Yes, I actually sometimes sew for other people!
This is my mother-in-law Alana’s birthday dress! She’s standing here in front of just a few of her fantastic fashion dolls. She is a renowned doll fashion designer and makes beautiful couture doll fashions for dolls like Barbie, Tonner, Gene, Franklin Mint, etc. If you’re a doll collector (or a “Gone with the Wind” or Princess Diana fan) check out her website — Doll Fashions by Alana.
[source: Colette Patterns]
Yep, this is another Colette Moneta! My hands-down favorite knit dress to make and wear! I’ve now made FIVE of them and have more waiting to be made! It’s such a versatile, flattering pattern and I love to wear it.
The fabric I used is the bamboo dot knit in royal blue from Harts Fabrics. This is one of my favorite fabrics to wear. It’s a little bit pricier than other jerseys, but is very good quality, doesn’t fade and looks and feels wonderful. You may recognize this fabric as I’ve already sewn with it and so has Lauren of Rosie Wednesday!
This is the third dress I’ve made for Alana and the easiest! The other two I made for her was the Colette Hawthorn and the Sewaholic Cambie. Knit dresses for the win!! 
I (in a not very sneaky manner) asked Alana what kind print/color she’d like in a dress, so she technically picked out the fabric. Even when you know someone very well, it’s still difficult to pick out fabric for another, isn’t it? I’m glad she likes this one and this dress as she changed what she was wearing on her birthday, just to put this dress on! Of course it’s always nice to wear pajamas that look like a dress from the outside! lol
That’s Alana with her “fruit basket cake”, which is her birthday tradition. I had never heard of this cake before I became a part of my husbands’ family, but apparently it’s a central California thing. It has layers of cake with fruit (strawberries, bananas, blueberries) and whipped cream and pudding (it may be something else, but that’s what it tastes like to me). My FIL gets her this cake and sometimes from different bakers and it always has a different interpretation, but is ALWAYS delicious. I like how this particular one has sliced almonds on the frosting. Yum!!!
Happy Sewing!
Amazing dress, amazing cake!
Thanks, Erin!
Seems you have a great relationship with your MIL. I need to do more unselfish sewing, because right now my kiddo is really the only other person that benefits from my sewing.
That cake sounds great! I make something similar, but I call it a banana split cake. There is a banana filling, cherry filling, pineapple filling and chocolate ganache filling, all wrapped in cream cheese icing. My hips widened just thinking about it…better go retake my measurements!
It’s not bad to be a selfish sewist.
I forgot that that cake also sometimes has pineapple in it. It depends on who is making it! lol 
This is so great! And what a fascinating background and job to make dolls! Sounds wonderful.
Thanks, Lauren!! It is fascinating! I’ve been to a few doll luncheons with her and it makes you want to have them! (and I do…)
Lovely dress! And as a doll fan myself, I love her designs.
Thanks, Debbie! I didn’t know you were a doll fan, too! Fashion dolls are quite cool, aren’t they?
Love this make! I am doing unselfish sewing this weekend for my sister, which is almost as easy as sewing for myself thankfully. I just finished my Moneta hack last weekend, and I’m SO pleased with it in every way. Totally worth the trouble of a pdf, I can’t wait to try the Myrtle.
Thanks!!
I love the Myrtle, just haven’t gotten around to making another even though I fabric for one!!
Lovely dress! I love my MIL, but I would never attempt to sew for her (granted, she lives across the country). I agree with you about the Moneta–it is shaping up to be my favorite knit dress ever, too!
Some people are fun and easy to sew for and some aren’t! It’s hard to sew for my own mom as she’s a jeans girl, but I usually come up with other sewing/crafting gifts to make.
You’re a darling daughter-in-law! The only unselfish sewing I’ve ever done is for Mike, my husband. I probably won’t sew for anybody else for a while. I have too many projects I’d like to complete for myself and not enough time to get them all in.
I know what you mean!! I’ve been wanting to sew for some of my friends, but my long ass list for myself gets in the way!
What a nice gift for your MIL. She is fortunate to have you sew for her. I love the polka dot fabric, and I agree knit dresses are the best!
Enjoy your weekend!
(btw, I am looking forward to your special blog post next week!)
Thanks, Vickie! It’s always nice to make gifts that one can wear!!