The Wiksten Shift Dress
So many unfinished projects and now, some time. I’ve resolved to finish several UFOs before I move onto anything new so here’s completed Isolation Project #1 – the Wiksten Shift Dress.
Most of you will know this pattern I’m sure and there are so many beautiful versions out there. I knew I’d get around to making one eventually and that day came, as it often does, with a new fabric delivery that included these lovely linens – gush, gush, swoon, swoon, what can I make with THIS?!!
The pattern includes three options – a long shift dress (with optional waist tie), a short dress and a top as well. This page on the Wiksten site is super helpful when it comes to choosing your size and I ended up going down two sizes for mine.
I actually started this dress in February and was only a belt and hem away from calling it done. And then I did the all-important, mid-project try-on and I wasn’t sure if I loved it. So there she stalled.
But two months on, with the benefit of sewing hindsight (always a beautiful thing) and a couple of extra hours sewing, I find myself wishing I’d finished it back in the tail end of summer because there would have much, much wearing. The design is simple, easy and so very, very comfortable. I wore it during an intense frisbee-throwing session and those side splits allow for both big strides and, in my case, uncoordinated leaps. Tick and TICK.
I cut the back yoke on the cross because pattern matching with the gathers was never going to work and I was never going to try. But I did pattern match the pockets and getting those *just* right felt like it took up half the sewing time. Worth it though.
I did start and finish one other garment in February, this Wiksten Unfolding Jacket and it’s already had multiple wearings.
This is my second Haori (the first I blogged here), made up in the mid length. I used our Bedford Mustard linen for the outer, sleeve and pocket linings and the body is lined in our Cubic Pink linen.
It’s all very not-my-usual colour palette but both of these new makes are making me happy and I’ll take all the happy I can get right now. How are you doing? Any UFOs being cleared from your sewing list right now?
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Both pieces are very lovely!
I have just made a toile for the Verona jacket…..it’s a dream, despite being made from an old sheet !! It has come together beautifully. Just can’t believe how well. I have a beautiful wool boucle in a dark blue, green and yellow plaid that I’m nervous about cutting into until I get the toile perfect.
My only issue is that I need to add some width to the hips, I’ll play with that today and see what it looks like ?
Old sheet toiling. I do that too!
Love the dress and it look great in that fabric. Have just been looking for the pattern but seems to be out of stock in Australian shops. Do you sell it at Tessuti or have other suggestions for where I could buy the Wiksten shift and top pattern? Thanks.
Hello Lisa
I haven’t taken care of any UFO but I did finally do some mending/hand sewing that had been on my pile all year. So now I’m onto fun projects. I was thinking of using some black linen I have already in my stash to make this jacket and then line with a linen cotton blend. Only I have realised the black linen is ‘heavyweight’ about 265 gsm.
Do you think that would be too heavy to get this look?
Thanks
Hi Charley! It’s definitely heavier than the 165gsm Bedford I’ve used here but I think it would absolutely work in this style. It will probably just sit a bit differently. Check out all the lovely versions in all the various weight fabrics on Instagram. They all look SO good.
Hi,
I’d like to make the Wiksten Dress and unfolding jacket. Do you supply patterns for these as their gorgeous and just what I ‘m looking for.
Kind regards
Marie
Hi Marie
We don’t sell either but you can purchase a copy of the Wikston Shift directly from the website. The Unfolding Jacket is out of print but for something similar you could try Ready To Sew’s Pekka Jacket or our own Tokyo Jacket.