Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Red Moneta

Like everyone else in blogland, I decided to jump on the Moneta bandwagon. I almost didn't as last year I made the Dixie DIY Ballet Dress twice. To be truthful however, I have never been super happy with either of those makes, primarily due to the skirt almost hugging my tummy. There is nowhere to hide in those dresses, especially when you've eaten. I don't like feeling like I have to suck my tummy in. So I thought I've give Moneta a shot, given it has a gathered skirt.

I REALLY should have edited this photo before uploading it. Untidy bedroom in the background ahoy!

I used a very soft cotton knit from Clegs. The pattern asks for too much fabric -  I made this out of about 1.6m of fabric.


I made a size Small, and lengthened it 2cm at the waist, and 2cm in the skirt. I did this as the cotton knit is not at all weighty, and other sewists had noted heavier knits pulled the bodice down, eliminating any need for lengthening. Obviously, I had the opposite problem. When I made my Jaywalk Moneta/V1027 mash-up, I didn't lengthen the bodice as the viscose Jaywalk fabric is quite weighty.

I also used the extra-large width at the shoulders only - using a larger shoulder width is a standard adjustment for me now.


I am pretty happy with this dress. There is one area I'm not happy with - the excess fabric in the upper-side-bust:


I've noticed this issue on almost every Moneta made up. Anyone know why this is happening? It's not enough for me to really worry about it in terms of wearability, but I am fascinated regarding why this is happening.

I've got two more of these planned. They are just so easy to wear and are a pretty cute silhouette. Are you going to get your Moneta on?

15 comments:

  1. Love this. You can never gave too many knit dresses in the wardrobe!

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  2. Very nice! Regarding the excess fabric, I think that most tight knit tops will probably have that, if they don't have a bust dart. If you made this in a woven, you would need a bust dart, and then the armhole would lie flat. I don't know if I'm right, but according to my drafting books, this is what happens without a bust dart in knits.

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  3. Ooo I like it and didn't notice the extra fabric. Great colour on you.

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  4. Looks really nice, the colour is fab. I made my Moneta last week but wasn't very happy with it :( due to the waist being short, my fabric was a very light weight jersey, so it definitely needed lengthening and the excess fabric, which is quite obvious on mine as it is a sleeveless version, like Stephanie I felt there had to be an bust dart there for it to disappear. I will give it one more go though with the above adjustments.

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  5. Fab colour on you and the cut is gorgeous as well; make more of these!

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  6. Love the color! I end up with some excess in the upper bust with almost every slim knit shirt I make. So interesting to read about the bust dart below. I've always wondered. I think my shape probably contributes since I see it in rtw pieces I own, too (I'm wide there around the back, but not as much in the front, if that makes sense). It's never bothered me enough to try and fix it.

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  7. I have had the excess fabric issue with all of Monetas too, but I don't have the same problem with the Lady Skater dresses that I've made. When I compare the pieces, the Moneta's side bodice piece is at a much sharper angle, which I think much contribute to the issue. I'm going to try to redraft it to eliminate that area right under the arm, that always looks a bit too bowed out for me when I cut it.

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  8. Oh the plight of one who makes her own clothes! I apply so much scrutiny to the clothes I make and forgive horrid mistakes in RTW garments (hello, is anything cut on grain anymore?!). But I would think there's an extra wedge of fabric that you could pinch out to eliminate the lines. I have a similar issue with necklines on two recent woven projects. They just don't lay flat. I don't know any other fitting terms than "pinch" so next time in plan to pinch out some fabric at the shoulder seams and see if that solves the problem!

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  9. Hello Rachel. Goodness this shade of red is perfect on you. The dress is great. No one will notice the excess fabric underarm - Stephanie's diagnosis is my thoughts too - excess fabric as there is no bust dart.

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  10. Dress looks great...even with the "boob wrinkle".

    I have this pattern but I'm not up to making it yet...the addition of lining is putting me off (I cannot even line a woven garment let alone a knit one)...and gathering knit fabric is sending me into a freak out spiral! I'm going to try the Lady Skater first...ease myself into attach a knit skirt to a knit bodice.

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  11. Hi! I had the same problem with extra fabric in the upper bust and I solved it by scooping out and shortening the front armscye. You can see the result here : http://blogmixedemotions.blogspot.fr/2014/06/moneta-with-pleats-and-gathers.html

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  12. Hi Sara, thanks! I'm off to check out your blog post now.

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  13. This looks really good on you!

    So tell me...how did you get such perfect gathers??

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  14. Thanks! I use two rows of gathering stitches, one of which sits just below the seam allowance. Means I have to unpick them, but they look better!

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  15. Ooooh. Good to know. I'm going to try that...and just go with a contrasting thread to make my life easier :)

    Thanks!

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