My Moneta

My first sewalong was a joy. A joy. It was the Colette Pattern Moneta Sewalong. I like structure and a motivator and I don't have the time to go to sewing classes any more. So when I heard about the sewalong I thought it would suit me down to the ground and I was right. Also it was about knits - something that I was way to scared to tackle. The last series of the Great British Sewing Bee put me off them rather than encouraged me by making them seem very tricky. However, I followed the advice on the sewalong and took the plunge with a stable cotton knit that I got online for £5 a metre. I went for turquoise as I love bright colours.

So here is my Moneta

I thought the back collar had turned out a bit funny but it looks ok here.

I love it. I thought I prehaps should have made the bodice longer as I have a ridiculously long torso but it worked out ok as the skirt starts on the funny hump on my tummy that my third pregnancy left. So it is actually very flattering for my funny figure (more about that later).

I made many many mistakes - including using some bizarre stitch for the bodice and the first armhole was a bit of a car crash. However, I am delighted with the end result and as soon as I finished it I ran to Mandors and bought some really gorgeous Liberty knit material. I have already cut it out and am hoping to make it up over a couple of nights as we are going camping this week and I think Moneta is a great camping glamour dress. 

My next sewalong plans are the Anise as I love the jacket and I love jackets. I will probably do it in autumn and will try to find a sale wool to make it in.

Hello

Hello world, look at what I have made.

I started this blog because I am taking part in the Colette Moneta Sewalong and I wanted to be able to share the picture of what I have created. Also, I love sewing blogs. I love seeing pictures of patterns I am interested in and then what other patterns those people have made. I love seeing what material they use and how it turns out. So I want to get involved and share as well. This will also be nice for me to see what I have made and (hopefully) encourage me to document and photograph it.

A brief bit about me: I live in Edinbugh, Scotland. I started sewing about three years ago by going to evening classes. Prior to that my only sewing experience was in school and my abiding memory of that is putting a sewing machine needle though my finger and my home economics teacher winding it out.

When I started the classes I found out I was pregnant with my third child (which is a pisser if you are making something for yourself). I spent 12 tortuous weeks putting a very simple skirt together that I couldn't even fit until I had delivered my third daughter and let my body settle down. However, I loved the classes and kept going.

I will put up a post about my back catalogue, but after making a successful dress for my eldest daughter (that she wouldn't wear because the sleeves were too fat - has she not read Anne of Green Gables?) I kept going. However it has taken me a couple of years of classes and learning patience with sewing before I am actually producing stuff that is wearable.

I have been very inspired by seeing posts about Me Made May. It has made me dig out stuff I had made and couldn't face looking at and reassess it. That first skirt which I couldn't wear in the winter as it wasn't lined and didn't work with tights was worn yesterday with bare (only slighly hairy) legs.

So my plans for this blog are:

• Do not use exclamation marks (I am happy to follow the trend of overusing in other parts of my social media life, but not here)
• Show what I am making and what I want to make 
• Be a journal for me about my sewing activities

I have a busy life and my available time ebbs and flows, but I will try to do the best I can.