A Trio of Moneta Dresses

I’m like 80% in love with the Moneta Dress by Colette. I say 80% because there are actually some fit things that prevent me from wearing these as often as I think I will, yet somehow I always forget to correct it on future versions. But I’ll get to those in a second. First the good.

I LOVE that the Moneta dress can be either suitable for a more formal occasion or super casual Sunday errands, depending on what kind of fabric you choose. It pairs well with tights and therefore  straddles seasons well. It’s a classic silhouette and an easy sew. But since damn near everyone in the whole sewing world has made at least one of these, you probably already know all that.

Now for the fit adjustments I never remember to make. I actually don’t like the slight scoop neck in the back. It makes it really difficult to know which is the front and which is the back. I probably wouldn’t mind the scoop back so much if I extended the shoulders in a little bit. But as it’s currently drafted, it feels like I am constantly pulling the shoulders up and in, so they don’t fall off. What I really need to do is remember to use my beloved Agnes tee bodice (modified to still fit right without the neck band) and then attach the skirt to that. Also, sometimes I feel like inseam pockets on knit garments hang funny. So while I greatly prefer things with pockets (because duh), I’m not sure if I like the look of these.

Anyway, those relatively minor alterations don’t really stop me from wearing these dresses (but you know what does? Leaving them in my sewing studio for a month so that I remember to take blog photos).

The red Moneta I made for Christmas, out of a Liverpool knit from Telio Fabrics. It’s beautiful, and I absolutely love the texture. I think it really “fancies” up the dress.

The green and white striped Moneta is something I’ve wanted for a long time. I’ve pinned a lot of dresses with horizontal stripes on the bodice and vertical stripes on the skirt. It’s such a cute, summer look. I wore this on vacation in Maui and I think I’ll get a lot of wear out of it in summer. The fabric is a striped jersey from the Fashion Fabrics Club  which is like playing fabric roulette. You never really know if you’re getting what you think (like the completely see through sweater knit I also ended up with on this order). But it’s absurdly cheap and kind of a fun guessing game. I can’t seem to find this fabric on the site now, but part of the fun is being surprised.

This last one is a polka dot from the Dear Stella line (which is sold out now I think). This fabric fits my closet color palette well. And I like that it feels right on the line between dressed up and casual, depending on the styling.

I almost always sew knit patterns in multiples, and usually make two of a pattern in differing fabrics before I decide on major fit alterations. I find that I don’t get as good of a sense for the pattern unless I do that. Plus, knits are so forgiving, quick to sew and pretty much all I wear. Partially because fitting wovens is sometimes a pain, and not a skill I feel super confident in yet, but also because they really are what I always reach for first.

I’m hoping that once I actually remember to make these fitting changes, this will be one of my go-to summer staples. My first sundress love might always be the P4P sunshine dress, but this could have its place too.

What about you? Do you sew in multiples? Or are you more of a “one and done” slash “keep it moving” sewist? Do you have a favorite sundress pattern?