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Welcome to the Moneta Sewalong

moneta-hero-small

Hello and welcome! In this sewalong, we’ll be going step by step through the process of sewing a Moneta knit dress.

If you’ve never sewn with knits before, that’s ok! We’ll review techniques for working with knit fabrics with and without a serger. The sewalong will cover both the version with a collar (Version 1) and the version with sleeves (Version 2/3).

Moneta is a versatile, comfortable and elegant dress that’s a breeze to make. After you make one you’ll want a whole row of them hanging in your closet.

moneta-pocket

Your teacher

I’m Devon Iott, a sewing teacher living in Nashville by way of Los Angeles and Ohio. I’ve been sewing my whole life, and I’ve been able to share my love for it with others by teaching at places like Sew LA, The Fabric Studio Nashville and the Craftcation Conference. You can read about my sewing projects and similar exploits on my website Miss Make.

How it works

Our sewalongs are simple. We’ll publish a series of posts detailing each step in the process of fitting and sewing your pattern. You can sew along with us, ask questions, and share your techniques and advice with others.

Feel free to leave comments here on the blog, or join our Sewalongs Facebook group to post thoughts, questions, and photos. We try our best to answer as many questions as possible, but encourage you to jump in and help each other out as well.

What’s covered

Tomorrow we’ll get started by going over what fabric and supplies you’ll need for your Moneta. You’ll have two weeks to get your shopping done before the actual sewing gets underway.

A week from today, we’ll go over some knitwear sewing basics and discuss fitting a knit pattern.

Then a week after that on June 16th, we’ll get started with the sewing. We’ll work through the dress through the rest of that week, with the final sewing post being the following Monday.

Then you’ll have a week to get all your Monetas finished and into the Colette Flickr group before we highlight some of them in a parade post.

And if you’ve also been following along with the Mabel sewalong, that will be just enough time to enter your knitwear creations in the Colette Knitcation contest! Read all about the details here.

The Moneta Sewalong

  1. Welcome to the Moneta Sewalong (39 Comments)
  2. Gather Fabric and Supplies (49 Comments)
  3. Tips for Sewing and Fitting Knits (33 Comments)
  4. Sew the Bodice (all versions) (45 Comments)
  5. Sew and Attach Collar (version 1) (4 Comments)
  6. Install Sleeves and Finish Neckline (versions 2 & 3) (17 Comments)
  7. Sew the Skirt (36 Comments)
  8. Attach Skirt, Hem and Finish (33 Comments)
  9. Your Finished Monetas! (5 Comments)

Comments

I don’t have plans to make a Moneta in an immediate future, being already involved in another project, but I’m really interested in this sewalong and plan to buy the pattern soon, so I’m signing in anyway ! ;)

Tacha

Hi Devon! I’m in! Already have my fabric (well just need to buy the lining) and can’t wait to start.

me either!!

Jennifer

I’m away all of June but will try to catch up and post too!!

sounds good! the sewalong will still be here, so you can make your moneta whenever you have time.

Sue Augustyn | saidinteriordesign.com

Great! Ready to go with pattern and fabric!

Juliana

YEEEEY! :)

I was just planning to get started on one at the end of the week. I don’t think I’ll want to wait 2 weeks to actually start sewing it, but maybe I’ll make another one then, so I can sew along with everyone!

haha sometimes it’s hard to wait! you can’t have too many monetas…

Fara

You may answer this question tomorrow but in looking at jerseys, I see some beautiful silk jersey. How will that work? The colors are beautiful. Also I notice some of these versions like the stripe is softer with more drape and some like the sleeveless red looks to be more body. I look forward to tomorrow’s post so I can get my fabric ordered. Thanks.

hi fara! the silk jersey sounds like it would be beautiful, as long as not too lightweight.

marthaeliza

I’ve been waiting for this sewalong to comealong! Tragically, I will be traveling for work during the actual sewing timeframe, but I will do a time-delayed sewalong when I get home. Thanks!

sounds like a plan :]

Shari

New serger. Check. Knit fabric. Check. Moneta pattern. Ordered last night. Looking forward to the sew along! Particularly interested in learning how to use my serger with knits.

woohoo! you’re ready for action.

Vicki Clayton

Perfect timing. Will be finish for my birthday! Excited for my first knit!!

happy early birthday to you!

I am so glad this sew along is happening. I got my main fabric but no lining yet. Super excited. Also doing the Mabel sew along too

This is my first sewalong. I’m pretty darn excited to get started. I just got my first sewing machine in March and have made a few dresses for my girls, but now it’s my turn. :) Looking forward to seeing what everyone else does and hopefully getting this pattern out right!

welcome! it’s definitely time to make something for yourself. :)

Sylvie

I actually made the Moneta dress last week. But I made soooo many mistakes (for example: front skirt was somehow not cut on the fold, my serger chewed & sliced at the waistline, getting the hang of clear elastic, ironing hemming tape to the wrong side of the fabric). In my defence I was working with very cheap fabric and just wanted to make it quick to see if the fit was right and if I liked it. Despite all the errors, I can’t believe how forgiving the pattern is. The dress – well tunic, I had to cut out so many mistakes – looks and hangs very nicely. I love it and want to make another one properly now with the sewalong!

charlotte maloney

Sylvie…..you are a TOTAL inspiration to me!! I am 68 years old, been sewing off and on since 14 yrs. old. Unless everything is going along perfectly, or if I can think of a million reasons why sewing something new might not look that great, I just give up!! No more…..reading about you struggling with all the problems you had on your Moneta and yet still working on to finish it….wow…..makes me determined to stop waffling. So, onto a cool linen bias top I read about in Colette and I bet your second Moneta looks fab!!!!

Thank-you!

Angela

I’m with you, Sylvie. I’m in the middle of mine, and have made far too many mistakes. I think it will still come out ok, but it’ll be nice to see someone post pictures of the steps.
To be fair, most of the problems are a difficult ruffly fabric and me not paying attention.

I hope the sewalong will help out both you and Sylvie!

Julie

I just signed up today! Will the earlier email from today with the supplies get sent to me? Can’t wait to get sewing!

Hi Julie! You can see the post about supplies here: /moneta/moneta-gather-fabric-and-supplies

Jess

First sewalong and first time working with knits! Can’t wait to see how this turns out!

Welcome! Yay for knits!

Kristine

Just signed up. I have not sewn clothes in years but have been inspired by great blogs and the opportunity of a sew along. Thanks for offering.

Jim

Absolute noobie. This is my very first adult project! I’ve done doll dresses for my daughter but I’m going to make this for my wife. Soooooo excited!

Jen

How exciting. My first time on a sew along. Am a bit of a slapdash sewer, so am hoping to make something properly this time! Am based in England. Don’t know if it’s the same there but not easy getting nice quality material at good price doesn’t seem easy.

I’ve been dying to make a Moneta since the Curvy Collective did their tour. Just got a shipment of 9 yards of fabric that have all been earmarked for Monetas.

Hi everyone,
I’m so happy – this is a perfect opertunity to start again with sewing (after a wintersleep, that turned over into an spring sleep …)

I’ve already made one version with no sleeves and the collar and am going to make a second short sleeve version during the sewalong! I’m excited to see what fabric and options everyone chooses to make Moneta their own, this really is a great dress!