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Amber's Linen Twill Wiksten Shift

I finished my linen twill Wiksten Shift Dress just in time for that magical transition from summer to autumn. Seeing the parade of beautiful Wiksten Shifts that everyone has made has been really inspiring, and I'm very excited for this to be a part of my wardrobe!amber's linen twill wiksten shift

Pattern: Wiksten Shift Dress + Top (long Dress with Waist Tie version)

 Fabric: Toledo Linen Twill in Oyster

Size: 6 (plus FBA)

Modifications: FBA, inverted box pleat on back yoke instead of gathering

The linen twill is a heavier weight linen. It has some nice drape, but it has a bit more structure and body than a lighter linen plain weave.  
wiksten shift dress with bust dart

I made a few modifications to my Shift, mainly going down a size and adding an FBA (full bust adjustment). This creates a dart at the front bust, while keeping the basic shape the same. See our FBA tutorial here, if you are interested in adding a dart to a dartless pattern.

Back pleat on ambers wiksten shift dress

Another small tweak, I used an inverted box pleat on the back yoke, rather than the gathering written in the pattern. I felt it would give a cleaner look and work better with the weight of the twill fabric.

side view of split hem on ambers wiksten shift

The oyster white hue of the twill is a very bright, just barely off-white hue. On sunny days, it is perfect to reflect heat and keep cool, while the slightly heavier twill fabric has just a bit more warmth if a cool breeze picks up. 

This dress is such a quick and simple make, and so comfortable! It's so versatile: I'm excited for dressing it up and dressing it down. I just need to be careful of red wine and tomato sauce, the nemesis of white dresses! 

 

Comments on this post (2)

  • Sep 15, 2019

    Your dress is beautiful! I made the top a couple weeks ago using a box pleat on the back and front using an adjustment that I came up with for your sailor pattern. Too chicken to try a FBA. But now that I have seen your instructions I might give it a shot. Again, beautiful dress. Katherine

    — Katherine

  • Sep 15, 2019

    It’s perfect! Really cute dress ~ thanks for sharing!

    — Amy

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