BLUE TRIANGLES // COLETTE MONETA

Pattern: Colette Moneta
Size: Medium
Modifications: Used Deer and Doe Plantain sleeves instead of the included sleeve options
Fabric: White ponte-ish knit from Angel Textiles – 846 S. Maple Avenue

When I first saw Colette's Moneta, I thought it was bee-ay-utiful and bought the pattern immediately. I loved the red example of V1 with the little collar, and loved the idea of a cute, knit dress with a bit of something extra (interchangeable collars - hello!).

My first attempt was using some drapey purple, potentially rayon, knit from the Michael Levine Loft. First of all - big mistake. I think my fabric was too lightweight - the torso sort of bagged out, the skirt was too heavy to be supported by the waist, and the armholes were way too huge. I loved the idea of this pattern, but I placed it on the back-burner for the time being (along with, unfortunately, some other Colette patterns: Hazel and Laurel).

Then I found this ponte-type knit (unmarked - no way to know for sure) at Angel Textiles (my favorite) in downtown LA, and had my heart set on re-trying Moneta. I had a very lofty goal of accomplishing this before my Handmade Honeymoon (along with 1000 other things, on top of wedding planning), but that never happened.

Fast forward to about a month after we returned, and I whipped this puppy up in about 3 hours, from cutting to hemming.

The first time I made this, I cut a size halfway between a Medium and a Large (my measurements fall about halfway between the two, and Colette usually runs a bit big on me). Post Moneta Fail, I determined this was still too large, and I used a straight medium this time.

I had a bit of trouble gathering the waist with the elastic on the serger - I will use the sewing machine next time for more control (the serger is just too fast, and a bit scary, sometimes for precision). After washing, it looks alright, but it's not my finest work.

Overall, the fit is just a hair tight in the bust and waist, but I think my next Moneta will still be a medium (a gorgeous burgundy ponte knit with a bit more stretch).

The only real modifications I made, as mentioned at the top, were to use the sleeve from Deer and Doe's Plantain, as I wanted more t-shirt sleeves than tight sleeves (the measurement on the sleeve head is the same). Next time, I'm going 3/4 sleeves for winter.

 (Pilling already - yikes!)