I’m not going to lie, I have something of a mixed relationship with the Wiksten Shift pattern. In my 2019 sewing round up, I declared it one of my most over-rated patterns of the year.

Since it is just so darn simple.

The problem, however, is that I don’t feel fully confident in making that call because, the thing is, I really, really do love my Wiksten Shift Dress.

So when I decided to sew this Wiksten Shift Top, it was kind of a reckoning. Here was my chance to figure out if it was really over-rated or if I’d been too harsh on the Wiksten shift pattern.

The problem is, after sewing this Wiksten shift top, I still feel undecided for the same reasons I did first time around.

I actually really like the finished garment. I sewed way back in January and have already found that it is supremely wearable and I reach for it quite often. Which is, of course, great!

But there were still aspects of the sewing process that just annoyed the hell out of me.

Perhaps the Wiksten Shift pattern and I are simply destined to be sewing fr-enemies!

My Wiksten Shift Top

My Wiksten Shift Top, like my Wiksten Shift Dress, is a size 16. As is recommended, I used my bicep measurement as the basis for chosing my size and I found this to be spot on.

So no complaints from me sizewise.

The fabric is a striped linen blend from The Fabric Store which I’ve had in my stash for more than a year now. I don’t think it’s available anymore. In my 2020 sewing resolution post I talked about how it is often the fabrics I buy as the ‘extra’ ones to push me above the free shipping limit for a purchase that end up in my stash for ages. This was definitely one of those free shipping qualifier fabrics.

This fabric was actually a bit of a nightmare to sew with. If you so much as looked at it sideways it would stretch out of shape in the direction of your glance. It distorted wildly anytime I dared to even come within an inch of it. I can’t even describe how much I somehow had to keep cutting off fabric at the bottom hem to try to make the front and the back pieces, umm you know, the same darn length.

It was fabric distortion chaos!

On the upside, if I’d been short of fabric, I’m pretty sure I could have just stretched an extra half a metre length out of this crazy stuff!

But, despite being a pain to work with, I’m surprised by how much I like the fabric in the finished garment and I’ve found the colour and size of stripe make it a really versatile wardrobe addition.

Sewing the Wiksten Shift Top

Alright, I don’t want to be whinging sewing blogger. Whilst I believe in trying to be honest about my own personal sewing experience, I sometimes also feel that I shouldn’t be unduly harsh about sewing patterns.

After all, maybe the problem is me and not the pattern at all!

Buuuuut there was still just so much that still bugged me about sewing the Wiksten Shift Top that I may be about to rant a little!

Why, for example, would a pattern like this save binding the neckline until just about the very last step?

If you have a fabric which might stretch out, it oviously makes a lot more sense to bind the neckline as soon as you’ve joined the garment at the shoulders and make that neckline all safe and secure as early as possible.

Which is obviously exactly what I did to avoid my neck distorting out of all possible semblance of a neck shape…

The Wiksten shift top and dress features pretty patch pockets as a great design feature. But I would highly recommend that you add in an inch of interfacing to the top of the pocket to stop it from stretching out over time. Really, it’s the little details I expect from a simple pattern.

I also found that the seam allowances shifted around a bit throughout the pattern. For example, the most common seam allowance used was 3/8ths inch, but then for the sleeves, you suddenly used 3/4, but then had to trim it down to 3/8th.

Why oh why? What am I missing here??

Another example of instructions perhaps not being as thoroughly thought out as possible: the pattern instructs you to finish the side seam separately for all versions before sewing hem. But this is actually only essential if you are sewing the Wiksten Shift Dress which has a side split. If you are making the Wiksten Shift Top, you can finish the side seam together no problem, if this is your personal preference.

I just felt like the instructions got a strange joy out of confusing me unnecesarily.

Finish those side seams separately (for no reason). Then suddenly use a different seam allowance. And don’t secure that neckline until the very last moment.

None of these little things are actually serious. I have sufficient sewing skills that that I could see the problems and ignore the instructions as necessary, but, altogether, it just felt harder than it needed to be at times!

Wiksten Shift Top: The Verdict

But, rant side, I actually really like the finished product so I’m left in my state of Wiksten Shift confusion.

So, I did the only thing I could think of, I used the pattern again to try to reach a verdict on what I really think of it!

Another Wiksten Shift Dress

This Wiksten shift dress is, again, a size 16, with the slight modification that instead of using the back dress piece, which has a yoke, I used the pattern piece for the Wiksten shift top and extended it to the length of the top.

I chose to do this as I didn’t want to have to pattern match my check along the back. It does make the dress slightly less voluminous at the back and I quite like it that way.

I also extended the sleeves to be full length – I added 18 cm, but 15cm would have been enough for me.

Can we just take a moment to stop in wonder and awe at this beautiful fabric? I purchased this check crinkle linen from Tessuti Fabrics, but couldn’t find it on their website anymore to link it (sorry!!).

It is divinely lovely and I’m liking the concept of crinkle linen – it’s all like “yeah, I’m crinkled and proud, that’s the way I’m supposed to be!!”. Not that I’m one to let the wrinkles in linen bother me in any way.

The fabric is really quite delicate, so the neckline actually stretched out quite a bit while sewing (even though I defied the instructions and finished it ASAP!). However, I actually like the look of a slightly wider neckline with the Wiksten Shift Dress.

I have a confession to make, despite loving this fabric, I’m feeling a bit lukewarm on this one overall. When it was hot off the machine, I was all into it – it felt “dancing around the room” good.

Then I showed it to the other half who’s reaction was “ummm, it’s just a little bit Grandpa bath robe though…”

And now, what’s been seen, cannot be unseen!

The tie belt, the slightly too long sleeves, patch pockets. I’ve made a plaid dressing gown out of this awesome fabric!

I’m hoping I’ll be able to break free of my doubts and grow to like it enough to give this lovely fabric the love it no doubt deserves.

And, in the end, do I like the Wiksten shift pattern?

Oh, who bloody cares?

But I have sewn from it three times now!!

Do you guys have a sewing fr-enemy pattern that you can’t decide if you love or hate or am I on my own here???

Oh and, finally, a little P.S! If you like to get your blog hits through Bloglovin’, feel free to follow me over there: you can find me here. And you can find me on Instagram here.