Wiksten Red Shift

I bought the Wiksten Shift pattern just before the Wiksten shop closed. I'd seen it around forever, and put off buying it, but was a total vicitim of FOMO and picked it up at the last minute. 

So I thought I had better make a version of it! I have had this red geometric print rayon in my stash for ages, and thought it might be a nice match. Not very many seams to worry about matching up here!

I made the knee length view with patch pockets. It's a pretty easy project, with a front and back, a neck facing that is stitched down, patch pockets and a sash. In rayon it took a bit longer because of the nature of the fabric; lots of wiggly bits to pin carefully. 

I like it -- the gathered back yoke is a nice feature which also adds a bit of extra width across the hips, so it fits me quite well in a 10/12 blend. I kind of wish I would have added an extra inch to the bottom to compensate for when the belt is tied and the dress is drawn up, but it's okay as is. 

It's very soft and comfy in rayon, and I had the perfect jewellry to go with it. I'm finding that I like red more lately, and so had to use this and get it out of my stash. 

A funny note; I was listening to an excellent audiobook, What You Can See From Here by Mariana Leky while sewing this dress, and now it feels like this dress is linked to a rural German village. Does that ever happen to you? Does the piece of music or the audiobook you're listening to 'stick' to your project?

In A Tracing Frenzy!

This week is all about pattern prep for me! I have a ton of patterns that I've purchased in the past that I have not made up yet. PatternReview is running a two-month challenge to make up some of those stashed patterns using stash fabric. Since this is the way I sew quite frequently, I took a look at what I had in the queue. The only caveat for this contest is that patterns & fabric must be prior to 2023, and the patterns can't be repeats or even ones you've already prepped for making. I decided to try a few of my Indie patterns for this challenge, although I have numerous big four envelope patterns that I could use as well ;)

First up is the Zoe Dress by Simple Sew, it's a casual shift I've been planning on making for this summer so it fits right in! I also have a purply-magenta linen a friend gave me last year that I'm matching up with this one. 

And I bought the Wiksten Shift Dress/Top late last year when it was announced that Wiksten was closing. I put off buying for a very long time during its peak popularity, but impulse bought it once it was going away. So that matches the contest rules as well - I have that ready to trace, and I have a couple of different fabrics in my deep stash that might work, I haven't chosen which one to go with yet. 

I am also going to make the Afternoon Blouse & Shift Dress by Jennifer Lauren, another one I've been meaning to make for AGES. I bought this pattern sometime pre-pandemic and it has been on the queue ever since. Once I get it traced out, I'm planning to make the blouse view in a bright grassy green linen blend? cotton blend? well, mystery fabric I got from a friend last fall when she was cleaning out her mother's stash. A dress will follow but I don't know which fabric I'll use yet. 

And I think I will also trace out the Fresco Blouse by Studio Calicot in this round of tracing. This is a pattern that is on my Make Nine for this year, and it's such a cute one. I might use a black rayon or a multicoloured silky poly for this, haven't made up my mind yet. Both are pieces I thrifted in early 2022.

I was also going to make the Antonia Dress by Pattern Division for this contest (also on my Make Nine) but imagine my surprise when I opened my envelope to discover that at some point I had already traced and fitted the pattern pieces, but never actually made one! So this won't fit into the PR Contes rules, but I am still making one for my summer wear. It's such a neat pattern. 

I think it's clear that I'm into shift dresses for this summer! Hoping for some comfy summer wear in lovely fabrics. Are you planning new items for your summer wardrobe this year?