeve at all? I imagine bumping that line in would make the armsythe smaller? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer questions–I’m really nervous about starting this project!
Hi Traci, I never did post the change but I didn’t find that with the jersey anything else needed to be changed on my pattern besides the front & back pieces. It might be different for you, but I relied on the stretch to allow me a little leeway with my alteration. It’s a great dress, I hope you have fun making it!
What a wonderful dress, Karyn! I must say you look absolutely lovely wearing it. It’s feminine and elegant and at the same time modern and relaxed. And so versatile in that fabric! I can imagine you styling it up in all kinds of different ways. Thanks for the tips, they’ll come in handy when I try to sew my own version.
I’m so glad to read that I wasn’t the only one who had trouble with the elastic! I also found that my floppy cheaper jersey worked so much better than a more expensive double knit which you are advised to use??
I can’t tell if anyone is doing sba for this dress. I’m a knit novice but I know in woven colettes I need the sba. I love the fit you got and don’t want to end up with saggy boob fabric
Thanks
I love what you’ve done with this! I’ve been racking my brain, however, to figure out how you attached sleeves and lined the bodice at the same time. Care to share the steps in that process? 🙂
I’m late to the party, but that’s a really pretty dress!!